Areas of Giving

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Health Care Foundation has also committed to $3.2 million in multi-year scholarship support to create the Northeastern PA Health Care Foundation scholars program at The Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM). This scholars program will enable students from Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties who wish to practice medicine in Northeastern PA, to receive scholarship support while attending (GCSOM).

The grant-funded projects must be consistent with the mission of the Northeastern PA Health Care Foundation: to support the health care needs including, but not limited to health education, community wellness, payment for medical care of uninsured and underinsured regardless of the facility of treatment, and to improve the complete physical, mental, and social well-being of the residents of the three named counties.

Since 2011, The Northeastern Pennsylvania Health Care Foundation has awarded over $4 million dollars in grants and scholarships. It is a charitable foundation with the mission of supporting community wellness; health education; medical care of the uninsured and underinsured; and the complete physical, mental, and social well-being of the residents of Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties. The Northeastern Pennsylvania Health Care Foundation, a registered 501©3 not-for-profit organization, was established in 2011 following the sale of Mercy Hospital in Scranton.

Visit the Scranton Area Community Foundation to explore opportunities and discover how you can apply for a grant through the NEPA Health Care Foundation.

Learn More

(570) 347-6203, ext. 310

615 Jefferson Avenue

Suite 102

Scranton, PA 18510

NEPAHCF@safdn.org

NEPA Health Care Foundation and Partnering Foundations to Provide $1.1 Million in Grants to Help Increase Staffing to Mental Health Services

01 Oct, 2024

SCRANTON, Pa. – The Northeastern Pennsylvania Health Care Foundation, in collaboration with AllOne Foundation & Charities and the Moses Taylor Foundation, is providing approximately $1.13 million in grant support through a newly launched initiative to help increase the number of providers available to serve the increased number of clients with mental and behavioral health needs. One of the main barriers to nonprofit service providers’ abilities to meet this increased demand is difficulty attracting and maintaining a sufficient regional workforce with these professional qualifications. To help address this issue, the NEPA Health Care Foundation, established in 2011 and administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation, established the Employee Assistance Grant program (EAP). The NEPA Health Care Foundation collaborated with the Moses Taylor Foundation and AllOne Foundation; Charities to support seven organizations providing mental and behavioral health services in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wyoming counties with funding for staffing needs. The EAP grants will be distributed over a three-year period to support their ability to sustain a sufficient level of qualified behavioral health providers to meet community demand. Specifically, they will help to minimize employee attrition, aid in new employee recruitment and support the long-term sustainability of the mental health provider workforce. In response to an increased need for behavioral and mental health care services in the area, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Health Care Foundation created this grant program as part of a three-year commitment to ensure continued support for these critical services. “The need for behavioral and mental health care services in our region is more pressing than ever,” said Jim Clemente, Board Chair of the NEPA Health Care Foundation. “These grants are designed to support the dedicated professionals on the front lines by addressing financial stressors and helping organizations retain and attract talent. By investing in our providers, we’re ultimately investing in the long-term health and well-being of our community.” The 2024 grantees are Allied Services for an enhanced assistance program for behavioral health team members; Children's Advocacy Center of NEPA for launching an employee assistance program to retain and attract behavioral health employees; Children's Service Center for an employee tuition and loan assistance program; Friendship House for the Friendship House ABA Program Staff Recruitment Initiative; Jewish Family Service of Northeastern Pennsylvania for investing in social workers; Scranton Counseling Center for the Scranton Counseling Center Employee Assistance Program expansion; and Volunteers in Medicine for the development of an employee assistance program in a nonprofit, free clinic setting. Over $400,000 in grant funding will be distributed in 2024 specifically to support the behavioral health care workforce. In addition to the EAP program, the NEPA Health Care Foundation provides scholarships through its Careers in Care program to increase the number of nurses able to provide care to the communities they serve. These critical scholarships support the education and training of CNAs, LPNs and RN/BSNs in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wyoming Counties. To date, 158 scholarships have been provided through Careers in Care.