Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced Coastal Counties Workforce Inc. of Brunswick, Maine, will receive a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to deploy a Rural Health Training program in Cumberland, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Waldo, and York Counties. This grant will help train rural health care workers for nursing and pharmacy jobs. 

“As regions urban and rural alike experience a surge in coronavirus infections, it’s clear that we need more health care workers to meet this moment. Coupled with an economic crisis that has spurred widespread unemployment, this grant could not come at a better moment,” said Pingree. “I’m proud to announce that Coastal Counties Workforce will receive $2.5 million to train rural workers for high-wage, high-skills careers in nursing and pharmacy. I’m particularly excited to see that this program will target unemployed and underemployed low-income Mainers, veterans, formerly incarcerated individuals, and immigrant workers—many of the same Mainers who have been affected most by the coronavirus’ economic ramifications. In the oldest state by population, these jobs will be in high demand for years to come. I’m glad Coastal Counties is investing into jobs that meet our current crisis and prepare us for the future.”

“The Coastal Counties Workforce, Inc. (CCWI) team is thrilled to have been awarded this most important resource for the Coastal Counties region of Maine.  With continued funding decreases at a time when rural healthcare workforce shortages in our communities are profound, this funding is of tremendous value to the region.  We are grateful to the many partners that helped make this possible including our service provider Workforce Solutions operated by Goodwill of Northern New England, the Maine Department of Labor, Maine Department of Health and Human Services, the Community College System and Adult Education System, in addition to employers CVS Pharmacy, MaineHealth, and Northern Light Health,” said Antoinette Mancusi, Executive Director, Coastal Counties Workforce, Inc.

Coastal Counties Workforce’s Maine Rural Healthcare Partnership will operate in conjunction with MaineHealth, Northern Light Health, and CVS Pharmacy in Portland, Westbrook, South Portland, Brunswick, Bath, Belfast, and Saco to train rural workers in nursing and pharmacy careers. This grant will help with apprenticeships, on-the-job training, accelerated learning, and online learning, among other strategies, and will work with the Maine Community College System to train workers. 

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