(a) There is a Maryland Pathway to Nursing Pilot Program in the Commission. (b) The goals of the Program are to: (1) Support students in licensed practical nursing educational programs who intend to practice licensed practical nursing as a career in the State or continue on the nursing educational pathway to become a registered nurse in the State; (2) Alleviate the shortage of nursing professionals by increasing the graduation and licensure rates of licensed practical nursing and registered nursing students in the State; (3) Increase the number of licensed practical nurses and registered nurses who reflect the diversity of the communities they serve; (4) Facilitate student applications for financial resources that provide tuition assistance, loan repayment, and support for other educational costs; and (5) Provide Program participants with financial assistance to cover the cost of: (i) Computers, textbooks, and other supplies and additional education support services; and (ii) Wraparound support services that provide assistance with transportation, child care, elder care, and other living expenses that pose a barrier to students successfully completing the student's educational requirements. (c) The Secretary, in consultation with the Committee, shall determine the following for the Program: (1) The time frame and steps necessary to establish the Program; (2) The areas of the State in which the Program will operate; (3) Funding to support the Program, including a strategy for sustainability through braided funding from local workforce development boards, local health care systems, and federal grants; (4) The resources necessary to support the Program; and (5) The types of evaluations, including obtaining feedback from students and educational institutions, needed to make recommendations about the Program's design and expansion statewide. (d) On or before July 1, 2025, the Secretary shall issue grants to at least two pilot sites, located in diverse areas, that meet the Commission's requirements for participation in the Program. (e) On or before December 15, 2024, and each December 15 thereafter through 2029, the Secretary shall report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2-1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly on the implementation of the Program.
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