Schumer Announces $2-Million for OCC to Expand Healthcare Across CNY

One area community college has received a “shot in the arm” from US Senator Chuck Schumer.

The Senator was at Onondaga Community College Thursday to announce over 12 million dollars has been secured for local hospitals and health care providers through the omnibus spending bill.

Two million of that will go to OCC to create a health professions education and training center to help address the shortage of healthcare workers. Schumer said this will be a major boost for not just the college but for all of Central New York, an area that saw healthcare identified as a priority industry sector by the New York State Department of Labor.

Schumer earlier announced two million dollars will also head to Auburn Community Hospital to assist in purchasing essential equipment for cancer diagnostics and help with the creation of its new cancer treatment center.

“This funding to expand healthcare across Central New York and help train the next generation of nurses and technicians here at Onondaga Community College is just what the doctor ordered! This will give our region the shot in the arm it needs to start addressing the shortages in healthcare workers we are seeing in too many of hospitals across the country, while simultaneously helping residents get good paying jobs boosting their community,” said Senator Schumer. “The $2 million I just secured for OCC will allow the college to build a state of the art healthcare and education training center to expand the programs they offer from skilled nursing to surgery to physical therapy giving students the technical skills they need to enter the local workforce. Syracuse was hit especially hard by the pandemic, and it showed us how critical it is that we invest in healthcare locally. I am proud to deliver this over $12 million investment in future of health for all of Central New York.”

OCC President Dr. Warren M. Hilton said, “This generous federal support will allow Onondaga Community College to deliver culturally relevant, technology-supported education and training in a wide range of direct patient healthcare disciplines to prepare workers to fill critical needs in our community,” said Dr. Warren M. Hilton, OCC President.  “Once again, Senator Schumer has demonstrated that he understands the transformative power of education to improve people’s lives. We appreciate Senator Schumer’s continued support of Onondaga Community College.”