Workforce Initiatives

Having enough doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners, licensed clinical social workers and other health and professionals in all corners of the Commonwealth is critical to provide health services to Virginians. VHCF has a special focus on uninsured and those living in medically-underserved communities.

VHCF uses a multi-pronged approach to help increase the number of providers in Virginia’s medically underserved areas. VHCF has:

  • Awarded over $65 million in grant funding to health safety net organizations to hire medical, dental and behavioral health providers.
  • Awarded more than 80 scholarships for nurse practitioners to obtain a post-Master’s Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate.
  • Paid for licensure-required supervision for more than 400 people with a Masters degree in Social Work or Counseling working to become a licensed mental health therapist (LCSW, LPC, LMFT) through Boost!.
  • Helped recruit 5 new dentists in Virginia’s health safety net through Sign Up, Pay Down, in partnership with the Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation and United Concordia Dental Charitable Fund.
  • Partnered with the Virginia Department of Health on several incentive programs to recruit and retain healthcare professionals in underserved areas.

Health safety net practices receiving VHCF grants often serve as training sites for health professions students. More than 8,000 students have participated in clinical experiences as a result of VHCF funding.

VHCF helps Virginia colleges and universities initiate innovative approaches to training health and behavioral health professionals, including:

  • Underwriting dental preceptorships at free clinics
  • Funding a program that pairs psychology doctoral students with medical residents to provide behavioral health care integrated in a primary care clinic
  • Supporting a program allowing Virginia colleges and universities to hire pre-licensed behavioral health clinicians to provide supervised counseling for students

Last Updated on February 10, 2026

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