Suffolk scores record $5 million grant to train more nurses, healthcare workers

Suffolk County Community College just landed the biggest grant in its history — nearly $1 million a year for five years — to send more nurses and healthcare workers into the field for Long Island’s strained medical workforce.

The $4.98 million award comes from the New York State Department of Health’s Healthcare Education and Life-Skills Program (HELP) and will kick in January 2026.

The funds will help cover tuition for students in Suffolk’s registered nursing, practical nursing, clinical medical assistant and certified nursing assistant programs. Tuition support for students is expected to roll out beginning in fall 2026.

Officials noted that the initiative is designed to boost retention and graduation rates across the board — increasing first-year RN retention from 73 percent to 85 percent and PN retention from 65 percent to 80 percent — while adding dozens of new CNAs and CMAs to the region’s healthcare pipeline each year.

“This transformative investment ensures that more Suffolk students will have the resources, guidance, and opportunities they need to succeed in high-demand healthcare careers,” said the college’s president, Edward Bonahue. “It will strengthen the pipeline of skilled healthcare professionals serving Long Island and beyond.”

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The funding comes as hospitals and healthcare facilities across Long Island continue to face a severe staffing crunch. The region has grappled with persistent shortages of nurses, medical assistants and support staff — a problem made worse by retirements, burnout and growing patient demand.

A report last year from the Center for Health Workforce Studies found that workforce shortages are the leading cause of recruitment difficulties in hospitals, with non-competitive salaries also a major barrier.

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