UMKC gains $1.7 million in state funds

The University of Missouri- Kansas City's schools of health science anticipate about $11.8 million in funds to increase the number of graduates.

The funds are part of a new state initiative called Caring for Missourians. Gov. Jay Nixon announced the program at UMKC School of Nursing on Thursday, May 28. The initiative will provide $40 million to health science programs throughout the state. Legislators established the program as part of the Fiscal Year 2010 budget.

The school of nursing is slated to get about $1.7 million of the Caring for Missourians funds. The rest of the money with be divided among UMKC's schools of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy.

"During these difficult economic times, Missouri still faces a critical need for trained and educated professionals in a variety of health care fields," Nixon stated in a release. "And that need is only going to increase as our population ages in the years to come. Caring for Missourians will help us train the next generation of medical professionals to meet the health care needs of tomorrow, while also helping turn our economy around today."

Caring for Missourians funds will enable two- and four-year colleges and universities throughout Missouri to expand health career programs.

Funds for UMKC School of Nursing will enable to school to launch its accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The program allows professionals with a non-nursing bachelor's degree to receive a degree in nursing at an accelerated pace.

UMKC School of Nursing Dean Lora Lacey-Haun said the accelerated program has been on the school's radar for some time.

"I haven't been able to get it started because I haven't had funding," Lacey-Haun said.

Lacey-Haun anticipates that the accelerated program will increase the number of BSN graduates by 12 percent. She said these future graduates will be critical to the nursing job market as more nurses retire.

"In a couple of years, when the economy recovers and those people who planned to leave (nursing) do, then we are going to have a large hole," Lacey-Haun said.

UMKC School of Nursing will also use funds to add faculty members to the school's master's and doctorate level programs.

Lawmakers hope the Caring for Missourians initiative will create jobs throughout the state, said Scott Holste, a spokesman for the governor.

"It helps provide good paying jobs for additional Missourians," Holste said.

The initiative will also train health care employees to work in high need areas throughout the state, Holste said.

According to the governor's Web site, 79 Missouri counties face a shortage of health care employees. The state faces a 7 percent shortage among nurses, a 6 percent shortage among pharmacists, an 8 percent shortage among physical therapists and occupational therapists, and a 7 percent shortage among laboratory technicians.

"The expectation is that the schools are going to use these funds to meet health care needs," Holste said.

Caring for Missourians funds are not ongoing, but Nixon expressed interest in continued funding for health care training initiatives.

"The governor certainly would like to see continued funding in future years for adding to our capacity to train health care professionals," Holste said.

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