Caring Gene

What Caring Gene does

Caring Gene Healthcare Career Pathways, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization affiliated with the Iroquois Healthcare Association that administers the Career Pathways Training (CPT) Program, a tuition-funded healthcare workforce development initiative operating in Upstate New York. Founded in 2018 and restructured under its current form in 2024, the program uses a $694 million New York State Medicaid 1115 waiver grant to cover tuition, books, and academic fees for eligible participants pursuing one of eight approved healthcare, behavioral health, or social care career titles (CASAC, Certified Medical Assistant, Community Health Worker, LMSW advanced standing, LPN, Patient Care Manager, Pharmacy Technician, and accelerated RN-to-BSN). In exchange, participants commit to a 3-year service obligation at approved healthcare, behavioral health, or social care providers serving at least 30% Medicaid-reliant or uninsured populations, with all education required to be completed by spring 2027 and service obligations by 2031.

The organization's core technology surface is minimal and largely relies on standard website operations, a third-party single sign-on (sso.hstream.com) for participant dashboards, and application processing tools rather than a proprietary platform. Service delivery is coordinated through an experienced but compact leadership team of approximately six people, supported by a network of 30+ educational institution partners (SUNY schools, private colleges, BOCES programs) that deliver the actual training, and 400+ approved employer sites across 30 NY State counties in WIO Region 2 that serve as the placement infrastructure for service commitments.

Caring Gene's business model is a single-grant, not-for-profit program funded exclusively by the NYS Medicaid 1115 waiver and administered in collaboration with the NYS Department of Health. The organization operates with a sales/case-management-led motion: prospective participants complete an interest form and full application via the website, and case managers reach out within 5-7 business days to guide qualified applicants. Pricing is zero-cost to participants; the program is fully funded for tuition, books, and academic fees. Customer concentration sits with two distinct stakeholder groups: individual participants (over 1,000 enrolled cumulatively as of July 2025) and participating healthcare providers across Upstate New York, with no traditional B2B revenue concentration but with 100% funding concentration in a single government source.

Name

Caring Gene

Legal name

Caring Gene Career Pathways, Inc.

Website

https://caringgene.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Caring Gene Healthcare Career Pathways, Inc. is a New York State not-for-profit that administers tuition-funded training in eight healthcare, behavioral health, and social care careers for participants who commit to a 3-year service obligation at approved Medicaid-serving providers in Upstate New York.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Workforce Development and Training

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Nursing Assistant (CNA) & Patient Care Technician (PCT) (EDAOAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Healthcare Clinical Professions (CME/CE for Nurses, Allied Health, Pharmacy) (EDAAALAC), Caregiver Support, Coaching & Training (HLADALAG)

Keywords

• Healthcare workforce development
• Tuition assistance programs
• Career pathway training
• Healthcare education funding
• Behavioral health training

Headquarters

HQ city

Clifton Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Medicaid-Funded Workforce Development: The Caring Gene Career Pathways Training Program is funded through a New York State Medicaid 1115 waiver. The $694 million program provides fully covered tuition, books, and fees for eligible participants pursuing education in 13 high-demand healthcare fields. Participants receive funding to attend approved educational partner institutions in exchange for completing a 3-year service commitment at qualifying NY healthcare providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Caring Gene provides tuition-funded training and career support for healthcare, behavioral health, and social care careers in New York State through its Career Pathways Training (CPT) Program. The program covers full tuition, books, and fees for individuals pursuing one of eight approved healthcare career titles including LPN, RN to BSN, Certified Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Community Health Worker, LMSW, CASAC, and Patient Care Manager. Participants commit to a three-year service obligation at approved NY healthcare providers serving 30%+ Medicaid populations in exchange for fully funded education and wraparound support including case management, tutoring, mentorship, career preparation, and job placement assistance.

Product overview

The Caring Gene Career Pathways Training (CPT) Program is a single unified training initiative that provides full tuition and book coverage for individuals pursuing healthcare careers in New York State. The program encompasses eight active career pathways (as of November 2025): Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Registered Nurse (RN) to BSN accelerated, Certified Medical Assistant, Certified Pharmacy Technician, Community Health Worker, Licensed Master of Social Work (advanced standing), Credentialed Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), and Patient Care Manager. The program also offers support services including personalized case management, academic tutoring and mentorship, career preparation with resume and interview support, and employment assistance to help graduates secure positions with approved healthcare employers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Career Pathways Training (CPT) Program A healthcare career training program that provides full coverage for tuition and books to individuals pursuing careers in approved healthcare, behavioral health, or social care titles in New York State, with a three-year service commitment requirement at approved employers serving 30%+ Medicaid populations.
• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Pathway

Quantifiable outcome

• Enrolled 1,000+ students as of July 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Iroquois Healthcare AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaring Gene Healthcare Career Pathways Inc. is a not-for-profit organization and affiliate of the Iroquois Healthcare Association. IHA represents 54 hospitals and health systems across 32 counties in Upstate NY. Kevin M. Kerwin, Esq. serves as Acting President and CEO of IHA.
• NYS Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Caring Gene Career Pathways Training Program is funded through the NYS Medicaid 1115 waiver and administered in collaboration with the NYS Department of Health. The program must comply with DOH requirements and approved employers must be certified by NYS DOH.
• Educational Institution PartnerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner30+ educational partners deliver healthcare training programs. Key partners include: Broome-Tioga BOCES, Bryant & Stratton College, Clarkson University, D'Youville University, Ellis Medicine/Belanger School of Nursing, Excelsior University, SUNY institutions (Albany, Binghamton, Hudson Valley, Jefferson, Oswego, Schenectady, etc.), Le Moyne College, Maria College, Roberts Wesleyan University, Russell Sage College, Syracuse University, University of Rochester, Utica University, and various BOCES programs.
• Approved Healthcare Provider EmployerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor400+ approved healthcare, behavioral health, and social care organizations serve as eligible service commitment sites. These include major health systems like Albany Med Health System, Guthrie, Rochester Regional Health, St. Joseph's Health, St. Peter's Health Partners, Oneida Health, and hundreds of clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, and community health centers across NY State.
• 1199 SEIU Training and Employment Funds (TEF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesignated as Workforce Investment Organization (WIO) for Region 1 covering Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, Westchester counties. Administers similar CPT program for Downstate NY.
• Finger Lakes Performing Provider System (FLPPS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesignated as Workforce Investment Organization (WIO) for Region 3 covering Allegany, Cayuga, Chemung, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming, Yates, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Niagara counties in Western NY.
• Healthy AlliancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a resource partner supporting the Caring Gene program. Organization focused on 1115 waiver initiatives and healthcare workforce development.
• Health Workforce CollaborativesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResource partner organization focused on healthcare workforce development initiatives in NY State.
• Hudson Mohawk Area Health Education CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerArea Health Education Center (AHEC) serving the Hudson Mohawk region, supporting healthcare workforce development and training.
• Northern Area Health Education CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerArea Health Education Center (AHEC) serving Northern NY region, supporting healthcare workforce development.
• Catskill Hudson Area Health Education CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerArea Health Education Center (AHEC) serving the Catskill Hudson region, supporting healthcare workforce development.
• Care Compass CollaborativesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional healthcare collaborative network supporting workforce development initiatives.
• Center for Health Workforce StudiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research center providing health workforce information and analysis that informs program decisions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CaringGene
• Facebookfacebook.com/caringgene
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caring-gene

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Caring Gene