In a series of grants focused on equity and access to care, the Departments of Health and Human Services and Labor are giving more than $346 million to train nurses, community community and public health professionals.
“These investments will equip communities and public health workers with the skill sets needed to effectively reach communities, increase access to care, and support individuals with services.” serious prevention and treatment,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a press release Friday.
These latest, separate announcements from the government are part of a broader federal effort to combat staffing shortages exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Program applicants must propose training program models that focus on providing employment to disadvantaged communities, developing partnerships with unions and community-based organizations , and use research and evidence-based practices to retain nurses.
Recipients of the Nursing Extension Program will be able to use the funds to train or upskill current or former nurses to become clinical and vocational nursing educators and instructors. , Ministry of Labor. The program’s Nursing Career Pathway will enable organizations to help frontline healthcare professionals advance their careers and gain the certifications needed for mid-skilled nursing careers. to high.
Job opportunities for nurses are growing at a rate of 9 percent, and healthcare employers will need 275,000 new nurses to enter the workforce by 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Using US Rescue Plans Act funding, the Health Resources and Services Administration announced Friday that it will award $225.5 million to 83 people funded as a part of the Community Health Worker Training Program. The program will run until September 2025 and support training and apprenticeships for new community health workers.
HRSA also awarded $40.7 million to 29 people funded through the Public Health Scholarship Program, which encourages people to pursue a career in public health. Recipients – including local and state governments, higher education institutions and community health centers – will use the money to strengthen the public health workforce, train health workers public to build community trust, enhance support services and reduce health disparities, according to HRSA.
