Authority: Title 2.2, Chapter 20.2, Code of Virginia.

A. Out of the amounts in this Item, $2,000,000 the first year and $2,000,000 the second year from the general fund is designated for economic development programming under the Hampton Roads Skilled Trades Rapid On-ramp Network for Growth (STRONG) initiative. The Department shall collaborate with the Hampton Roads Workforce Council to support career access and training opportunities in the naval shipbuilding, offshore wind, and road and tunnel construction industries.

B. Included in this appropriation is $376,935 the first year and $376,935 the second year from the general fund for five positions to continue a re-entry job placement collaboration between the Department and the Department of Corrections.

C. Out of this appropriation, $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for workforce development programming under the Hampton Roads Partnership for Health Sciences initiative to support talent development for the Hampton Roads healthcare industry. The Hampton Roads Workforce Council will utilize the funding to support the Regional Healthcare Talent Pipeline focused on identifying and addressing regional talent shortages. The program will work to mitigate ongoing chronic healthcare labor challenges, including the attraction and retention of skilled workers, that are continuously impacting the healthcare industry by increasing the flow of trained healthcare professionals who enter the field. Any funding remaining at the end of the fiscal year shall be carried forward into the next fiscal year and reappropriated for the purposes described in this paragraph.

D. Workforce development programs shall give priority to assisting Medicaid enrollees who are required to participate in the Training, Education, Employment and Opportunity Program to the extent allowed by federal law.

E. Out of this appropriation, $500,000 the first year from the general fund is provided for workforce development programming through the Greater Roanoke Workforce Development Board in partnership with the Blue Ridge Partnership for Health Science Careers. The initiative will work to mitigate ongoing chronic healthcare labor challenges by increasing the flow of trained healthcare professionals who enter the field. Programs will be developed in collaboration with employers using verified health workforce data and will include but are not limited to the attraction and retention of skilled workers, and upskilling of incumbent workers. Funds will also assist employers with increased costs of required clinical instruction related to training programs in this initiative. Any balances for the purposes specified in this paragraph which are unexpended on June 30, 2027 and June 30, 2028 shall not revert to the general fund but shall be carried forward and reappropriated.

F. Out of this appropriation, $200,000 the first year from the general fund is provided for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to serve as Virginia's contribution to maintain and buildout the Talent Capital Initiative. The funding is contingent on the District of Columbia and Maryland committing a like amount to maintain this initiative through the end of calendar year 2027.

G. Out of this appropriation, $1,000,000 the first year from the general fund shall be deposited to the Virginia Health Care Career and Technical Training and Education Fund established in § 2.2-2040.1, Code of Virginia. The funding shall be used as matching funds for the Dental Hygienist Funding Pool. These funds shall be matched by private sector funds and administered by the Department in coordination with the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority. The Department shall collaborate with the Virginia Community College System and private sector contributors to the Fund in the distribution of funds to dental hygiene programs in order to increase the number of graduates from such programs.