Molina and HealthStream Tackle Home Care Crisis With 15,000 New Jobs

LONG BEACH, CA – January 28, 2026 – In a significant move to address a deepening national crisis, Molina Healthcare has partnered with HealthStream’s MissionCare Collective to launch a workforce initiative aimed at creating 15,000 new home health aide (HHA) positions across 26 states. The program features free, mobile-friendly online training and a direct pathway to employment, representing a major strategic investment in the stability of America's home care infrastructure.

This initiative arrives at a critical juncture for the U.S. healthcare system, which is grappling with an unprecedented shortage of direct care workers needed to support an aging population and individuals with chronic conditions. By removing financial barriers to entry and streamlining the path to employment, the partnership seeks to build a new pipeline of essential caregivers.

A Deepening Workforce Crisis

The demand for home health aides is exploding, yet the workforce is struggling to keep pace. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nation will need to fill approximately 765,800 openings for home health and personal care aides each year on average through 2034. This staggering figure accounts for both new job growth, projected at a rapid 17%, and the immense need to replace workers who leave the field.

Research from the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI) paints a stark picture of the challenges driving this exodus. With a median hourly wage of just $17.36 in 2024, many caregivers struggle financially; 36% of the direct care workforce lives in or near poverty, and nearly half rely on some form of public assistance. These economic pressures contribute to a punishingly high turnover rate, which approached 75% for home care workers in 2024. This constant churn destabilizes care for vulnerable clients and places immense strain on providers.

“We know most of our states are facing significant shortages in the healthcare workforce – a workforce needed for individuals to thrive in their homes and communities,” said Deb Bacon, executive vice president of Medicaid at Molina, in a statement announcing the program. The initiative targets this gap directly in states from California and Texas to Florida and New York, where Molina serves large populations of Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries.

A New Blueprint for Building Talent

The Molina-HealthStream model is designed as a scalable solution to this complex problem. At its core is a free, online training program sponsored entirely by Molina. The curriculum, developed by HealthStream’s MissionCare Collective, is fully compliant with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions for Participation, which mandate a minimum of 75 hours of training covering essential skills like infection control, communication, and emergency response.

By making the training mobile-friendly and free, the program dramatically lowers the barrier to entry for a field that has long been difficult to access. Upon completing the online coursework, participants are prepared to continue the certification process with local employers or educational institutions to fulfill any required in-person practical hours.

Critically, the program doesn't end with a certificate. All participants gain access to HealthStream's myCNAjobs site and its expansive Career Network, connecting them directly with employers seeking to hire qualified aides. This integrated train-to-hire approach is central to the initiative’s goal of not just training individuals but creating 15,000 filled positions.

“There is very little awareness around careers in home health—especially among younger generations, for whom this work remains largely invisible,” noted Brandi Kurtyka, vice president of talent marketplace and workforce strategy at HealthStream. “Our goal is to change that narrative—whether care becomes someone’s lifelong profession or a first step into the healthcare field.”

The Strategic Imperative for Managed Care

For Molina Healthcare, a Fortune 500 company managing health services for millions of government-sponsored plan members, this initiative is more than just a public good; it is a strategic necessity. A stable and adequate supply of home health aides is essential for the company to fulfill its mission and manage costs effectively. Access to reliable home care can help prevent costly hospitalizations, reduce emergency room visits, and improve health outcomes for members with complex needs.

This workforce investment is a key component of Molina's multi-year strategy to expand access to care and increase workforce capacity in its service areas. By proactively building the supply of caregivers, the company can ensure its network is robust enough to meet the needs of its members, strengthening its position as a reliable partner for the state Medicaid and federal Medicare programs it serves.

This approach reflects a growing understanding among payors that investing in the frontline workforce is crucial for the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system. By ensuring members can receive care in a lower-cost home setting, managed care organizations like Molina can achieve better outcomes while controlling the overall cost of care.

Building a Modern Talent Marketplace

The partnership also highlights HealthStream's strategic evolution into a comprehensive healthcare talent marketplace. The company’s 2025 acquisition of MissionCare Collective, which brought the myCNAjobs network under its umbrella, was a clear signal of its intent to dominate the caregiver recruitment and development space. The deal, valued at up to $40 million, integrated a powerful platform focused specifically on building and strengthening the direct care workforce.

This collaboration with Molina serves as a high-profile demonstration of HealthStream’s end-to-end capabilities, from providing compliant training solutions to facilitating employment at scale. It positions the company as a critical infrastructure partner for payors and providers who are no longer just consumers of talent but are now taking an active role in creating it.

As the U.S. continues to confront the demographic reality of an aging population, innovative public-private partnerships like this one may offer the most promising path forward. By combining the financial sponsorship of a major health plan with the technological and network capabilities of a leading workforce solutions provider, the initiative provides a potential model for tackling one of the most pressing challenges in modern healthcare.