Phoenix, AZ– The Health System Alliance of Arizona CEO Brittney Kaufmann issued the following statement regarding the the healthcare investments included in the FY2023 budget:
The Health System Alliance of Arizona thanks Governor Doug Ducey and the Arizona Legislature for passing a sound budget that prioritizes and strategically invests in areas critical to the health and wellbeing of the state.
We particularly appreciate the investments to address our healthcare workforce shortage, establish additional mental health resources, and provide increased access and care for our most vulnerable populations.
Arizona, like the nation, is experiencing a severe healthcare staffing shortage that pre-dates COVID-19 but has been exacerbated by the pandemic due to a combination of employee burnout, nurses retiring in large numbers, and an insufficient number of trained nurses to replace those leaving the workplace. The FY2023 budget creates a public-private partnership with the state to grow Arizona’s healthcare workforce by attracting, training, and retaining more Arizona nurses. The funding will increase the student capacity of the state’s nursing programs, support additional nurse preceptors to provide clinical training, and provide added resources for nurse professional development and training programs.
We are also grateful to see the state devote resources towards mental health. Increasing the number of qualified mental health professionals is vital for the well-being of our patients, our healthcare workers, and the citizens of Arizona.
The ability to obtain high-quality healthcare is foundational to the physical and economic health of our state and citizens. These investments made by the state’s elected leadership recognize and support the importance of the healthcare community’s ability to continue to meet the growing healthcare needs of our state.