Skip Navigation

U.S. Flag

Print Print   Download Reader Download   Text Enlarge text size Reduce text size Normal text size

Announcements

Date Order | Topical Order

News Releases U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Weekly Update Report on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Recovery Act News Release Months:

2010 News Releases:

2009 News Releases


August 2011

August 26, 2011

IHS and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Dedicate New South Dakota Health Center

The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, in cooperation with the Indian Health Service (IHS), holds a dedication ceremony for the newly constructed IHS Eagle Butte Health Center in Eagle Butte, S.D., Aug. 26, 2011.

June 2011

June 24, 2011
National Coordinator for Health IT hails graduates as new leaders to deploy health IT

Speaking to the graduates of Columbia University and Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City today, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology saluted them for being a part of an innovative program aimed at using modern data technology to dramatically improve the U.S. health care system.

May 2011

May 31. 2011
HHS announces proposed changes to HIPAA Privacy Rule

HITECH lets people know who has accessed their health information. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning the accounting of disclosures requirement under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) Act Privacy Rule, is available for public comment. The proposed rule would give people the right to get a report on who has electronically accessed their protected health information.

May 26, 2011
CMS Announces Financial Resources, Flexibility To Help Providers Use Health It Systems

First Medicare electronic health records (EHR) incentive Payments total $75 million; providers offered flexibility in adopting e-prescribing.

April 2011

April 1, 2011
Recovery Act-funded Jobs Program Helps High School Grads Who Have ASD

JobTIPS, a free, Web-based program unveiled today, aims to help youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other disabilities develop and maintain skills needed for successful employment. Supported through the Recovery Act with a grant for just under $1 million over two years from the National Institutes of Health, this resource targets a critical transition period as teenagers leave the school system, which is usually their primary source of ASD-related services throughout childhood.

March 2011

March 25, 2011
ONC Announces open public comment period on the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan: 2011-2015

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) today announced an open public comment period on the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan: 2011-2015 (“the Plan”). The Plan reflects ONC’s strategy, developed in collaboration with other federal partners, over the next five years for realizing Congress and the Administration’s health IT agenda.

March 8, 2011
Review of recent studies shows predominantly positive results for health information technology

A study completed by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and published in the journal Health Affairs finds growing evidence of the benefits of health information technology (HIT). Using methods that were employed by two previous independent reviews, the new study finds that 92 percent of articles on HIT reached conclusions that showed overall positive effects of HIT on key aspects of care including quality and efficiency of health care.

February 2011

February 23, 2011
Initial Registration Activities Reveal Strong Interest in Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs

More than 21,000 providers initiated registration for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs in January and four states reported initial Medicaid incentive payments totaling $20,425,550, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced today. In addition, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announced that as of Feb. 11, 2011, more than 45,000 providers requested information or registration help from 62 Regional Extension Centers (RECs). RECs provide hands-on support for providers who want to adopt and become meaningful users of electronic health information technology. This early interest in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR programs reveals strong support for these programs that will advance health care through improvements in patient safety, quality of care, and patient involvement in treatment options.

February 8, 2011
ONC to Provide Additional Funding to Accelerate Critical Access and Rural Hospitals’ Switch to Electronic Health Records

Dr. David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, national coordinator for health information technology in the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) today announced an additional $12 million in new technical support assistance to help critical access hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals adopt and become meaningful users of certified health information technology. Today’s funding announcement will come through ONC’s Regional Extension Center (REC) program to provide a wide range of support services  to the 1,777 critical access and rural hospitals in 41 states and the nationwide Indian Country, headquartered in the District of Columbia, to help them qualify for substantial EHR incentive payments from Medicare and Medicaid.  This funding is in addition to the $20 million provided to RECs in September 2010 to provide technical assistance to the CAHs and Rural Hospitals.

February 3, 2011
Sebelius outlines state flexibility and federal support available for Medicaid - Full Letter

Dear Governor: As the new year begins, officials at the Federal and State level are looking ahead to a period full of opportunities and challenges. I have heard the urgency of your State budget concerns. I know you are struggling to balance your budget while still providing critical health care services to those who need them most.  I want to reaffirm the Obama Administration’s commitment to helping you do both.

January 2011

January 27, 2011
Our Journey Continues…

With the new year, we are turning the page to a next chapter in our journey to adoption and meaningful use of health information technology (HIT). As we begin this chapter, ONC is accelerating progress with new funding for programs vital to our goals.

January 3, 2011
ONC Issues Final Rule for Permanent Certification Program for Health Information Technology

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) today issued a final rule to establish the permanent certification program for health information technology.  The permanent certification program provides new features that will enhance the certification of health information technology, including increasing the comprehensiveness, transparency, reliability, and efficiency of the current processes used for the certification of electronic health record (EHR) technology.  Meaningful use of “Certified EHR Technology” is a core requirement for eligible health care providers who seek to qualify to receive incentive payments under the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Programs as authorized by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.

