The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) allocated $2 billion specifically for health center infrastructure and operations. Other funding contained in the stimulus package could be accessed by or for the benefit of health centers through specific workforce, technology or service investments. This page is home to information about health centers and the workforce.
What's New on the Stimulus and the Primary Care Workforce
National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Updates: Applying to the NHSC Loan Repayment Program (LRP) just got easier! The NHSC has announced a new much easier LRP application for new applicants and those who have already submitted LRP applications. (10/23/09)
- Fewer documents are required, easy step-by-step instructions are available, fillable forms can be utilized, supporting forms and documents can now be faxed and eligibility and contract requirements are easier to find in the online bulletin.
- The number of required documents has been reduced by over half. Only the following are required:
- NHSC LRP Online Application
- Loan Documentation
- Loan Verification
- Employment Verification and Community Site Information
- Authorization to Release Information
- NHSC LRP Self-Certification
- If Applicable: Power-of-Attorney, Privacy Act Release Authorization, Proof of Disadvantaged Background, Proof of Exceptional Financial Need from a school
- The new LRP application can be found at: http://lrpbcrs.hrsa.gov. Links to the new Application Information Bulletin (AIB) and Forms can be found at: http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment.
$5.3 Million Stimulus Investment Funds 28 SEARCH Contracts: $5.3 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding has been released to support Student/Resident Experiences and Rotations in Community Health (SEARCH) Program endeavors. (10/14/09)
- SEARCH provides opportunities for health professions students and residents to serve on multidisciplinary health care teams in underserved communities by linking community-based sites and academic institutions.
- Click here for a listing of the 28 SEARCH contracts awarded October 1, 2009 -- 7 more contracts than were awarded in the prior cycle ending Summer 2008. 13 PCAs received funding (46.4%). 43 entities applied. ARRA funds $5.3 million the first year; funding for the second and third years is dependent upon appropriations.
NHSC Loan Repayment Program Funding Deadline -- August 27, 2009: Loan Repayment Program (LRP) clinicians are reminded to apply on-line & submit all required documentation as soon as possible: http:/nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/ (8/10/09)
- Eligible completed LRP applications will be funded first-come-first-served regardless of HPSA. 4,500 clinicians applied online; however, only 500 of those applications were were complete for the July 16 deadline. Clinicians who have not received an e-mail regarding their application status should call 800/221-9393 or email the Call Center at callcenter@hrsa.gov or nhsclrp@hrsa.gov.
- 2009 LRP application deadlines: July 16, August 27, November 19
- 2010 LRP application deadlines: February 25, April 29, July 29
- LRP TA Conference Calls 2:30-4:30 ET: August 20 and September 10. Call 1-888-889-0974. Passcode: 8360318.
Expanded Health Professions Training
- On July 29, 2009, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the availability of $200 million to support grants, loans, loan repayment, and scholarships to expand the training of health care professionals (click here to read the HHS release). The funds are expected to train approximately 8,000 students and credentialed health professionals by the end of fiscal year 2010. These funds are part of the $500 million ARRA funding allotted to HRSA to address workforce shortages including $300 million to expand the National Health Service Corps. The $200 million will be directed to the following program areas:
- $80.2 million for scholarships, loans, and loan repayment awards to students, health professionals, and faculty. Of those funds, $39 million will be targeted to nurses and nurse faculty, $40 million to disadvantaged students in a wide range of health professions, and $1.2 million to health professions faculty from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- $50 million in grants to health professions training programs to purchase equipment needed to expand programs and improve the quality of training.
- $47.6 million to support primary care training programs training residents, medical students, physician assistants, dentists and individuals, many of whom will practice in underserved areas.
- $10.5 million to strengthen the public health workforce by supporting public health traineeships and increase the number of individuals trained through preventive medicine and dental public health residencies.
- $10.2 million to increase the diversity of the health professions workforce.
- $1.5 million to support the efforts of state professional licensing boards in reducing barriers to telemedicine.
- HRSA is using a competitive process to award all funds. Funding opportunities and some awards for some programs will be announced over the next several months. NACHC will update health centers as information becomes available. See http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/recovery/default.htm for more information. (7/29/09)
Two NHSC Updates (7/29/09)
(Contact Susan Walter with questions on either.)
- NHSC Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Conference Call: August 30, 2009, 2:30-4:30pm EDT. Call 1-888.889.0974, passcode 8360318.
A total of 620 LRP applications have been awarded under "old" LRP application, December 2008-January 2009. Additionally, 2,000 "new" LRP applications have been received for the first ARRA LRP funding cycle, June 2-July 17, 2009. Completed applications will be reviewed as a “batch” and funded within eight weeks (September 2009). Completed LRP applications received between July 18, 2009 and September 30, 2010 will be reviewed and funded in continuous 6-8 week funding cycles.
- NHSC Scholarship Program
HPSA scores of 17 or greater are required for NHSC scholarships effective July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010 (Federal Register June 23, 2009, pages 29708-29710). In 2002, Congress required that no less than 10% of NHSC funding be used for scholarships. Originally, 40% was allocated to scholarships. Since 2006, 20% had been allocated for scholarships. In 2009, 10% is allocated for scholarships with 90% allocated to LRPs.
Additionally, 42 USC 254f-1(d) requires that there be no more than two entities eligible for NHSC scholarship funding for each scholar finishing training and available for placement. In 2007, 137 scholars were funded. In 2008, 94 scholars were funded. Less than 100 scholars per year are projected for 2009-2011.
The documents listed below provide information on health center workforce issues related to the economic stimulus.
| 06-19-2009 |
|
Economic Stimulus and Workforce - NEW INFORMATION
(293kb)
Updated background on the primary care workforce and the economic stimulus. Replaces earlier editions of this document. |
| 06-02-2009 |
|
Federal Register Notice for ARRA LRP
(54kb)
|
| 03-16-2009 |
|
2009-03-04_S-Paper_AmeriCorps1.pdf
(271kb)
Background on AmeriCorps and the economic stimulus. |
