Through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced that it will make nearly $48 million in American Rescue Plan funding available for public health capacity in rural and tribal communities. In response to COVID-19, the funds can be used to solve health IT needs as well as enhance the public health workforce.
DistilInfo HIGH FIVE
1. Health network:
According to a press release from HHS, the agency is seeking to increase the number of healthcare professionals and connect them with future employers. Funding recipients will be tasked with establishing community health networks, composed of institutions such as tribal colleges and universities, minority-serving institutions, nursing homes, rural health clinics, and nursing homes, among others.
2. Investment:
“This investment is part of our ongoing efforts to address health workforce needs in rural and underserved communities,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in a statement. “As we build a healthier nation, we will continue to promote health equity and strengthen rural health.”
3. Fundings:
“This funding will help advance HRSA’s mission of developing a health care workforce capable of meeting the critical needs of rural and other often underserved populations,” said Acting HRSA Administrator Diana Espinosa in a statement.
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4. Training program:
“The Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network Program will create stronger links between training programs and the health care entities that ultimately employ their participants, a key strategy for increasing recruitment and retention in rural areas,” she continued. Applications are now open and will close on March 18, said the agency.
5. Allocation:
The Biden administration has allocated billions of dollars toward strengthening the public health job sector, amid reports of burnout and employee shortages. “The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the importance of a robust public health workforce to keep Americans safe and healthy, especially in communities that have experienced long-standing health disparities,” said Becerra.