December 2010

December 30, 2010
Secretary Sebelius highlights 2010 accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

In a new video released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius highlighted the work of HHS over the course of 2010.  Sebelius outlined some of the important programs and services that the department provides and discussed some of the new laws that went into effect this year and what they mean for consumers. Sebelius also praised the work of the employees of the department. 

December 22, 2010
Electronic Health Records Incentives Registration Starts Jan. 3, 2011 

Today the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announced the availability of registration for the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record (EHR) incentive programs.  CMS and ONC encouraged broad participation and outlined online and in-person resources that are in place to assist eligible professionals and eligible hospitals who wish to participate. 

September 2010

September 30, 2010
HHS Awards $473 Million in Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Funding
HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) today announced the award of $473 million in grants and contracts to support projects that will help people make health care decisions based on the best evidence of effectiveness. The funding announced today covers all of AHRQ's allocation and $173 million administered for the HHS Secretary by AHRQ.

September 28, 2010
Federal health IT coordinator completes nationwide system to assist doctors and hospitals in switching to electronic health records
HHS announced selection of the final Regional Extension Centers (RECs), completing a national system of 62 organizations that will help physicians, clinics and hospitals to move from paper-based medical records to electronic health records (EHR). Two new awardees were named to cover Orange County, Calif., and the state of New Hampshire.  In addition, service areas were expanded for two already-named Florida RECs, completing RECs coverage of all areas of the country.

September 24, 2010
HHS awards nearly $100 million in grants for public health and prevention priorities of which $9.3 million in Recovery Act funds will support obesity biometric efforts
Six communities - all of which were part of the original 44 Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) communities funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) will divide $9.3 million in support of obesity efforts to examine change in community-level variables (such as change in use of cafeteria foods), and body mass index and related biometric measures.

September 17, 2010
HHS Awards $130 Million to Boost Health Professions Workforce
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced $130.8 million in grants to strengthen and expand the health professions workforce. Six areas are targeted: primary care workforce training, oral health workforce training, equipment to enhance training across the health professions, loan repayments for health professionals, health careers opportunity programs for disadvantaged students, and Patient Navigator outreach and chronic disease prevention in health disparity populations. The grants include $88.7 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

September 15, 2010
HHS awards more than $14 million to support patient-centered outcomes research
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Health, Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH, today announced the award of more than $14.2 million to develop, implement, and test strategies to increase the adoption and dissemination of interventions based on patient-centered outcomes research among racial and ethnic minority populations. 

September 14, 2010
HHS Awards $31 million more for prevention and wellness projects
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced $31 million for awards to ten communities in eight states and one award to a state health department to support public health efforts to reduce obesity and smoking, increase physical activity and improve nutrition.

September 10, 2010
New funds support rural hospitals’ switch to electronic health records
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced nearly $20 million in new technical support assistance to help critical access and rural hospital facilities convert from paper-based medical records to certified electronic health record (EHR) technology. Some 1,655 critical access and rural hospitals in 41 states and the nationwide Indian Country, headquartered in the District of Columbia, stand to benefit from this assistance, which can help each of them qualify for substantial EHR incentive payments from Medicare and Medicaid.

September 2, 2010
Cincinnati, Detroit selected as final health IT pilot communities under innovative HHS Recovery Act Beacon Program
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced that Cincinnati and Detroit are the two final pilot communities selected under the new Beacon Community Program that is using health information technology to help tackle leading health problems in communities across the country.  At the same time, the program will also allow HHS to look for new ways to share the lessons learned by funded communities and, working with local and national health care foundations, develop support networks for other communities that want to employ similar innovative approaches.

September 1, 2010
HHS Awards $17 Million for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced three sets of grants and cooperative agreements totaling nearly $17 million for patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR), or research that compares treatments and strategies to improve health outcomes for patients. The three-year funds, made available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), will establish a network of PCOR centers, enable PCOR in pediatric emergency medicine, and support building capacity for community-based providers to engage in this type of research.

August 2010

August 30, 2010
Initial EHR Certification Bodies Named
The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT), Chicago, Ill. and the Drummond Group Inc. (DGI), Austin, Texas, were named today by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) as the first technology review bodies that have been authorized to test and certify electronic health record (EHR) systems for compliance with the standards and certification criteria that were issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year.

