State health leaders visit ESCC to discuss workforce shortages

Eastern Shore Community College welcomed Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Marvin B. Figueroa and other state leaders to its Melfa campus Friday, Aug. 28, for discussions about expanding the region’s healthcare workforce.

Figueroa was joined by Heidi Hertz, director of Virginia’s Rural Health Transformation Initiative; Dr. Felicia Ganther, senior vice chancellor for academic and workforce services with the Virginia Community College System; and Dr. Maurice Jones, the system’s senior vice chancellor for strategic partnerships.

Also participating were Eastern Shore Rural Health CEO Jeannette Edwards, Dr. Scott Wolpin of Rural Health and Del. Rob Bloxom.

Following an introductory discussion at the ESCC Workforce Development Center, the group toured the college’s nursing simulation facilities. College leaders discussed the Eastern Shore’s nursing shortage, the region’s reliance on travel nurses and efforts to increase the number of locally trained nursing graduates.

The discussion was led by ESCC Vice President Dr. Ramzi Ockaili, Workforce Development Director Scott Hall and Student Services Director Amy Shockley.

The visitors also toured space that could be converted into a dental hygiene training facility if funding becomes available. College officials discussed the tentative launch of an Eastern Shore dental hygiene program in spring 2027 through a partnership involving ESCC, Germanna Community College and Eastern Shore Rural Health.

Wolpin and Edwards outlined the need for dental hygienists on the Eastern Shore and elsewhere in Virginia, as well as the resources required to establish an appropriate instructional facility at ESCC.

The group later visited the college’s Practical Nursing facility, where officials discussed the program’s role in meeting local healthcare needs. ESCC is also exploring partnerships with other Virginia community colleges to expand the healthcare programs available locally.

The visit concluded at Eastern Shore Rural Health in Onley, where participants discussed ways state government, colleges, healthcare providers and community organizations could work together to build sustainable education and employment pipelines for the region’s healthcare workforce.