SAN ANTONIO — The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is offering a $5,000 signing bonus to registered nurses who agree to work at one of Texas's state hospitals or state supported living facilities.
Licensed vocational nurses could receive as much as $3,500. Psychiatric nursing assistants and other direct support professionals qualify for up to $2,500.
New workers will help care for some of Texas's most vulnerable patients, including adults and children with mental and developmental disabilities.
"Once you meet the people we serve, people usually get hooked," said Scott Schalchlin, deputy executive commissioner for Texas HHSC’s Health and Specialty Care System. "It's a good place."
Schalchlin is trying hire roughly 3,000 workers for state supported living centers in Abilene, Austin, Big Spring, Brenham, Corpus Christi, Denton, El Paso, Kerrville, Lubbock, Lufkin, Mexia, Richmond, Rusk, San Angelo, San Antonio, Terrell, Vernon, Waco and Wichita Falls.
He says Health and Human Services has not "been immune" to the workforce exodus that's dramatically cut staffing across most major industries.
As COVID-19 again strains hospital capacity, Schalchlin notes that nurses are particularly hard to recruit. He hopes the signing bonuses will garner job-seekers' attention.
The patients, he says, will seal the deal.
"Once we rope them in and get somebody on our campus and they really see what we do, they're usually pretty amazed," he said. "When you see the people we're serving and how you can really affect their lives, it's amazing."
HHSC says it offers paid health insurance, paid dental insurance, vacation and sick leave, a retirement plan, paid training and advancement opportunities.
Texas's 10 state hospitals provide inpatient psychiatric care to patients of all ages. The state's 13 supported living facilities provide residential services to people with intellectual or development disabilities.
If you have any questions or want more information, e-mail healthcareers@hhsc.state.tx.us.