Florida: Governor DeSantis Highlights Success in Reducing Nursing Shortages Through LINE and PIPELINE Funds
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ~ Daytona Beach, Florida - Governor Ron DeSantis made a visit to Daytona State College today to showcase the success of Florida's efforts in strengthening the nursing talent pipeline. The Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education (PIPELINE) Fund and the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund have been instrumental in incentivizing and rewarding collaboration and performance in nursing education programs, ultimately leading to an increase in the number of nurses entering the workforce.

Governor DeSantis has made it a priority to make Florida the top state for workforce education by 2030. As part of this commitment, he recently approved $130 million for the PIPELINE and LINE nursing programs in the Focus on Florida's Future Budget. This funding is in addition to the $125 million already allocated for FY 2022-23 and FY 2023-24, bringing the total investment to $380 million. Since FY 2022-23, Daytona State College has received over $9 million through these programs.

"Florida is taking proactive steps to address the nationwide demand for qualified nurses by making strategic investments in workforce and nursing education," said Governor Ron DeSantis. "The results from these two programs speak for themselves, which is why I fully support their renewal in the upcoming fiscal year."

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Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz Jr. also praised Governor DeSantis' leadership and highlighted how these programs have yielded positive outcomes. "Thanks to Governor DeSantis' vision, Florida's investment in high-quality nursing programs is paying off," said Commissioner Diaz Jr. "The PIPELINE and LINE programs have been successful incentives for fostering public-private partnerships, resulting in record numbers of enrollees and graduates."

Ray Rodrigues, Chancellor of the State University System of Florida, echoed this sentiment by stating that under Governor DeSantis' leadership and with support from the state legislature, universities have been able to partner with the private sector to secure crucial resources needed to produce more high-quality nurses than ever before. He also emphasized the importance of continuing to invest in these programs to meet the critical workforce needs of the state.

The success of these programs is evident in the numbers. In FY 2023-24, 7,498 students completed a nursing program, which is the highest number in three years. From FY 2021-22 to FY 2023-24, enrollment in Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) programs at Florida College System (FCS) institutions that received LINE funding increased by 25 percent, from 12,456 to 15,636. Additionally, there was a 24 percent increase in completers from these same colleges, rising from 2,595 to 3,214.

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Since FY 2022-23, Florida has been investing $46 million annually in state universities through the PIPELINE and LINE programs to enhance nursing education. These investments have led to an expansion of State University System nursing programs and a record high of 1,800 nursing graduates.

Established in 2022 as a competitive grant opportunity for various institutions including state universities, school districts, FCS institutions and independent nonprofit colleges and universities, the LINE program provides matching funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis for participating agencies that partner with healthcare providers. The PIPELINE fund rewards performance and excellence among nursing education programs at state universities, school district postsecondary technical career centers and FCS institutions that offer licensed practical nurse programs.

Currently, applications for LINE funds are being accepted. The Florida Department of Education has posted the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the disbursement of these funds and associated documents on their website. Interested institutions must submit a Notice of Intent by September 10th.

For more information about the Florida Department of Education and their initiatives to enhance nursing education and workforce development in the state, please visit www.fldoe.org.

Filed Under: Government, State

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