(Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC) -The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) has submitted a response to The Department of Education’s proposed rule, titled Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE).
While the Alliance appreciates the Department’s aim of promoting fiscally responsible spending, the comment letter expresses concern that the proposed rule’s narrow definition of professional degree, and the resulting exclusion of nursing, physical therapy, physician assistant, occupational therapy, and social work advanced degree programs, would have a unintended consequence for the healthcare workforce and the millions of Americans who depend on care delivered in the home.
The letter details the pipeline impacts this decision would have on home health, hospice, palliative care, and home and community-based services. It states, “[c]are in the home requires healthcare professionals to exercise a heightened degree of autonomy, independent judgment, and specialized skillsets that are cultivated through both advanced education and training. These are precisely the skills that advanced healthcare education programs are designed to develop, and restricting access to federal student loans for these degree programs could restrict the pipeline of professionals delivering safe, effective care in the home.”
Our healthcare system is already facing workforce challenges, and the Alliance believes this action may have an unintentional impact on an already constrained workforce at a time when demand for care at home is rising. This is especially true in rural and underserved communities, where access to care is needed most.
“At a time when providers are already struggling to recruit and retain staff, it is important to support the workforce pipeline that provides care for seniors and people with disabilities who rely on care in the home,” said Jennifer Sheets, CEO of the Alliance. “We look forward to collaborating with policymakers to seek solutions that protect access to care for the millions of Americans who rely on these services.”
The full comment letter can be found here. The Alliance stands ready to partner with the Department of Education to ensure a sustainable pipeline for an educated healthcare workforce.
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About the National Alliance for Care at Home
The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is the leading authority in transforming care in the home. As an inclusive thought leader, advocate, educator, and convener, we serve as the unifying voice for providers and recipients of home care, home health, hospice, palliative care, and Medicaid home and community-based services throughout all stages of life. Learn more at www.AllianceForCareAtHome.org.
Press Contact
communications@allianceforcareathome.org
Hannah Kristan | 202-355-1647