At a June 6 event at the UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, leaders from the school as well as the Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, CalOptima Health, officially announced a $5 million grant for the NURSE-OC program. The CalOptima Health Board of Directors approved the grant as part of its Provider Workforce Development Initiative, aimed at addressing health disparities and ensuring future care for vulnerable residents.
COO of CalOptima Health.
The NURSE-OC program aligns with UC Irvine’s strategic plan by training a diverse population of nursing students and expanding the workforce to serve Orange County’s most vulnerable populations. The program will offer externships to 60 prelicensure nursing students and residencies to six graduate students pursuing Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner licensure. Participants will receive specialized training on Medi-Cal members’ social support needs and whole-person care, along with financial stipends and networking support.
In his remarks, Dean Mark Lazenby highlighted the program’s impact on addressing nursing shortages and advancing healthcare equity. “Our diverse student body reflects the communities they serve, and this grant supports our goal of expanding access to the most vulnerable populations,” he said.
“Our initiative aims to increase access to high-quality, equitable care by investing in student education,” said Michael Hunn, CEO of CalOptima Health. “UC Irvine’s commitment to industry-leading education for future caregivers is exciting. Our Medi-Cal members will benefit from the NURSE-OC specialized training.”
Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, who also attended the event, emphasized the significance of the grant in addressing healthcare worker shortages. “This $5 million CalOptima Health grant invests in the next generation of nurses and nurse practitioners, offering financial support during their training in exchange for a pledge to serve our community,” she said.
program will mean for nursing students like him.
The event also featured a tour of the school’s state-of-the-art simulation center, which earlier this year received accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. The accreditation marks a significant achievement for the nursing school, making it one of only 20 schools with an accredited simulation program in California and the sole Simulation Center within the University of California system to achieve this honor.
