Report Says Hampton Roads Needs Thousands More Health Care Workers

Hampton Roads and Eastern Virginia need thousands more health care workers, including an estimated 3,536 registered nurses, according to a Claude Moore Opportunities analysis reported by WHRO.

The George Mason University Center for Health Workforce reviewed active job ads and also flagged needs for 1,725 social and human service assistants, 987 physical therapists and 905 licensed practical and vocational nurses, along with smaller but critical gaps in radiology, mental health counseling and related fields.

CEO Bill Hazel said retention, pay, supervision and career paths matter most, and that losing even one specialized technician can disrupt emergency care. An aging population, retirements and pandemic exits continue to widen gaps, while community college students often leave programs after childcare or transportation setbacks.

Virginia's budget includes $20 million to expand community college workforce programs, and the state is receiving $189.5 million in first-year federal Rural Health Transformation funding. A new state law also directs pathways so military medical training can count toward civilian credentials.

Email the Hampton City Council:
Jimmy Gray, jgray@hampton.gov,
Steven Brown, steven.brown@hampton.gov,
Randy Bowman, randy.bowman@hampton.gov,
Carolyn Campbell, carolyn.campbell@hampton.gov,
Michelle Ferebee, michelle.ferebee@hampton.gov,
Hope Harper, hope.harper@hampton.gov,
Martha Mugler, martha.mugler@hampton.gov,

Email Newport News City Council at:
Phillip Jones — mayorsoffice@nnva.gov,
Marcellus Harris — council@nnva.gov,
Curtis Bethany — council@nnva.gov,
Cleon Long — council@nnva.gov,
Robert Coleman — council@nnva.gov,
Tina Vick — council@nnva.gov,
John Eley — council@nnva.gov,

Email the Norfolk City Council:
Kenneth Alexander, mayor@norfolk.gov,
Martin Thomas, martin.thomas@norfolk.gov,
Courtney Doyle, courtney.doyle@norfolk.gov,
Mamie Johnson, mamie.johnson@norfolk.gov,
John Paige, john.paige@norfolk.gov,
Thomas Smigiel, thomas.smigiel@norfolk.gov,
Jeremy McGee, jeremy.mcgee@norfolk.gov,
Carlos Clanton, carlos.clanton@norfolk.gov,

Virginia Beach City Council:
Robert Dyer, mayorsoffice@vbgov.com,
Michael Berlucchi, mberlucc@vbgov.com,
Stacy Cummings, stcummings@vbgov.com,
Barbara Henley, bhenley@vbgov.com,
David Hutcheson, dhutcheson@vbgov.com,
Cal Jackson-Green, cjacksongreen@vbgov.com,
Robert Remick, wremick@vbgov.com,
Amelia Ross-Hammond, arosshammond@vbgov.com,
Jennifer Rouse, jvrouse@vbgov.com,
Joashua Schulman, jschulman@vbgov.com,
Rosemary Wilson, rcwilson@vbgov.com,
Group email: CityCouncil@vbgov.com,

Email the Hampton City School Board:
Richard Mason, rmason@hampton.k12.va.us,
Stephanie Jackson Afonja, sjacksonafonja@hampton.k12.va.us,
Ann Cherry, acherry1@hampton.k12.va.us,
Tina Banks-Gray, tbanksgray@hampton.k12.va.us,
Joseph C. Kilgore, jkilgore@hampton.k12.va.us,
Jason S. Samuels, jsamuels@hampton.k12.va.us,
Reginald Woodhouse, rwoodhouse@hampton.k12.va.us,

Email the Newport News School Board:
Lisa R. Surles-Law,
Terri L. Best,
Rebecca S. Aman, rebecca.aman@nn.k12.va.us,
Douglas C. Brown,
Maritsa Alger,
Rasheena D. Harris, Rasheena.Harris@nn.k12.va.us,
Gary B. Hunter,

Email the Norfolk School Board:
Tiffany Moore-Buffaloe, tiffany.buffaloe@nps.k12.va.us,
Sarah DiCalogero, sarah.dicalogero@nps.k12.va.us,
Tanya Bhasin, tbhasin@nps.k12.va.us,
Adale Martin, amartin@nps.k12.va.us,
Kenneth Paulson, ken.paulson@nps.k12.va.us,
Jodi Slaughter, jodi.slaughter@nps.k12.va.us,
Alfreda Thomas, alfreda.thomas@nps.k12.va.us,

Virginia Beach School Board:
Kathleen Brown, Kathleen.Brown@vbcpsboard.com,
Carolyn Weems, Carolyn.Weems@vbcpsboard.com,
Mark Bohenstiel, Mark.Bohenstiel@vbcpsboard.com,
Michael Callan, Michael.Callan@vbcpsboard.com,
David Culpepper, David.Culpepper@vbcpsboard.com,
Matt Cummings, Matt.Cummings@vbcpsboard.com,
Rose Dwyer, Rose.Dwyer@vbcpsboard.com,
Sharon Felton, Sharon.Felton@vbcpsboard.com,
Alveta Green, Alveta.Green@vbcpsboard.com,
Kimberly Melnyk, Kimberly.Melnyk@vbcpsboard.com,
Melinda Rogers, Melinda.Rogers@vbcpsboard.com,
Group email: SchoolBoard@vbcpsboard.com,