Maryland nursing homes to benefit from $275M national nurse recruitment initiative

President Donald Trump announced a $275 million initiative aimed at recruiting and retaining nurses in nursing homes across the United States, including Maryland, according to reports from fox10phoenix.com, fox13news.com, and fox26houston.com. The program, called Nurses for Nursing Homes, is designed to support over 4,000 nurses nationwide.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) jointly announced the initiative, which offers eligible participants up to $40,000 in student loan repayment and/or a $10,000 stipend. In exchange, nurses must commit to working an average of at least 30 hours per week for three years at qualifying nursing homes.

CMS is contributing $100 million to the program, while states are providing at least an additional $175 million. The funding comes from civil monetary penalties collected from nursing homes by CMS and state agencies.

The initiative targets rural communities and areas experiencing higher labor shortages. CMS confirmed that all 50 states and the District of Columbia, including Maryland, are participating. All rural nursing facilities and additional facilities in higher-need areas are eligible to participate.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that the program aims to recruit and retain thousands of nurses, expand care in underserved communities, and create new career pathways in long-term care.