West Virginia Press Association
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Healthcare Education Foundation of West Virginia (HEFWV) is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $65,000 grant from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. The funding will support training and education initiatives aimed at improving workplace safety culture and reducing incidents of workplace violence against health care workers across West Virginia.
This grant, approved by the Benedum Foundation’s Board of Trustees on March 11, 2025, will fund activities related to the West Virginia Hospital Association Workplace Violence Prevention Collaborative. The initiative will provide vital support to health care institutions working to enhance safety for frontline staff and patients alike.
“This grant represents an important investment in the well-being of West Virginia’s health care workforce, andworkforce and will play a critical step in helping hospitals across the state alleviate workforcek shortages,” said Jim Kaufman, Secretary of HEFWV. “We are grateful to the Benedum Foundation for their commitment to supporting a safer health care environment.”
The initiative’s key goals include:
- Securing participation commitments from at least 30 acute care hospitals across the state.
- Ensuring all participating hospitals engage in both in-person and virtual training sessions.
- Assisting hospitals in assessing and enhancing their workplace violence prevention programs.
- Reducing statewide healthcare workforce vacancy and turnover rates by at least 1% across four key job categories: nursing, laboratory, imaging, and respiratory therapy.
HEFWV, in collaboration with the West Virginia Hospital Association, will lead ongoing recruitment and educational activities throughout the year, encouraging widespread engagement across all types of healthcare facilities, including acute care, specialty, and critical access hospitals.
“Health care is both a challenging and deeply rewarding field. I’m excited to support work that improves safety for both patients and employees—because when we reduce barriers like personal safety concerns, we also help address the critical issues of recruitment and retention in the workforce,” said Kim Tieman, Vice President & Program Director of the Benedum Foundation.
A final report on the outcomes of the initiative will be submitted to the Benedum Foundation by April 30, 2026.