August 22, 2010
Gene Scan Finds Link Across Array of Childhood Brain Disorders
Mutations in a single gene can cause several types of developmental brain abnormalities that experts have traditionally considered different disorders. With support from the National Institutes of Health, researchers found those mutations through whole exome sequencing — a new gene scanning technology that cuts the cost and time of searching for rare mutations. The research is funded in part by a $2.9 million stimulus grant from NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

August 15, 2010
Discovered gene causes Kabuki syndrome
Using a new, rapid and less expensive DNA sequencing strategy, scientists have discovered genetic alterations that account for most cases of Kabuki syndrome, a rare disorder that causes multiple birth defects and mental retardation. Instead of sequencing the entire human genome, the new approach sequences just the exome, the 1-2 percent of the human genome that contains protein-coding genes. This research is made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

August 11, 2010
NIH Launches Effort to Define Markers of Human Immune Responses to Infection and Vaccination; Recovery Act Enables Research That Could Help Improve Vaccines and Therapeutics
A new nationwide research initiative has been launched to define changes in the human immune system, using human and not animal studies, in response to infection or to vaccination. Six U. S.-based Human Immune Phenotyping Centers will receive a total of $100 million over five years to conduct this research. Funding for the centers is provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Support for the first year of this initiative will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

July 2010

July 23, 2010
Recovery Act Investments Will Support Preventive Medicine Residency Programs
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced 15 awards totaling $9 million to support Preventive Medicine Residency Programs at accredited schools of public health, schools of medicine, and hospitals. Of these funds, nearly $6.7 million is part of the $200 million appropriated to HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to address the nation’s health care workforce shortages.

July 7, 2010
HHS Awards $10 Million in Prevention and Wellness Grants to 10 National Organizations
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced awards of $10 million to 10 national non-profit organizations to support public health efforts to reduce tobacco use and reduce obesity through increased physical activity and improved nutrition. These 10 national organizations will provide expert guidance to community leaders, help sustain prevention efforts when Recovery Act funding ends, and foster a national movement toward prevention by implementing key practices across their networks and systems.

July 1, 2010
HHS Awards $96 Million to Train Health Professionals; Recovery Act Investments Will Support Nurse Faculty and Disadvantaged Students
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the awarding of $96 million in grants to increase diversity in the health professions workforce and encourage nurses to choose careers as nurse educators. Of these funds, $27 million is part of the $200 million appropriated to HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to build the nation’s health care workforce.

June 2010

June 18, 2010
Final Rule Issued for Temporary Certification Program for Electronic Health Record Technology
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) today issued a final rule to establish a temporary certification program for electronic health record (EHR) technology. The temporary certification program establishes processes that organizations will need to follow to be authorized by the National Coordinator to test and certify EHR technology.

June 3, 2010
HHS Awards $83.9 Million in Recovery Act Funds to Expand Use of Health Information Technology
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced $83.9 million in grants to help networks of health centers adopt electronic health records (EHR) and other health information technology (HIT) systems. The funds are part of the $2 billion allotted to HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to expand health care services to low-income and uninsured individuals through its health center program.

May 2010

May 14, 2010
HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces $1 Billion in NIH Recovery Act Awards
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced one billion dollars of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds have been awarded to construct, repair and renovate scientific research laboratories and related facilities across the country. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) administered the grants, which are expected to create or sustain jobs nationwide and to help foster scientific advances that may lead to improved human health.

May 6, 2010
HHS Awards ARRA Funds to Establish a Center of Excellence in Research on Disability Services, Care Coordination and Integration
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Disability today announced the award of over $6 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, to establish a Center of Excellence in Research on Disability Services, Care Coordination and Integration.

May 4, 2010
Vice President Biden, HHS Secretary Sebelius Announce Selection of 15 Health IT Pilot Communities through Recovery Act Beacon Community Program
Vice President Biden and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the selection of 15 communities across the country to serve as pilot communities for eventual wide-scale use of health information technology through the Beacon Community program.  The $220 million in Recovery Act awards will not only help achieve meaningful and measurable improvements in health care quality, safety and efficiency in the selected communities, but also help lay the groundwork for an emerging health IT industry that is expected to support tens of thousands of jobs.

April 2010

April 6, 2010
HHS Announces $267 Million for New Health IT Centers
Grants will provide hands-on, community based support to providers to accelerate the adoption of Health Information Technology. This round of awards brings 28 additional non-profit organizations to establish Health Information Technology Regional Extension Centers (RECs). A total of 60 RECs will provide nationwide outreach and technical support services to at least 100,000 primary care providers and hospitals within two years.

March 2010

March 30, 2010
Secretary Sebelius Awards $27 Million in Funding for Chronic Disease Self-Management Programs for Older Americans
The Communities Putting Prevention to Work Chronic Disease Self-Management Program Awards will fund 45 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia to provide self-management programs for older adults with chronic diseases.

March 24, 2010
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Funds Available to States to Improve Participation in Summer Food Service Programs
In an effort to address childhood hunger and its impact on child development, health and learning, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), are notifying states that Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) can be used to assist families through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). 

