Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary Kathleen
Sebelius will announce $159.1 million in grants to health care workforce
training programs. These grants build on the multimillion dollar investments
made under the Affordable Care and Recovery Act to strengthen and grow the
primary care workforce, according to a press release.
The grants will target three types of programs: nursing workforce
development programs; interdisciplinary geriatric education and training
programs; and Centers of Excellence programs for underrepresented minority
students.
“We cannot build a healthier America if our country continues to
face a growing health professions shortage,” Sebelius stated in the
release. “A well-trained, educated and diverse workforce is critical to
meeting future health care demands, and to reforming the nation’s health
care system.”
“These grants target key workforce needs,” Mary K. Wakefield,
PhD, RN, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) administrator,
stated. “In addition to training new health care workers, these grants
will support efforts to better prepare health care workers to care for our
diverse and aging population, improving health care quality for all
Americans.”
Nursing Workforce Development programs will receive $106 million in
grants to support all levels of nursing education. Eighty-five awards totaling
$29.5 million will fund three geriatric education and training programs at
accredited health professions schools. Eighteen awards totaling $23.6 million
were announced to support Centers of Excellence programs that are designed to
improve the recruitment and performance of underrepresented minority students
preparing for health professions careers.
