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News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2009
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Contact: HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343
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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. “These funds will help place full-time primary care health professionals in shortage areas and help hundreds of thousands of Americans get primary care they might not otherwise receive,” said Secretary Sebelius. Eighteen grantees will receive $5.8 million under the State Loan Repayment Program which provides grants to states to fund loan repayment programs designed to increase the availability of primary health service providers in health professional shortage areas in the state. Health professionals receiving these funds incur a minimum two-year service obligation, but in some cases elect to serve longer. In return for their service in shortage areas, the state repays their qualifying loans. States must provide a dollar for dollar match in funding. In addition, 45 grantees will receive $1.8 million under the State Primary Care Office program to help recruit new National Health Service Corps (NHSC) clinicians. On June 5, Secretary Sebelius announced the availability of $200 million in ARRA workforce funds, of a total $300 million, to expand HRSA’s National Health Service Corps, which provides scholarships and loan repayment for primary care providers who serve in health professional shortage areas. The funds will repay the qualifying student loans of primary care medical dental and mental health clinicians who wish to practice, for a minimum of two years, in NHSC sites that treat underserved and uninsured people. “Recruiting and training health professionals to serve in shortage areas is critical as we work to provide quality health care to more and more people in need,” said HRSA Administrator Mary Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N. Today’s awards follow a Sept. 11 announcement by Secretary Sebelius of $33 million in Recovery Act funds to train a variety of health professionals. Also, on Aug. 12, HHS Deputy Secretary Bill Corr announced awards of $13.4 million in Recovery Act funds 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. HRSA also received $2 billion through the ARRA to expand health care services to low-income and uninsured individuals through its health center program. To date, more than $1.3 billion of these funds have been awarded to community-based organizations across the country. HRSA-supported health centers treated 17 million patients in 2008, 40 percent of whom have no health insurance. Tables for the grants announced today appear below. Recovery Act Grants to States for Loan Repayment Program, FY 2009 Grantee | City | State | Award | Alabama Department of Public Health | Montgomery | Ala. | $350,000 | Arizona Department of Health Services | Phoenix | Ariz. | $50,000 | State of California | Sacramento | Calif. | $2,000,000 | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment | Denver | Colo. | $800,000 | District of Columbia Department of Health | Washington | DC | $450,000 | Delaware Health Care Commission | Dover | Del. | $100,000 | State Medical Education Board of Georgia | Atlanta | Ga. | $100,000 | Iowa Department of Public Health | Des Moines | Iowa | $100,000 | Illinois Department of Public Health | Springfield | Ill. | $450,000 | Indiana State Department of Health | Indianapolis | Ind. | $105,000 | University of Kentucky Research Foundation | Lexington | Ky. | $105,000 | Massachusetts Department of Health | Boston | Mass. | $100,000 | Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene | Baltimore | Md. | $100,000 | Minnesota Department of Health | Saint Paul | Minn. | $148,000 | State of Missouri | Jefferson City | Mo. | $300,000 | New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority | Trenton | N.J. | $300,000 | New Mexico State Commission on Higher Education | Santa Fe | N.M. | $100,000 | Pennsylvania Department of Health | Harrisburg | Pa. | $156,000 | Total | | | $5,814,000 |
Recovery Act Grants to State Primary Care Offices, FY2009 Grantee | City | State | Award | State of Alaska, Department of Health and Social Services | Juneau | Ark. | $36,135 | Alabama Department of Public Health | Montgomery | Ala. | $38,220 | Arkansas Department of Health | Little Rock | Ark. | $50,205 | Arizona Department of Health Services | Phoenix | Ariz. | $53,775 | State of California | Sacramento | Calif. | $104,775 | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment | Denver | Colo. | $35,840 | State of Connecticut Department of Public Health | Hartford | Conn. | $36,775 | District of Columbia Department of Health | Washington | DC | $29,380 | Delaware Department of Health & Social Services | Dover | Del. | $29,210 | Florida Department of Health | Tallahassee | Fla. | $44,170 | Iowa Department of Public Health | Des Moines | Iowa | $35,670 | Idaho Department of Health and Welfare | Boise | Idaho | $37,720 | Illinois Department of Public Health | Springfield | Ill. | $48,420 | Indiana State Department of Health | Indianapolis | Ind. | $35,415 | Kansas Department of Health and Environment | Topeka | Kan. | $37,795 | Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services | Frankfort | Ky. | $42,640 | Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals | Baton Rouge | La. | $52,925 | Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health | Boston | Mass. | $42,470 | Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene | Baltimore | Md. | $38,305 | Maine Department of Health and Human Services | Augusta | ME | $34,140 | Michigan Department of Community Health | Lansing | Mich. | $42,725 | Minnesota Department of Health | Saint Paul | Minn. | $35,925 | State of Missouri | Jefferson City | Mo. | $51,310 | Mississippi State Department of Health | Jackson | Miss. | $44,000 | Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services | Helena | Mont. | $40,345 | North Dakota State Department of Health | Bismarck | N.D. | $32,270 | NE Department of Health and Human Services | Lincoln | Neb. | $28,870 | New Hampshire Division of Public Health | Concord | N.H. | $28,360 | New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services | Trenton | N.J. | $33,885 | New Mexico State Department of Health | Albuquerque | N.M. | $42,765 | Nevada Department of Health and Human Services | Carson City | Nev. | $29,295 | New York State Department of Health | Albany | N.Y. | $54,625 | State of Ohio Department of Health | Columbus | Ohio | $40,430 | Oklahoma State Department of Health | Oklahoma City | Okla. | $36,256 | Oregon Department of Human Services | Portland | Ore. | $36,010 | PA Department of Health | Harrisburg | Pa. | $42,555 | South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control | Columbia | S.C. | $33,715 | Tennessee Department of Health | Nashville | Tenn. | $45,955 | Texas Department of State Health Services | Austin | Texas | $58,365 | Virginia Department of Health | Richmond | Va. | $33,630 | Vermont State Department of Health | Burlington | Vt. | $26,190 | Washington State Department of Health | Tumwater | Wash. | $49,780 | Wisconsin Department of Health Services | Madison | Wis. | $34,225 | West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services | Charleston | W.Va. | $33,885 | Wyoming State Department of Health | Cheyenne | Wyo. | $30,655 | Total | | | $1,830,011 |
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.
Last revised: May 7, 2011
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