March 19, 2010
HHS Awards $372 Million in Prevention and Wellness Grants to 44 Communities Around the Nation
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced awards of more than $372 million to 44 communities, to support public health efforts to reduce obesity and smoking, increase physical activity and improve nutrition.

March 15, 2010
HHS Announces Additional $162 Million in Recovery Act Investment to Advance Widespread Meaningful Use of Health IT
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced awards to help states facilitate health information exchange and advance health information technology (health IT).  These awards are part of the $2 billion effort to achieve widespread meaningful use of health IT and provide use of an electronic health record by every citizen by the year 2014.  Every state and eligible territory has now been awarded funds under this program.

March 5, 2010
HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces the Availability of Recovery Act Funds for Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative
Cooperative agreement opportunities for national organizations are now available. National organizations will have a key role in building a healthier nation as part of the new HHS Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative.  HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced a funding opportunity for national public or private non-profit organizations to apply for $10 million in cooperative agreements to help communities decrease smoking and obesity, increase physical activity and improve nutrition.

February 2010

February 18, 2010
Obama Administration Grants Relief to States on Payments to Medicare for Part D Costs
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced $4.3 billion in financial relief to states by reducing the amount they will have to pay the federal government to offset the cost of Medicare coverage for prescription drugs for state residents eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.

 

February 12, 2010
Sebelius, Solis Announce Nearly $1 Billion Recovery Act Investment in Advancing Use of Health IT, Training Workers for Health Jobs of the Future
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis today announced a total of nearly $1 billion in Recovery Act awards to help health care providers advance the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology (IT) and train workers for the health care jobs of the future. The awards will help make health IT available to over 100,000 hospitals and primary care physicians by 2014 and train thousands of people for careers in health care and information technology.

 

February 5, 2010
More Than $119 Million Awarded to States and Territories
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today awarded more than $119 million to states and U.S. territories to support public health efforts to reduce obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking-the four most important actions for combating chronic diseases and promoting health.

 

February 4, 2010
NIA Funds Roybal Centers for Translational Research in Aging
The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, today announced that it has renewed funding for nine Edward R. Roybal Centers for Research on Applied Gerontology and designated four new centers. The Centers will study mobility, independence, decision making, and cognition. The goal of the centers is to move promising social and behavioral research findings out of the laboratory and into programs and practices that will improve the lives of older people and help society adapt to an aging population.

 

February 2, 2010
NIA Funds Centers to Study Demography of Aging
The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, today announced that it has committed more than $36.7 million over the next five years to support and expand its Centers on the Demography and Economics of Aging. The Centers form a network of universities and organizations leading innovative studies on the characteristics of the aging population. The awards, which include some support from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, renewed support for 11 Centers and established three new ones.

 

December 2009

December 30, 2009
CMS and ONC Issue Regulations Proposing a Definition of ‘Meaningful Use’ and Setting Standards for Electronic Health Record Incentive Program
The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) encourage public comment on two regulations issued today that lay a foundation for improving quality, efficiency and safety through meaningful use of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology.

 

December 23, 2009
HHS Announces New Health IT Workforce Grants
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the availability of two additional grant programs to support the training and development of the skilled workforce required to support broad adoption and use of health information technology (health IT).

 

December 2, 2009
HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces Plans to Establish Health IT "Beacon Communities"
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Dr. David Blumenthal, HHS' National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, announced today plans to make available $235 million to support an innovative Beacon Community Program.

 

November 2009

Tuesday, November 24, 2009
HHS Announces Plans to Make $80 Million Available to Support Health IT Workforce
Grants will support Community College Training Programs, curriculum development. Additional programs will be announced in coming weeks.

 

Monday, November 23, 2009
Recovery Funds Advance Alzheimer's Disease Research
American Recovery and Reinvestment Funds are being used to promote the national research efforts to better understand, diagnose and treat Alzheimer's disease. The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, has targeted promising areas of research in granting the awards, such as new and ongoing studies to identify additional risk factor genes associated with Alzheimer's, improve diagnostic tools, find biomarkers, develop therapies, conduct clinical trials and explore preventive measures.

 

Recovery Act Funding Seeks to Help Understand Basic Secrets of Aging
The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, today announced two major awards to advance exciting areas of basic research on aging. Grants for studies to determine the potential healthy aging effects of rapamycin, a compound involved in regulating cell growth, and to understand the causes of protein misfolding — when a protein is either not formed correctly or damaged afterwards — that lead to age-related disease are made possible through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding.

