Pritzker pitches increased spending on health care education at colleges during LLCC visit

Gov. JB Pritzker was in Springfield on Wednesday to pitch new initiatives increasing spending on higher education, boosting funding for state grants to low-income college students and the creation of the "Pipeline for the Advancement of the Healthcare Workforce" or PATH program

The projects were announced as part of his annual budget proposal earlier this month.

"PATH will invest $25 million to community colleges across Illinois to remove barriers for recruitment and training of health care workers," said Pritzker in a press conference at Lincoln Land Community College.

Pritzker's budget includes $730.5 million of new proposals aimed at increasing the health care workforce.

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of health care and social assistance jobs in the country will grow by 16.8% between 2020 and 2030.

The $25 million PATH program that Pritzker has proposed will include funding for certificate programs and "wraparound student support services," which includes things like financial aid and career counseling.

At LLCC, an associate degree in nursing costs $15,000 for a district resident and $23,600 for an out-of-district student, not counting an estimated $2,200 in other expenses, according to the college's website.

Luke Ridge is in his second semester working toward his associate degree in nursing at LLCC. Ridge, a two-time cancer survivor, was inspired to enter the field by the nurses who treated him.

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He spoke alongside Pritzker in support of programs to help health care industry students.

"There is a shortage of nurses and we are needed now more than ever," Ridge said.

Last year, 2,500 students graduated from Illinois community colleges as registered nurses, according to LLCC President Charlotte Warren.

Pritzker proposed spending an additional $122 million on the Monetary Award Program, a government program that provides grants to low-income college students.

Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, spoke in support of the proposal. Scherer was a recipient of a MAP grant when she was in college.

"If it weren't for that MAP grant, you wouldn't have gone to college," said Scherer.

The grant program has had a turbulent few years. Funding for the program was cut under Rauner, with the program going unfunded during a budget impasse.

Since then, funding has increased from $401 million to $480 million under Pritzker. His new proposal would bring the program up to $601 million.

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Pritzker's budget is still just a proposal and will have to be negotiated and approved by members of the Illinois General Assembly in the coming months. They have until April 8 to approve a final budget.

When Pritzker announced his $45.4 billion budget, Republicans criticized the proposal for its increased spending.

Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, pointed out the "significant, permanent expansion of state government" and what he said was insufficient focus on bringing the cost of living down in Illinois.

Contact Andrew Adams: aadams1@gannett.com; (312)-291-1417; twitter.com/drewjayadams.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IL gov. JB Pritzker pitches increased spending on education at LLCC