Rural health agencies awarded $7.6 million to increase workforce

Velvet Spicer//June 25, 2020//

Listen to this article

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, has allocated more than $7.6 million to recipients in New York state to increase their health workforce in rural and underserved communities.

Nationally, HHS awarded more than $107 million to communities in 45 states and U.S. territories to improve the quality, distribution and diversity of health professionals serving in communities across the country.

“Supporting a strong health workforce is essential to improving health in rural and underserved communities,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar in a recent statement. “We’ve seen stark disparities in health and health care access contribute to the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the Trump Administration’s work to address health disparities, these grants provide support for training of healthcare workers in rural and underserved communities.”

Awardees will be able to develop and retain clinicians in high-need areas to meet the vital health needs of the most disadvantaged communities, officials said.

“Access to a robust and high-quality health care workforce is essential for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases in underserved areas,” said HRSA Administrator Tom Engels. “These awards help meet the demand for health care from individuals who urgently need it.”

The awards support programs such as the Nurse Faculty Loan Program; postdoctoral training in general, pediatric and public health dentistry; scholarships for disadvantaged students; and more.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
Follow Velvet Spicer on Twitter: @Velvet_Spicer

Select Region or Brand