More Than $13 Million for Maine’s Health Care Workforce Secured by Senator Collins in Funding Bill

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured $13,085,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for health care workforce training in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. The bill, which passed the Senate last week and was approved by the House of Representatives this afternoon, has been signed into law.

"Maine and states across the country continue to face a shortage of trained health care workers and are struggling to meet the growing demand for medical treatments and services," said Senator Collins. "This funding will support important programs throughout Maine that are dedicated to filling these gaps in our nation's health care workforce. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I worked hard to secure this important funding."

Funding secured by Senator Collins is as follows:

CMCC Nursing Education Equipment Enhancement

Recipient: Central Maine Community College (CMCC)

Project Location: Auburn, ME

Amount Requested: $1,000,000

Project Purpose: To purchase nursing education equipment.

EMCC Nursing and Allied Health Education Simulation Expansion

Recipient: Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC)

Project Location: Bangor, ME

Amount Requested: $6,510,000

Project Purpose: To construct and equip a nursing and allied health care simulation laboratory and learning center on campus.

Health Care Training Center Renovations

Recipient: University of Maine Farmington

Project Location: Farmington, ME

Amount Requested: $1,900,000

Project Purpose: For facilities and equipment to support a new Health Care Education Center.

Health Care Training Equipment Upgrades

Recipient: University of Maine System

Project Location: Presque Isle, ME

Amount Requested: $1,500,000

Project Purpose: To purchase equipment for the health care profession programs at the University of Maine Presque Isle.

NMCC Nursing and Allied Health Education Simulation Expansion

Recipient: Northern Maine Community College (NMCC)

Project Location: Presque Isle, ME

Amount Requested: $650,000

Project Purpose: To purchase labor and delivery simulation equipment.

Growing Maine's Dental Workforce

Recipient: Children's Oral Health Network of Maine

Project Location: Statewide

Amount Requested: $525,000

Project Purpose: To purchase equipment to train independent practice dental hygienists.

Maine Statewide CNA Training Program

Recipient: Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Education DBA Maine Medical Education Trust

Project Location: Statewide

Amount Requested: $1,000,000

Project Purpose: To support certified nursing assistant training for long-term care.

In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured nearly $1.5 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, FY 2024, and FY 2026. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.

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