Date: December 17, 2021
Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network
Application Deadline: March 18, 2022
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA), Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), announced the availability of nearly $48 million in American Rescue Plan funding for community based-organizations to expand public health capacity in rural and tribal communities through health care job development, training and placement. Awardees will be able to use this funding to address workforce needs related to the long-term effects of COVID-19, health information technology (IT), and other key workforce issues.
Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network Program awardees will establish community health networks, which may be composed of, but are not limited to, community and technical colleges, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and other minority-serving institutions; Critical Access Hospitals, community health centers, nursing homes, Rural Health Clinics, and substance use providers; and state or local workforce development boards. These networks will work to establish sustainable placement opportunities and integrate newly trained public health professionals into quality organizations and care teams to support the provision of health care services in rural communities.
HRSA anticipates more than 30 award recipients will be able to develop formal training and/or certification programs in order to increase capacity in the following workforce training tracks:
- Community Health Support;
- Health IT and/or Telehealth Technical Support;
- Community Para-Medicine; and
- Case Management Staff and/or Respiratory Therapists.
Approximately $1,545,000 each will be available for a three-year period of performance. Award recipients will receive the full award amount in the first year of the period of performance and are required to allocate funds across all three years.
FORHP will hold a webinar for applicants on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 from 1 – 2 p.m. ET. A recording will be made available for those who cannot attend. For dial-in information, view the NOFO on Grants.gov, click the Package tab, then Preview, and Download Instructions; technical assistance information is on page (ii).
If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to: RPHWTNP@hrsa.gov.