On Wednesday, Governor Patrick Morrisey today announced a $2.4 million award to Ascend WV to recruit and retain healthcare professionals in rural communities across West Virginia, one of several investments being made through the State’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).
This award marks an important step in implementing the State’s broader strategy to strengthen the healthcare workforce and improve access to care for West Virginians. Funded under Mountain State Care Force (MSCF), a key initiative of the WV RHTP, the investment is intended to recruit and retain healthcare providers in rural communities across West Virginia, helping more residents access high-quality care closer to home.
Operated under West Virginia University, Ascend WV is expected to implement a statewide recruitment and relocation program designed to address healthcare workforce shortages in rural communities across West Virginia. The program will support the recruitment of licensed healthcare professionals through targeted outreach and provide relocation, retention, and community integration services such as housing navigation, spousal employment assistance, peer networking, and financial support. The performance-based model includes a goal of recruiting at least 125 licensed healthcare professionals to rural areas of West Virginia during the first year.
The initiative recognizes that recruiting healthcare professionals is only part of the solution. Long-term success depends on helping providers and their families build connections within the communities they call home. Through wrap-around support services, the program aims to support newly recruited professionals as they become active, long-term members of the communities they serve.
