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WisCaregiver Careers: CNA Employers

Become a WisCaregiver CNA employer

Recruit, train, and retain certified nurse aides (CNAs) with support from WisCaregiver Careers. WisCaregiver Careers is administrated by Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

WisCaregiver Careers helps Wisconsin nursing homes recruit people interested in becoming CNAs. Participating employers hire participants, coordinate their CNA training and certification testing, and may receive reimbursement for eligible costs.

Sign up to become a participating CNA employer

View participating nursing homes in Wisconsin—CNA Employer Map  

How the WisCaregiver CNA program works

WisCaregiver Careers uses an employment-first approach. This means participants are hired by a participating employer before they begin CNA training.

Step 1: Become a participating employer

Register your nursing home to participate in WisCaregiver Careers.

Step 2: Connect with CNA candidates

Candidates use WisCaregiver Connections to find participating employers and apply for jobs.

Step 3: Hire the candidate

You hire the candidate before CNA training begins. New employees may work in another role while completing their CNA training.

Step 4: Coordinate CNA training

You coordinate the employee's CNA training through your organization or an approved training provider.

Step 5: Support certification

Employees complete the required CNA exams. WisCaregiver Careers covers one attempt at each required exam portion—the knowledge and skills exams—for eligible participants.

Step 6: Receive eligible reimbursement

Eligible employers may receive reimbursement for approved training costs and retention bonuses when program requirements are met.

What does WisCaregiver CNA program cover?

Depending on the program requirements, WisCaregiver Careers can help participating employers with:

  • $500 retention bonuses
  • Recruitment tools and support
  • Access to WisCaregiver Connections

See the Employer Guide (PDF) for eligibility and reimbursement requirements.

CNA employer assistance

The CNA WisCaregiver Careers team is here to help! We can answer questions about becoming an employer, updating your employer information, using WisCaregiver Connections, or other questions you may have.

Office hours: Monday–Friday, 7:45 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

CNA employer map

To be added to the participating employer map or update your employer registration information:

View participating nursing homes in Wisconsin—CNA Employer Map  

CNA employer resources

Getting started

  • CNA Employer Guide (PDF)—find program requirements, participation, training, reimbursement, and retention bonus information.

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ForwardHealth reimbursement for training and testing

Requesting training and testing reimbursement

  • Request training and testing reimbursement through ForwardHealth Medicaid reimbursement process - Nurse Aide Training and Competency Test Reimbursement Request, F-01013.
  • Questions about ForwardHealth reimbursement forms, submissions, or payments must be directed to ForwardHealth Provider Services at 800-947-9627. WisCaregiver Careers cannot access or track ForwardHealth submissions or payments.

Community resources and publications

Do you or someone you know want to make a personal impact on the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) shortage in Wisconsin nursing homes? Help WisCaregiver Careers recruit and train the next generation of nurse aide trainers! Read our published newsletter article highlighting resources available for free training to become a nurse aide trainer: Addressing the CNA Shortage One Trainer at a Time (PDF).

Additional recruitment resources

Looking for additional ways to recruit CNAs? Explore these resources from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Glossary

 
Last revised September 2, 2026