As college enrollments continue to drop across the nation, Palm Heath Foundation is easing financial burdens for students pursuing degrees in nursing and behavioral health at colleges and universities across South Florida. Over $400,000 in scholarships were awarded to 61 undergraduate, graduate and doctorate students, who shared stories of how the lingering economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic were thwarting dreams of careers in fields that are facing devastating shortages.

Many Palm Health Foundation scholarship recipients suffered financial losses during the pandemic due to job loss or reduced incomes. Hardships wiped out college savings in some cases, while others found it nearly impossible to return to intensive courses of study while having to work full time to make ends meet.

“We have to make it financially feasible for students who have a passion for health professions careers to graduate and join the fields that desperately need their services,” said Patrick McNamara, president and CEO of Palm Health Foundation. “At a time when many students may feel the need to postpone or drop out of their programs, we are providing the hope and stability to realize their dreams and support the health of Palm Beach County residents while relieving their financial debt.”

Palm Health Foundation’s nursing scholarship recipients range in degrees from licensed practical nurse to doctor of nursing practice, fulfilling shortages from bedside care to nursing education. Graduates are needed across the board short term and long term. According to a recent McKinsey survey, 29 percent of responding RNs in the United States indicated they were likely to leave their current role in direct patient care, with many respondents noting their intent to leave the workforce entirely. The same study cited that if no actions are taken, there will likely be more patients in the United States who will need care than nurses available to deliver it with a gap between 200,000 to 450,000 nationwide. What’s more, nursing faculty is on the decline, resulting in fewer slots for students.



The need for mental health professionals is also great. Data from Kaiser Family Foundation shows the current supply of Florida’s working mental health professionals meets only 19% of the state’s need. The pandemic caused an increase in anxiety, depression, and demand for services that continues. According to EAB, job postings for social workers reached an all-time high in February 2022 across the nation and employment is expected to grow 12% from 2020 to 2030 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.