The Washington Home Invests $329K in Local Healthcare Workforce to Support Older Adults in Washington, DC

New citywide collaboration unites eight partners to expand education, training, and career pathways to meet demand for skilled older adult care

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, July 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As demand for healthcare professionals specializing in older adult care continues to outpace the available provider workforce, The Washington Home (TWH) has launched its Healthcare Workforce Collaboration – a new grant initiative designed to prepare the next generation of DC-based healthcare professionals to meet the complex needs of a rapidly growing older population.

Through a $328,602 TWH investment across eight partner organizations, the collaboration will support three key areas:

1) Education – student course and support services to prepare Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) graduates, continuing education and recertification support to support worker retention;
2) Outreach & Training – community liaison and job readiness training to identify and prepare prospective healthcare workforce members; and
3) Advocacy – coalition convenings to advance long-term care workforce needs, central coordination, and project accountability management across training providers, employers, and community partners.

The initiative is part of TWH’s newly redesigned FY26 grant strategy, which shifts funding from isolated intervention programs to prioritizing collective accountability, strategic coordination, and long-term systems change for deeper impact. In total, TWH has awarded $4.5 million in FY26 grants supporting initiatives across all eight Wards, including collaborations focused on healthcare access, social isolation, workforce development, and aging-in-place supports.

At the center of this collaboration effort is a growing challenge to meet rising demand for skilled healthcare professionals supporting healthier aging and improving quality of care of older adults.

The Healthcare Workforce Collaboration is projected to reach approximately 1,750 older adults and increase the number of trained and employed direct care workers in Washington, DC, by at least 1,000 professionals within the next four years.

“This collaboration addresses one of the nation’s most pressing healthcare challenges: ensuring a skilled workforce is prepared to care for a rapidly aging population. By building stronger pipelines into careers focused on older adult care, the initiative aims to improve access to high-quality services, reduce workforce shortages, and support healthier aging across the District,” said Crystal Carr Townsend, MPA, CEO of The Washington Home.

COLLABORATION PARTNERS DELIVER IMPACT
TWH is proud to partner with these eight organizations to enhance the workforce pipeline for older adult care practitioners:

▪Black Women Thriving East of the River: Provides workforce development and patient navigation for community members in Wards 7 & 8.

▪Christ House: Provides comprehensive and compassionate health care to sick, homeless men in the District. Will provide placement opportunities for three students to serve at the onsite medical respite facility.

▪DC Appleseed Center for Law & Justice: Nonprofit that uses litigation, research, advocacy, and community partnerships to address public policy challenges. Will provide monthly workforce community coalition convenings to advance long-term care workforce needs.

▪DC Coalition on Long Term Care: Works to expand and improve the quality of long-term care programs and advocates to improve working conditions and licensure for CNAs.

▪Home Care Partners: Enables older adults to remain in their own homes in comfort, safety, and dignity through its excellence in workforce, programs, and services. Will serve as the collaboration’s central convener providing coordination and accountability across training providers, employers, and community partners.

▪Montgomery College: A public, accredited institution dedicated to student success and recognized for the quality and scope of its academic programs, the school will provide education and support services for 24 LPN students.

▪Summa Prime Healthcare, Inc.: A provider of healthcare training, staffing, and consultation services to develop competitive healthcare professionals, they will train 24 CNA students for this collaboration.

▪Trinity Washington University: A private university with a nursing school that will train three CNA students for service at Christ House’s medical respite facility.

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“This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to ensuring every older adult can receive high-quality care from a well-trained, compassionate workforce,” said Marla Lahat, Executive Director of Home Care Partners. “Each of our eight partners brings unique expertise to this effort, strengthening the continuum of care through career development opportunities and meeting the demand for skilled professionals.”
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Together, the TWH collaborations represent a new model for how Washington, DC can address aging, health, and social connection – through coordinated community resources that support older adults where they are.

ABOUT THE WASHINGTON HOME
The Washington Home is a private foundation that provides funding to entities that create and deliver innovative, compassionate, and well-managed programs to improve the quality of life for elderly and/or terminally ill residents in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Founded in 1888, The Washington Home, until recently, provided long-term care to residents of its nursing home facility in upper Northwest Washington, DC, hospice care to patients in their own homes, and care in the in-patient hospice wing of the nursing home.

In recent years, the Board of Directors of The Washington Home directed a repositioning of the organization by ceasing hands-on care and consolidating its financial resources to be deployed for maximum impact in accordance with its longstanding mission. Learn more at www.TheWashingtonHome.org.

Crystal Townsend, MPA
The Washington Home
+1 202-895-0105
info@thewashingtonhome.org
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