 

NIGMS Invests in Scientific Grand Opportunities with Recovery Act Funds
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is investing $42.3 million for grants in scientific areas it identified as "Grand Opportunities (GO)." NIH developed the GO grant program to stimulate biomedical research and the economy using funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

 

Thursday, November 19, 2009
NIDA Stimulus Grant to Assess the Benefits of Counseling with HIV Screening
Public health experts encourage everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 to be HIV tested. Researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the San Francisco Department of Public Health will determine whether receiving a rapid HIV test and counseling offers healthier outcomes than rapid testing alone, with a $12.3 million grant awarded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The grant is being funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

 

NIEHS Awards Recovery Act Funds to Focus More Research on Health and Safety of Nanomaterials
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, is increasing its investment in understanding the potential health, safety and environmental issues related to tiny particles that are used in many everyday products such as sunscreens, cosmetics and electronics. The NIEHS will award about $13 million over a two-year period, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to bolster the NIEH's ongoing research portfolio in the area of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs).

 

NIGMS 'Challenge' Areas Get Millions in Recovery Act Funds
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), part of the National Institutes of Health, has invested $16.4 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) funds to jump-start a range of research projects that address critical gaps in the basic biomedical and behavioral sciences.

 

Wednesday, November 18, 2009
NIH Opportunity Network to Expand Basic Behavioral and Social Sciences Research
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., today announced the launch of the Basic Behavioral and Social Science Opportunity Network (OppNet), a trans-NIH initiative to expand the agency’s funding of basic behavioral and social sciences research (b-BSSR).

 

Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Secretary Sebelius Releases $1.2 Million in Recovery Funds to Support Health Professions Faculty from Disadvantaged Backgrounds
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced awards totaling nearly $1.2 million to help health professions faculty from disadvantaged backgrounds repay their student loans. The funds are part of $500 million appropriated to HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) to address workforce shortages and encourage greater diversity in the health professions.

 

Tuesday, November 5, 2009
Sebelius Announces Release of Recovery Act Funding to Improve Care in Nation’s Ambulatory Surgical Centers
To reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in stand-alone or same-day surgical centers, the HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the availability of up to $9 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to state survey agencies in 43 states. HAIs are infections some patients acquire when they are in a health care setting such as a hospital or outpatient clinic.

 

Wednesday, November 4, 2009
NIAID Announces New Human Immunology Research Awards to Help Fight Emerging Infectious Diseases
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded approximately $208 million to two programs that support research to better understand the human immune response to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, including those that may be introduced into a community through acts of bioterrorism.

 

NIH Awards More than 50 Grants to Boost Search for Causes, Improve Treatments for Autism
The National Institutes of Health has awarded more than 50 autism research grants, totaling more than $65 million, which will be supported with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. These grants are the result of the largest funding opportunity for research on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to date.

 

Monday, November 2, 2009
NIH Awards $27 Million in Recovery Act Funds to Enhance Scientist and Resource Networking
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced awards that will harness the power of social networking to help scientists and students throughout the country accelerate biomedical research. The same principles and technology that enable teenagers to instantly share updates and pictures with their friends also can help researchers connect, collaborate and share resources better and faster on scientific advances. All software developed in this project will be freely available to biomedical institutions in the non-profit sector.

 

October 2009

Friday, October 30, 2009
Researchers Develop Innovative Imaging System to Study Sudden Cardiac Arrest
A research team at Vanderbilt University has developed an innovative optical system to simultaneously image electrical activity and metabolic properties in the same region of a heart, to study the complex mechanisms that lead to sudden cardiac arrest. Tested in animal models, the system could dramatically advance scientists' understanding of the relationship between metabolic disorders and heart rhythm disturbances in humans that can lead to cardiac arrest and death, and provide a platform for testing new treatments to prevent or stop potentially fatal irregular heartbeats, known as arrhythmias.

 

Thursday, October 29, 2009
Federal Stimulus Grant Supports Crucial Study of Anti-Nicotine Vaccine
Efforts to develop a vaccine capable of preventing tobacco addiction got a $10-million shot in the arm in the form of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant. The award to Nabi Biopharmaceuticals of Rockville, Md., was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

 

NIA Extends Research on Health, Economics of Older Americans
The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, announced the award of four grants totaling more than $19 million over the next two years to expand the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), the nation's premier long-term study and data resource on the combined health, economic, and social factors influencing the well-being of Americans over age 50.

 

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
NCMHD Recovery Act Funds Support Obesity Disparities in the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Basin Jurisdiction
The National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD), a part of the National Institutes of Health, awards a two-year planning grant totaling $600,000 to study obesity-related disparities among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. This is a portion of the NIH $5 billion of Recovery funds announced by President Obama on September 30th.

 

NIEHS Awards Recovery Act Funds to Address Bisphenol A Research Gaps
Researchers studying the health effects of the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) gathered in North Carolina to launch an integrated research initiative to produce data that will allow for a comprehensive assessment of its possible human health effects.

