HHS awarded $20 million to increase telehealth access and infrastructure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for providers including the American Academy of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina Maternal Health Care.
The funds will help increase telehealth capability, capacity and access to distant care services for providers, pregnant women, children and families. The financial awards also will help telehealth providers navigate cross-state licensing regulations.
The Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau awarded a total of $15 million to four recipients. Here are the recipients and what areas of healthcare the award will support:
1. American Academy of Pediatrics (Itasca, Ill.): $6 million for pediatric care.
2. Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (Washington, D.C.): $4 million for public health systems.
3. Family Voices (Albuquerque, N.M.): $1 million for family engagement for children with special healthcare needs.
4. UNC Chapel Hill: $4 million for maternal healthcare.
HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy awarded a total of $5 million to two recipients through the Licensure Portability Grant Program. The funding will help telehealth clinicians nationally on licensure and credentialing needs.
1. Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (Tyrone, Ga.): $2.5 million.
2. Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States (Euless, Texas): 2.5 million.