November 2025 RRRISE Newsletter

Investing in People. Growing Community. Advancing Health & Caregiving.

🌟 Redwood Region RISE In-Person Convening

November 5, 2025 | Robinson Rancheria, Nice, CA



NCHIIN was pleased to facilitate the first in-person meeting of the Health and Caregiving Advisory Council during the Redwood Region RISE Convening!

The group engaged in a lively session reviewing our regional asset map of new and emerging projects and dove into prioritizing 2025–26 Activation Plan activities. An updated Activation Plan Addendum will be released soon — stay tuned!

Redwood Region RISE Advisory Council Meeting (Photo by Amy Kumler)

NCHIIN also led a discussion on the Regional Workforce Landscape, highlighting insights from our collaborative project with the Redwood Coast K–16 Collaborative.

Key takeaways from the data:

• High-growth occupations include Physical Therapist Assistants, Medical Services Managers, Nurse Practitioners, and Physician Assistants — all projected to grow over 20% by 2032.
• For living wage careers, Registered Nurses lead in total projected openings (1,000+), followed by Health Service Managers (420), Behavioral Health Counselors (310), and Social Workers (230).
• Caregiving roles show enormous opportunity: over 11,000 openings for Home Health and Personal Care Aides, moreover there are nearly 900 Childcare & Preschool openings projected.

Our region’s educational infrastructure is rising to meet this demand. This year, Cal Poly Humboldt launched Health & Medical Sciences and Community Health degree programs. Over 15 high schools throughout the Redwood Region are now offering health and patient care pathways through Golden State Pathways funding — growing our future workforce from within!

Upcoming educational expansions slated for 2026-2028 include:

• Speech Therapy & Master’s of Nursing (Cal Poly Humboldt)
• Psychiatric, Radiology, Respiratory, and Surgical Tech programs (College of the Redwoods, 2026–2028)

💡 Catalyst Awardee Update:

The HEART Hub

The HEART Hub, the Catalyst Awardee for our Health & Caregiving sector, continues to make exciting progress on its pre-development project to develop a simulation-based training center in Lake County.

Recent milestones reported during the 11/4 meeting include:

• Construction Project Manager hired
• Logo and website in development — launching by year-end
• Architectural firm hired for facility remodel
• Attorney retained to support governance and nonprofit formation
• K–12 curriculum development underway

The new HEART Hub facility located next to Sutter Lakeside Hospital is tentatively scheduled to open in 2027.

(Photo: Tina Schaible, Trystan Hayes, Nicole Flora & Amanda Martin)

🏛️ Policy & Advocacy

Stay informed with key policy updates shaping rural health and caregiving in California:

• 🎥 HCAI & CDDS Hosted H.R. 1 and the Rural Health Transformation Program Webinar – Access Recording & Slides

• 🧾 NorCAN Report Federal Shifts and Local Impacts, Part II
  
• 🏥 Ensuring Access to Specialty Care Everywhere Act
  
• 💼 H-1B Visa Fee Proposal: AHA urges exemption for healthcare personnel to prevent further workforce shortages.
  
• 💸 Covered CA Premium Increases: Governor Newsom warns of up to 97% increases in health insurance costs if federal tax credits are not extended.

• Rural Hospital Fairness Act legislation introduced to save Critical Access Hospital Status and Funding
  
• New California laws are bringing maternity care closer to home

💰 Funding & Financing Resources

Don’t miss these upcoming grant and financing opportunities:

• Academy of General Dentistry Foundation Grant Program - Deadline: November 30, 2025

• Dental Trade Alliance Foundation Grants — Access to oral healthcare - Deadline: Nov 30, 2025
  
• Strengthening Social Connection in Communities Grant — Programs supporting older adults and caregivers - Due 12/5/25
  
• Mobile Health Impact Accelerator - Due 12/7/2025

• Birthing Center Accreditation Grant - Due 1/1/2026

• Capital Fund LoanPLUS Program — FQHC loans + free technical assistance 
  
• Residential healthcare facilities Section 232 FHA loan

• IBank Project Financing Webinar Recording

• AHA Podcast - From Dollars to Difference: How CommonSpirit Health's Donor Support Drives Community Health

• HCAI Rural Health Transformation Program Abstract

📚 Training & Technical Assistance

• Community Health Worker Trainings – AgriSafe Network: live and self-paced sessions covering health, safety, and mental health topics.
  
• AHRQ TeamSTEPPS Training – Improve communication and patient outcomes.
  
• Health Equity Series (CCRP & TCE): Why are people in Rural Northern California dying too early? Dec 11, 2025 | 9:30–11:00 a.m. – Focus: Tobacco Use. Register Here
  
• HBR Article: Is This a Moment for Strategic Hibernation? – Read the latest management insights.

🩺 Workforce Development Highlights

• College of the Redwoods to Build New Healthcare Training Center – Crescent City Campus

• 10-month AAP ECHO Autism: Primary Care learning collaborative
  
• NRHA's Rural Hospital CMO/Physician Leader Certification Program
  
• AONL Emerging Nurse Leader Institute – Dec 3-4, 2025 
  
• Report - The State of Rural Provider Compensation in 2025
  
• Federal Budget Cuts Threaten California's Health Workforce



• HCAI California Health Workforce Education and Training Council October 15-16 Meeting Materials
  
• Pathways Forward: Allied Health Clinical Placement Solutions – Sacramento Region
  
• Rural Health Fellowships in Georgia – Strengthening rural health pipelines
  
• Rebuilding the Pipeline: The Nurse Retention Turnaround at NYC Health + Hospitals

HCAI Released New Supply and Demand Modeling for California’s Nursing Workforce

New data reveals that in 2025 the Redwood Region is experiencing a medium to high nursing shortage, with Lake County facing a 47% deficiency and Mendocino County at 37%. These findings highlight an urgent regional need for more trained nursing professionals to meet the growing demands of our healthcare system.

This reality underscores the importance of our collective efforts through the Redwood Region RISE initiative—working collaboratively to cultivate and educate the next generation of nurses who will serve our rural communities.

Kudos to the College of the Redwoods for expanding its Registered Nursing program for the 2025–2027 school years, and to Cal Poly Humboldt for reviving its Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. These advancements are vital steps to build our local healthcare workforce.

🔗 Innovation & Cross-Sector Collaboration

• A Lifeline for Rural Communities: Sutter Health’s Bold Behavioral Health Access Expansion

• Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Program – Exploring REH’s impact on rural care.
  
• AHA Webinar: Harnessing the Power of Partnerships 
  
• Leveraging Telehealth to Transform Rural Health

• State Telehealth Laws and Medicaid Program Policies Report - Fall 2025 

• Connected Primary Care: Using Nurse Practitioners via Telehealth to Boost Patient Access and Physician Well-Being
  
• Community Health Workers and Rural Age-Friendly Care – October 2025 report by the National Rural Health Association.

• Midwives Help Fill Maternity Care Gaps as California Faces OB-GYN Shortage



• AHA Podcast - Food as Medicine: How Cleveland Clinic Is Nourishing Community Health

• Thinking outside the box: Summit Pacific Medical Center’s Food as Medicine Program

Need technical assistance?



NCHIIN is here to support all RRRISE stakeholders—let us know how we can help your team align efforts and secure funding.

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📩 Have something to share? Email your announcements, success stories, and events.

North Coast Health Improvement and Information Network (NCHIIN)

Contact Us:

Redwood Region RISE Sector Investment Coordinators

Email: RRRISE@nchiin.org

Phone: (707) 267-9603 

Website: https://www.nchiin.org/redwood-region-rise-california-jobs-first/