 

Recovery Act Funds Expand Studies of Stem Cell Biology
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), part of the National Institutes of Health, is using $5.4 million of Recovery Act funds to accelerate basic studies of induced pluripotent stem cells. These cells, abbreviated iPS, are reprogrammed from skin or other easily obtained adult cells and appear to be similar to stem cells derived from embryos.

 

New EUREKA Awards Fund Highly Innovative Research, Promise Big Payoffs
The National Institutes of Health has awarded 56 grants of up to $67.4 million to support highly innovative research projects that promise big scientific payoffs. The new awards are part of the EUREKA (Exceptional, Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration) program, which helps scientists test new, unconventional ideas or tackle major methodological or technical challenges.

 

Friday, October 16, 2009
NIH Launches Second Phase of Patient Reported Outcomes Initiative
The National Institutes of Health announced today that it is awarding 15 new grants to further develop and test the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS).

 

September 2009

Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Secretary Sebelius Releases $7.6 Million in Recovery Act Funds to Support Health Professionals Serving in High Need Areas
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced 63 awards totaling more than $7.6 million to help states recruit new health care clinicians and alleviate their debt burden. The funds are part of the $500 million allotted to HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to address workforce shortages and encourage diversity in the health professions.

 

Wednesday, September 30, 2009
HHS Awards $46 Million in Recovery Act Funds to Create Jobs and Spur Economic Improvement
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today awarded $46 million to 84 grantees under a new program, the Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF), created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The purpose of the grants is to improve the ability of nonprofit organizations to promote the economic recovery of people with low incomes.

 

Tuesday, September 29, 2009
$120 Million for States Made Available as Part of Recovery Act Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative
HHS announced the release of $120 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for prevention and wellness programs for U.S. states and territories, building on the recent announcement of the $373 million funding opportunity for communities and tribes around the country.

 

Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Secretary Sebelius Releases $27.8 Million in Recovery Act Funds to Expand the Use of Health Information Technology
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced awards totaling $27.8 million to health center-controlled networks and large multi-site health centers to implement electronic health records (EHR) and other health information technology (HIT) innovations. The funds are part of the $2 billion allotted to HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to expand health care services to low-income and uninsured individuals through its health center program.

 

Monday, September 28, 2009
NIH Funds Four Centers of Excellence in Genomic Science
New Efforts Will Focus on Psychiatric Disorders, Gene Regulation

 

Thursday, September 24, 2009
NIH Announces 115 Awards to Encourage High-Risk Research and Innovation
Recovery Act funds contribute to encourage investigators to explore bold ideas that have the potential to catapult fields forward and speed the translation of research into improved health.

 

Thursday, September 17, 2009
HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces Cornerstone Funding of the $650 Million Recovery Act Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative
Creating ways for healthful lifestyle habits to be the natural first choice for Americans is the goal of a $650 million initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be used to increase physical activity, improve nutrition, decrease obesity, and decrease smoking in U.S. communities.

 

Friday, September 11, 2009
Secretary Sebelius Releases $33 Million in ARRA Funds to Train Health Professionals
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced awards totaling $33 million to expand the training of health care professionals. The funds are part of the $500 million allotted to HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to address workforce shortages under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

 

Thursday, September 3, 2009
NIDDK Recovery Grant Funds Innovative Kidney Research Project for Students
Rural high school and college students from Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee conducted medical research this summer with a team of leading scientists at Vanderbilt University under an innovative, two-year $320,720 grant program supported with Recovery Act funds.

 

Wednesday, September 2, 2009
CDC to Distribute $40 Million in Recovery Act Funding to Help States Fight Healthcare-Associated Infections
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today announced plans to distribute $40 million to state health departments to help prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the money will be distributed through cooperative agreements to 49 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

Back to Top

August 2009

Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Vice President Biden Announces Availability of Nearly $1.2 Billion in Grants to Help Hospitals and Doctors Use Electronic Health Records
Vice President Joe Biden today announced the availability of grants worth nearly $1.2 billion to help hospitals and health care providers implement and use electronic health records. The grants will be funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and will help health care providers qualify for new incentives that will be made available in 2010 to doctors and hospitals that meaningfully use electronic health records.

 

Wednesday, August 19, 2009
NHLBI Awards Recovery Act Funds to Support Study of Parents' Role in Adolescent Eating and Activity Behaviors
A study examining the role of parents and the home environment in adolescents' food intake, physical activity, body image and weight control behaviors, is among the research grants awarded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), from funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the Recovery Act).


Wednesday, August 12, 2009
HHS Announces $13.4 Million in Financial Assistance to Support Nurses
HHS Deputy Secretary Bill Corr announced the release of $13.4 million for loan repayments to nurses who agree to practice in facilities with critical shortages and for schools of nursing to provide loans to students who will become nurse faculty.

