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In a significant boost to healthcare education and workforce development in rural Alabama, Reid State Technical College (RSTC) announced its March 29 receipt of nearly $450,000 in grant funding from the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) through the Delta Workforce Grant Program (DWP). This investment is part of over $10 million allocated across 23 projects in the DRA region, aimed at strengthening workforce training and economic vitality.

The grant will support RSTC’s innovative Partnerships Impacting Nursing Student Success (PINSS) Project, designed to address critical socio-economic and healthcare challenges in Evergreen, Conecuh County, and surrounding areas, including Butler County. This initiative is a response to the pressing demand for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in the service area, which encompasses Butler, Conecuh, Covington, Escambia, Monroe, and Wilcox counties. 

The region is grappling with an acute shortage of healthcare professionals, compounded by an aging population and workforce.The project seeks to leverage the college’s role as an educational leader to enhance practical nursing education, aiming to alleviate the shortage of healthcare professionals and improve the region’s overall health and economic well-being. The project’s comprehensive approach includes education, community engagement, and workforce development, poised to create sustainable and transformative change.

Dr. Coretta Boykin, president of Reid State Technical College, explained the grant’s importance toward the effort. 

“This generous grant from the Delta Regional Authority is a game-changer for our community. It enables us to expand our nursing education programs significantly, directly tackling the healthcare workforce crisis in rural southwest Alabama,” Boykin said. “Through the PINSS Project, we’re not just training nurses; we’re preparing community leaders who will play a crucial role in healthcare delivery across the region. We are immensely grateful for this support and excited about the impact it will have.”

The DRA’s Delta Workforce Grant Program, fueled in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, aims to support workforce employment and training needs in the DRA region. The DWP initiative nurtures local workforce ecosystems and increases economic competitiveness by providing grants for workforce training and education programs.

For more information about the PINSS Project and other initiatives at Reid State Technical College, please contact Augusta Watters, Coordinator of Institutional Advancement and Grants, at awatters@rstc.edu or 251-578-1313.