Press Release  $10M in ARPA Funds Allocated to Support JVS’ Rapid Re-Employment for a Just and Equitable Recovery

Boston, MA — From left to right: Laura Wood - Executive VP Patient Care Operations, System Chief Nursing Officer, Boston Children’s Hospital, Christine Abrams - President and CEO, Commonwealth Corporation, Dr. Kevin B. Churchwell - President and CEO, Boston Children’s Hospital, Patty Conty - Pharmacy Technician I, Boston Children’s Hospital, Rosalin Acosta - Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, Amy Nishman - Senior VP of Strategy, JVS.

Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced $10 million in funding for JVS that was appropriated by the Legislature in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) bill signed by Governor Baker last year. Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta and President/CEO of the Commonwealth Corporation announced the funding at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) while recognizing the Pharmacy Technician Program partnership between JVS and BCH.

The speaking program also included BCH’s President/CEO Kevin B. Churchwell and Executive VP Patient Care Operations/System Chief Nursing Officer Laura Wood, as well as Amy Nishman, Senior VP of Strategy for JVS. Arlington resident Patty Conty reflected on her experiences as a career changer who completed JVS’ Pharmacy Technician program in March 2022 and immediately joined the BCH team as a full-time employee.

“The Baker-Polito Administration is committed to a regional and targeted strategy that supports the unemployed and underemployed, as well as employers with growing hiring needs,” said Rosalin Acosta, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development. “JVS has been a valued partner in these efforts, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration that helps economically-disadvantaged people find meaningful work, especially those who were most impacted by the pandemic.”

The $10 million in funding is allocated toward programming that supports JVS’ Rapid Re-Employment for a Just and Equitable Recovery in Massachusetts, a strategy that is guided by five recommendations:

1. Expand Skills Training and Career Technical Institutes
2. Expand ESOL for Work
3. Close the Digital Divide
4. Fully Fund Existing Workforce Development System to Support Job Seekers and Employers
5. Prioritize and Fund Work Supports

These recommendations serve as a roadmap for ensuring an equitable recovery and sustainable economic future for Massachusetts.

Patty Conty, Pharmacy Technician I, JVS graduate 2022. Photo by Michael Goderre, courtesy of Boston Children's Hospital.

“We are very thankful to the Legislature and to Governor Baker and his Administration–particularly the Department of Labor and Workforce Development–for this funding and their confidence in our ability to deliver these critically important services,” said Amy Nishman, Sr. Vice President of Strategy for JVS. “We know that the pandemic has had devastating effects on countless workers, particularly women, immigrants, and low-income workers, who were already dealing with a pre-pandemic economy rife with racial and economic inequities. JVS is honored to utilize these resources to support thousands of clients to enter and move up in the labor market.”

The Pharmacy Technician program partnership between JVS and BCH is one example of successful upskilling for the unemployed and underemployed, and placement into meaningful career pathways.

"Our Pharmacy team is a tremendous part of what we do -- more than 300 staff whose work touches nearly every patient we care for, and about 30% of them are Pharmacy Technicians," said Laura J. Wood, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, EVP of Patient Care Operations, System Chief Nursing Officer. "The programs on which we partner with JVS have contributed to new hires all across Boston Children's, and the Pharmacy Tech Program has truly created for us a pipeline of extraordinary talent into some of our most important work in patient care."

“As we move into long-term recovery, it is essential that the public and private sectors work together to ensure that future jobs are good jobs,” said President and CEO of the Commonwealth Corporation Christine Abrams. “JVS has been a valued collaborator--from engaging with our Employment Program for Young Adults with Disabilities to receiving funding through the Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grants for Expanded Training Capacity & Employment Program Performance. We are proud to partner with an organization that is committed to increasing job quality and inclusion in the workplace.”

To learn more about services offered by JVS visit: https://www.jvs-boston.org/.

Visit the Commonwealth Corporation to learn more about $200 million+ in funding available through workforce development grants at https://commcorp.org/.

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