Back to Top

July 2009

Thursday, July 30, 2009
Recovery Act to Fund 12 State Efforts To Improve Care In Ambulatory Surgical Centers
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today provided the down payment for a nationwide effort to reduce health care associated infections in stand-alone or same-day surgical centers. The first effort will begin later this month in 12 states under provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).


Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Secretary Sebelius Makes Recovery Act Funding Available to Expand Health Professions Training
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the availability of $200 million to support grants, loans, loan repayment, and scholarships to expand the training of health care professionals.


Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Recovery Act Funding Supports 23 Fellowships for Early Career Scientists
Funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will allow the National Institutes of Health to create jobs for early career scientists and increase the ranks of researchers and clinicians working in the global health field. With $3 million in funding over the next 18 months, the NIH’s Fogarty International Center will be able to support 23 additional participants in its Clinical Research Training Scholars and Fellows Program.


Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Major NIMH Research Project to Test Approaches to Altering the Course of Schizophrenia
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is launching a large-scale research project to explore whether using early and aggressive treatment, individually targeted and integrating a variety of different therapeutic approaches, will reduce the symptoms and prevent the gradual deterioration of functioning that is characteristic of chronic schizophrenia.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009
$90 Million in Recovery Act Funds to Bolster Water Services in Indian Country and Create Jobs
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's (HHS) Indian Health Service (IHS) today announced $90 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for improved access to vital drinking water and wastewater services in the American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Back to Top

June 2009

Monday, June 29, 2009
First Lady Michelle Obama Announces Release of $851 Million from Recovery Act to Upgrade & Expand Community Health Centers, To Serve More Patients
Grants Will Support Centers that Provide Health Care to Millions of Americans


Monday, June 29, 2009
Patient-Centered Research Report Sent to Congress Outlining Research Priorities
Council Reports Back After Vigorous Public Outreach; Advises New Research Dollars To Focus On Populations Who Have Been Under-Represented And Better, More Coordinated Dissemination Of Information To Patients And Providers


Tuesday, June 23, 2009
NIH Expands Human Microbiome Project; Funds Sequencing Centers and Disease Projects
The Human Microbiome Project has awarded more than $42 million to expand its exploration of how the trillions of microscopic organisms that live in or on our bodies affect our health, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced today.


Tuesday, June, 16, 2009
Process Begins to Define “Meaningful Use” of Electronic Health Records
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), met today to begin the process of defining “meaningful use” of electronic health records (EHRs). This meeting is a first step for the department, as it investigates possible definitions for meaningful use.


Monday, June 8, 2009
NIH Receives 20,000 Applications for Challenge Grants Through the Recovery Act
Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the National Institutes of Health received approximately 20,000 applications for Challenge Grants, a new program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This large number of applications is approximately equal to the total number of applications NIH receives in one of the agency’s three major review rounds each year.


Monday, June, 8, 2009
NIAID Renews Funding for National Emerging Infectious Diseases Research Network
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced renewed funding for 10 previously established Regional Centers of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research (RCE).


Friday, June 5, 2009
Funding Available for Health Care Jobs in Needy Communities
Recovery Act funds are expected to support 3,300 clinicians in health centers, rural health clinics, and other health care facilities that care for the uninsured and underserved people. In exchange for two years service with the National Health Services Corp, clinicians will receive loan repayments of up to $50,000.

Back to Top

May 2009

Thursday, May 28, 2009
OIG's First Audit of Recovery Act Funding Finds No Discrepancies (PDF - 31 KB)


Tuesday, May 26, 2009
HIV Prevention Program Gets a Boost From NIMH Recovery Act Funds
Developing interventions to reduce the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections among heterosexual men, couples and ethnically diverse populations continues to be complex and challenging. To help address this issue, NIMH awarded a two-year grant to David Pérez-Jiménez, Ph.D., at the University of Puerto Rico, to support the adaptation and assessment of an HIV and other sexually transmitted infection intervention designed for young, heterosexual Latino couples.


Friday, May 22, 2009
Recovery Funds Will Support Evaluation of Suicide Prevention Training
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide grant support for the completion of a project under way to evaluate the effectiveness of a new training program for telephone crisis counselors at suicide hotline centers.


Wednesday, May 20, 2009
NHLBI's First Grants Supported by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Will Study Lung Diseases
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health announced that it will award 22 grants totaling $3.3 million in funds provided from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to focus additional research on two common, yet complex and difficult-to-treat lung diseases.


Friday, May 15, 2009
IHS Releases $500 Million in Recovery Act Funds to Improve Health Care and Boost Economy in Indian Country
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today that the Indian Health Service (IHS) will release $500 million allocated for improvements in Indian health in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.


Monday, May 11, 2009
HHS Makes Funding Available to Strengthen Non-Profits, Faith Based Groups
The Department of Health and Human Services today announced the availability of grants worth $50 million from the Strengthening Communities Fund, a new fund created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The fund will strengthen nonprofit and faith-based organizations that aid families and communities who are struggling in the economic downturn.


