On May 24, 2023, Typhoon Mawar struck Guam as the largest typhoon to hit the island in two decades. The typhoon created devastating physical damage and exacerbated workforce shortages of health and social services professionals.
In support of Guam, FEMA activated the
Health & Social Services Recovery Support Function (HSS-RSF), coordinated by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response (ASPR), to lead the coordination of federal efforts across five sectors: human services, public and environmental health, behavioral health, education, and healthcare systems.
Guam Governor Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero, center, with members of Guam’s Health and
Social Services Workforce Development Collaborative, including ASPR Recovery staff.
To tackle the critical workforce shortage of health and social services professionals, especially in the nursing and allied health fields, the HSS-RSF worked closely with Guam’s governor to organize and establish the
Governor’s Guam’s Health and Social Services Workforce Development Collaborative. This Collaborative was tasked with bringing Guam’s health and medical workforce stakeholders together to develop and advance solutions aimed at increasing the number of workers trained in Guam who can provide culturally competent health and medical services throughout US-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI). This action should continue Guam’s progress toward becoming the premier health and social services training center for Micronesia.
Through its efforts, the Collaborative is actively developing a strategy and roadmap that will result in a significant increase in healthcare professionals, trained and working in Guam and other US-Affiliated Pacific Islands. These professionals will be the backbone of caring for the health of all community members and be ready to support emerging medical needs when Guam or other USAPI are impacted by natural disasters and public health emergencies.
This healthcare coalition includes the
University of Guam and
Guam Community College;
Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center; the Department of Administration and the Health Professionals Licensing Office;
Guam Memorial Hospital; the
Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disabilities; Guam Nursing Association;
Guam Regional Medical City, and
U.S. Naval Hospital of Guam.
Although, nationwide, many hospitals and other healthcare facilities are facing healthcare worker shortages, healthcare providers can take action to protect their staff and address resource shortages. To find out how you can quantify your health care workforce needs, support the workforce you have, and take actions to supplement the healthcare workforce when shortages do occur, check out
ASPR TRACIE’s Health Care Provider Shortages: Resources and Strategies for Meeting Demand.
