CAHP Action Plan – Sept 2025

CAPITAL AREA HEALTHCARE PARTNERSHIP (CAHP)

Working Together to Improve Healthcare in the Capital Region

Co-Conveners:
Maureen Jenks, Capital Workforce Partners
Tiffany Morrissey, Connecticut Health Council

ACTION PLAN

September 2025

The Capital Area Healthcare Partnership is a regional sector partnership that brings together healthcare providers to collaborate on tackling shared challenges, and to strengthen the economic healthcare industry in the region. This partnership is being driven by healthcare leaders from across acute, post-acute, primary care, long-term care, home health, behavioral health, and other providers. Capital Workforce Partners and the Connecticut Health Council are the co-conveners, working in coordination with other economic development, workforce and education organizations at the region and state levels. The partnership is being modeled off other regional sector partnerships that are active across Connecticut and around the country.

Mission:
To increase the stability of the healthcare industry as a critical economic driver and improve outcomes through collaborative strategies.

Operating Principles

Work collaboratively to:

Build synergy, not siloes
Leverage, not duplicate
Increase communication driving effective action
Get things done!

CAHP Leadership Team

Goal: To ensure the Partnership is focused on the right priorities and achieving desired outcomes

Rebecca Couceiro, Hartford Healthcare
Athena Dellas, Wheeler Clinic
Carol Fitzgerald, New Horizons, Inc.
Barry Simon, Oak Hill

General Discussion

Welcome and Introductions

Barry Simon, Oak Hill
Roundtable introductions, All

Announcements

Good Jobs Challenge Grant:
- Current Cohorts:
  - Pharmacy Tech: 25 (Capital): 11/24
  - Pharmacy Tech: 25 (Tunxis): 11/24
  - Surgical Processing Tech: 25 (Tunxis): October 9th
  - Patient Care Technician: 17 (Capital): Graduate 11/24
Nursing Expansion Grant:
- Supporting upskilling pathways such as CNA to LPN, LPN to RN, AD to BSN, and CNA to RN
- Provides up to $8,500 per participant
- Eligible participants include those beginning or currently enrolled in programs finishing prior to May 2028
- Includes an upskilling survey conducted in partnership with Listen4Good to capture workforce feedback
Trinity Nursing Assistant Program (TNAP):
A pathway program for individuals with no prior healthcare experience:
- Recruitment through JFES, WIOA, and other programs
- Informational sessions outlining role expectations
- Comprehensive participant assessments
- Interview preparation and resume support
- Two weeks of job readiness training
- On-the-job training as a nursing assistant
- Opportunities for advancement into other roles
Layoff Aversion Grant:
Business grants up to $20,000 available to help employers retain staff and stabilize operations through December 31, 2025.
Supports:
- Incumbent worker training
- Business strategy consulting
- Operational studies
- Marketability enhancements
Hiring Event:
Healthcare job fair scheduled for October 9th at CT State: Tunxis
- Open to the public and promoted to Good Jobs Challenge graduates
- Employers from north-central CT and the Waterbury area will attend
CAHP Website:
New CAHP Website Enhancement Action Team members:
- Maddy Clark, Hartford
- Daniel Remiszewski, Northeast Medical Institute
- Timothy Haddock, The Village for Families and Children
- Rebecca Couceiro, Hartford Healthcare
- Tiffany Morrissey, Connecticut Health Council
December Meeting:
Will include founding members to revisit priorities from December 2022 and assess alignment with current efforts. More information to follow.

Speaker

Alan York, Director of Impact Partnerships at Futuro Health:
Provided an overview of Futuro Health, its partnerships, and opportunities to collaborate with healthcare organizations and training partners. (See attached PowerPoint)

Action Team Updates

Policy: Elevate the Voice of Healthcare with Policymakers

Action Team Members

Athena Dellas, Wheeler Clinic
Carol Fitzgerald, New Horizons, Inc.
Dan Keenan, Trinity Health
Keturah Kinch, Wheeler Clinic
Barry Simon, Oak Hill
Bruce Stovall, Oak Hill
Tracy Wodatch, Connecticut Association for Healthcare at Home
Michelle Fuhrman, Office of Workforce Strategy

Action Team Goal

To unify and strengthen the voice of healthcare providers and advocate for public policies that strengthen the stability of the healthcare industry, improve patient care, as well as access to, and quality of, healthcare jobs.

Strategies

Celebrate Advocacy Leadership:

Dan Keenan (CT Children’s Hospital) received the AHA Grassroots Champion Award for Outstanding Healthcare Advocacy
Barry Simon received the 2025 Suellen Galbraith Award for Excellence in Public Policy from ANCOR

Summer Legislative Tour Recap:

Tours hosted at ConnectiCare and The Village Urgent Crisis Center
Strong impact despite lower turnout
Increased legislative engagement and follow-up visits
Strengthened visibility of the Partnership and employer role

Other Updates:

Barry Simon and Bruce Stovall shared updates from their trip to Washington, D.C.

Next Steps

Identify additional legislators and stakeholders for engagement
Highlight emerging workforce policy priorities across organizations
Share timing and opportunities to elevate advocacy efforts ahead of the 2026 legislative session

Workforce: Building the Healthcare Workforce for Tomorrow

Action Team Goal

Educate, engage, and actualize Connecticut youth and adults regarding healthcare opportunities, careers, and career pathways.

Action Team Members (Those in bold are co-chairs)

Deborah Bradley, The Village for Families and Children
Matthew Broderick, Quinnipiac
Vicki Clark, Blue Hills Civic Association (BHCA)
Maddy Clark, Hartford Healthcare
Rebecca Couceiro, Hartford Healthcare
Kimberly Forbes, ECHN
Leah Fuhs, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
Timothy Haddock, The Village for Families and Children
Dr. Tina Loarte-Rodriguez, CT Center for Nursing Workforce
Anne Rolfe, Mclean
Janelle Rutledge, Hartford Healthcare
Joseph Seymour, Manifest Maximum, LLC
Donna Smith, DOL
Nancy Taylor, Charter Oak College
Daria Thibodeau, Hartford Healthcare

Main Focus

Continuing planning for a second dynamic, highly interactive “Un-conference” on healthcare careers.

Main Discussion Points

Planning is nearly complete
Focus on marketing and sponsorship
Development of contingency plans

Next Meeting

Run-through scheduled for Wednesday, October 15th, with additional ad hoc meetings as needed

Communication & Marketing: CAHP Website Enhancement Action Team

Action Team Goal

To transform the partnership’s website into a central, user-friendly hub that effectively connects healthcare employers, job seekers, educators, and community partners by improving accessibility, streamlining navigation, and providing current resources that support workforce development, career pathways, and regional healthcare needs.

Action Team Members

Maddy Clark, Hartford
Rebecca Couceiro, Hartford Healthcare
Timothy Haddock, The Village for Families and Children
Tiffany Morrissey, Connecticut Health Council
Daniel Remiszewski, Northeast Medical Institute

Strategies

Add CAHP meetings to the events calendar
Create a centralized section for CAHP action plans
Update website imagery with rotating visuals from events

Additional Considerations

Contact information for partner organizations
Shared resource repository (e.g., policy white papers)
Job seeker placement metrics
Meeting agendas
Links to partner organization career pages

Next Meeting

Monday, September 29th

Upcoming Meeting

The next Capital Area Healthcare Partnership quarterly meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 16th at Duncaster in Bloomfield.

This special session will celebrate the past year’s progress and revisit priorities established in December 2022 to assess alignment with current initiatives. More details, including a flyer and registration link, will be shared soon.