HHS is awarding $293 million to boost the primary healthcare workforce.
The awards, announced Oct. 18, aim to expand the primary healthcare workforce via the National Health Service Corps and Nurse Corps programs.
The NHSC program provides scholarships and loan repayment to eligible primary care providers, while the Nurse Corps program provides scholarships and loan repayment to nurses, nursing students and nurse faculty, according to the program websites.
"These programs connect primary care providers with the rural, urban and tribal communities across the country that need them most," said George Sigounas, PhD, administrator for the HHS Health Resources and Services Administration. "In addition to providing essential medical and dental care, these clinicians are on the front lines helping to fight pressing public health issues, like the growing opioid epidemic."
About 10,900 NHSC members provide care at more than 5,000 healthcare sites. Nurse Corps has about 1,800 Nurse Corps members..
The HHS awards will support these initiatives:
- National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program
National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program - National Health Service Corps Students to Service Loan Repayment Program
- National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program
- Nurse Corps Scholarship Program
- Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
Faculty Loan Repayment Program - Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program
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