Friday, May 8, 2009
HHS Announces Members of Committees That Will Advise on Implementation of Health IT
The Department of Health and Human Services announced the appointment of three members to the Health Information Technology (HIT) Policy Committee, as well as members of the HIT Standards Committee. The two new federal advisory committees were established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.


Thursday, May 7, 2009
Federal Coordinating Council on Comparative Effectiveness Research to Hold Public Listening Session in Chicago on May 13
The Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research will hold its second public listening session on Wednesday, May 13, 2009, in Chicago. The council will hear public comment regarding comparative effectiveness research and the Coordinating Council’s activities.


Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Secretary Sebelius Highlights Two New Reports on Health Care Quality, Says Improving Quality is Key Component of Health Reform
Secretary Sebelius Challenges Hospitals to Fight Healthcare Associated Infections; Makes Available $50 Million in Recovery Act Funding.

Back to Top

April 2009

Friday, April 17, 2009
HHS Releases Guidance for Securing Health Information and Preventing Harm from Breaches
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published guidance today regarding technologies and methodologies to secure health information and prevent harm by rendering health information unusable, unreadable, or indecipherable to unauthorized individuals.


Monday, April 13, 2009
New NIH Recovery Act Opportunity Seeks to Fund High Impact, Large-Scale, Accelerated Research
Goal to Promote Growth and Investment in Biomedical R&D, Public Health and Health Care Delivery.


Monday, April 13, 2009
Reminder: Federal Coordinating Council on Comparative Effectiveness Research to Hold Public Listening Session on Tuesday
Council Will Hear Public Comments on Comparative Effectiveness Research Priorities in the Recovery Act.


Friday, April 10, 2009
Community Groups to Receive $1 Billion Boost From Recovery Act
HHS announced plans to make $1 billion available for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program.


Thursday, April 9, 2009
Biden Announces $2.3 Billion in Recovery Act Funds to Help Care for Children; Prevent Disease
Vice President Joe Biden announced today that the Obama Administration will make $2.3 billion available for crucial health and human services programs that help provide care for children and prevent disease.


Friday, April 3, 2009
Recovery Act Provides $5 Billion to Assist Needy Families
HHS announced the availability of up to an additional $5 billion in emergency funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.


Thursday, April 2, 2009
Head Start, Early Head Start Programs to Receive Over $2 Billion in Recovery Act Funding
New funds will improve centers, serve tens of thousands more children and families, create jobs

Back to Top

March 2009

Friday, March 27, 2009
1,128 Health Centers Receive New Funds, 2 Million More People Will Receive Care
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today announced the release of $337 million to expand services offered at the nation’s community health centers. The money was made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and comes as more Americans join the ranks of the uninsured.


Thursday, March 26, 2009
HHS Makes Estimated $1 Billion in Recovery Act Funds Available to Improve Child Support Enforcement
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the availability of Recovery Act funds for state programs that establish, enforce, collect and distribute child support.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Students and Science Educators to Get Boost From NIH Arra Initiative
The National Institutes of Health recently announced American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding for administrative supplements to existing NIH grants and $21 million over two years has been allocated for educational opportunities in NIH-funded laboratories for students and science educators.

Rising to the Challenge: NIH Will Use $60 Million In Recovery Act Funds To Support Strategic Autism Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is committing roughly $60 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to support autism research and meet objectives set forth earlier this year by a federal advisory committee.


Friday, March 20, 2009
HHS Makes $268 Million in Recovery Act Funding Available to Support Hospitals Serving Uninsured, Vulnerable Americans
Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) adjustment payments provide additional help to those hospitals that serve a significantly disproportionate number of low-income patients; eligible hospitals are referred to as DSH hospitals.


Thursday, March 19, 2009
Recovery Act Includes $500 Million for Indian Health Service
Funds Will Boost Economy, Modernize Facilities, Improve Equipment and Care

Recovery Act Allocates $1.1 Billion for Comparative Effectiveness Research
HHS Names Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research


Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Vice President Biden Announces Release of Nearly $100 Million in Recovery Act Funding to Support Senior Nutrition Programs


Wednesday, March 11, 2009
HHS Launches New Office of Recovery Act Coordination

NIH Announces American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funding Opportunities
$1 Billion Available for Extramural Core Facilities and Other Construction, Renovation or Repair Awards


Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Applications for $1.5 Billion in Recovery Act Grants Now Available from National Institutes of Health to Support Science and Research, Create New Jobs


Monday, March 2, 2009
President Obama Announces Release of $155 Million of ARRA Funds for Health Clinics Across America.

Back to Top

February 2009

Monday, February 23rd, 2009
President Obama Announces $15 Billion in Medicaid Relief from ARRA Headed to States

Back to Top