# West Virginia Awards Nursing Education Expansion

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey announced a **$291,403** award to the WVU Medicine Center for Nursing Education on September 21, 2026, aimed at expanding nursing education capacity to address critical statewide nursing shortages. This funding, part of the Mountain State Care Force initiative under the Rural Health Transformation Program, will increase enrollment capacity by approximately 100 nursing students annually and establish new instructional sites in Wheeling and Berkeley County, targeting rural and shortage areas.

- This award highlights state and federal collaboration, involving West Virginia and CMS, to strengthen healthcare workforce development through targeted educational expansion.
- Procurement professionals should note the focus on rural healthcare workforce solutions, which may signal further funding opportunities in healthcare education and training programs.
- Contractors and educational institutions can leverage this initiative to propose scalable nursing education solutions that address workforce shortages in underserved regions.
- The establishment of new instructional sites indicates potential for infrastructure and technology procurement to support expanded nursing programs in rural West Virginia.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Healthcare
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** September 22, 2026

### Government Entities
- West Virginia
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

### Vendors
- WVU Medicine Center for Nursing Education (award recipient)

### Key Quotes
> Addressing workforce shortages requires more than recruitment alone. We also need to expand educational opportunities and help more West Virginians enter healthcare careers.
> — Dr. Arvin Singh, Secretary of Health

> A strong healthcare system starts with having the people in place to care for patients.
> — Patrick Morrisey, Governor

### Sources
- [Governor Morrisey Announces Award to Expand Nursing Education and Strengthen West Virginia’s Healthcare Workforce | WV Office of the Governor Patrick Morrisey](https://governor.wv.gov/article/governor-morrisey-announces-award-expand-nursing-education-and-strengthen-west-virginias) - WV