The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $33 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds with the objective to expand training of healthcare professionals.

The funds are part of the $500 million allotted to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to address workforce shortages.

“The Recovery Act will help ensure we grow our healthcare workforce and give our aspiring doctors, nurses and health professionals the tools and training they need to provide top-quality care to more Americans,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a statement announcing the grants.

The grants will be distributed through six HRSA programs:

• $19.3 million for scholarships for disadvantaged students in health professions schools and training programs, with priority given to those in financial need.
• $4.9 million to fund schools to establish or expand health profession programs for minority individuals. Funds may be used to improve student academic performance, recruit and retain minority faculty and expand opportunities to train at off-campus, community-based healthcare sites.
• $3 million to fund schools of public health and support traineeships that pay tuition, fees and stipends for students in biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, toxicology, nutrition, or maternal and child health.
• $2.6 million to increase nursing education opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds through student scholarships or stipends, pre-entry preparation and retention activities.
• $2.5 million to fund schools and health professions training sites to establish or expand programs that help individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds enter and graduate from a health professions program.
• $810,925 to fund residency programs in dental public health, including financial aid to residents.