Funding for Healthcare Workforce

Provides funding for loan repayment for students in their last year of pursuing a degree in allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, physician assistant studies, nursing, or dentistry in exchange for 3-year full-time service commitments providing primary care services in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) upon the completion of their residency.

Funds programs to address high rates of infant death by improving health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy and reducing well-documented racial/ethnic differences in rates of infant death and adverse perinatal outcomes. Supports the provision of direct and enabling services, including screening and referrals, case management, care coordination, health and parenting education, and linkages to clinical care, to enrolled program participants.

Provides funding to organizations to engage AmeriCorps members to build public health capacity in local communities by serving in state, local, tribal, and territorial public health departments. Aims to meet local public health needs and advance equitable outcomes for underserved communities. Activities may include mental health education and awareness, social service navigation, and crisis response for COVID-19, opioids, suicide, and mental health.

Offers funding to state and local health departments to work with HIV clinical providers in developing approaches that utilize culturally competent community health worker (CHW) services to conduct outreach and re-engage people with HIV in care who are living in rural areas. Services include connecting individuals to mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services, and other supports necessary to help participants enter, re-engage, and remain in HIV care and treatment.

Awards fellowships to psychology students at the master's, predoctoral, and postdoctoral levels focused on the behavioral health and well-being of communities of color. Offers financial support, professional development and guidance to build cultural competency, enhance services and public policy, and reduce mental health and substance use disparities in minority communities. Fellowships are administered by the American Psychological Association (APA) through a Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Works to prepare and encourage physicians to practice healthcare in rural communities. Provides start-up funding for the planning and development of sustainable programs to train residents in rural residency programs in family medicine, internal medicine, public health, preventive medicine, psychiatry, general surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Awards fellowships to psychiatry residents to conduct innovative research projects addressing mental health and substance use issues for underserved ethnic and racial minority populations. Offers financial support, professional opportunities, and resources to develop cultural competency skills. Focuses on enhancing treatment and reducing disparities for minority populations with mental health conditions and substance use issues. Fellowships are administered by the American Psychiatry Association (APA) through a Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Awards grants to tribes and tribal organizations to plan and develop AmeriCorps programs that will engage AmeriCorps members in projects to strengthen tribal communities.

Awards fellowships to master's level addictions counseling students. Offers financial support and professional development training to develop cultural competency skills in substance use disorder (SUD) counseling services for minority populations. Seeks to increase the number of SUD professional counselors serving minorities, including ethnic, racial, cultural, religious, gender, sexual orientation, rural, or veteran and military groups. Fellowships are administered by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) and the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) through a Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Awards fellowships to master's and doctoral counseling students. Offers financial support and professional development training to develop cultural competency skills in mental health counseling services for minority populations. Seeks to increase the number of professional counselors serving minorities, including ethnic, racial, cultural, religious, gender, sexual orientation, rural, or veteran and military groups to improve overall community health and well-being. Fellowships are administered by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) through a Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Funds to support existing medical and dental residency training programs in community-based, ambulatory patient care settings. Helps address health professional shortages by supporting efforts to encourage and prepare residents to offer high-quality healthcare to rural and underserved communities.

Provides funding for loan repayment for substance use disorder (SUD) professionals in exchange for 6-year service obligations at STAR LRP-approved facilities located in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) or in counties with high rates of drug overdose deaths. Helps recruit and retain qualified clinicians and paraprofessionals to provide direct SUD treatment or recovery support services in underserved areas and rural communities significantly impacted by substance use.

Assists communities with the recruitment and retention of qualified substance use disorder (SUD) professionals who provide direct treatment or recovery support at facilities located in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) or in counties with a drug overdose death rate that is higher than the national average. New and current clinical staff working in eligible disciplines at a STAR LRP-approved facility are eligible to receive loan repayment assistance through the STAR Loan Repayment Program, which is open to a wider range of SUD clinicians and paraprofessionals compared to other HRSA loan repayment programs.

Helps underserved communities recruit and retain primary care clinicians at approved practice sites that provide quality, culturally appropriate primary healthcare services in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Supports sites that provide comprehensive primary care and primary care behavioral health services in rural and underserved communities. Clinicians working at an approved site in an eligible National Health Service Corps (NHSC) discipline may be eligible for a NHSC loan repayment or scholarship program.

Awards fellowships to master's and doctoral students in social work programs. Offers monetary stipends, professional development, training, mentoring, and other supports to develop cultural competency skills in social work services for ethnic and racial minority populations at risk for mental health and substance use disorders (SUDs). Seeks to increase the number of social workers providing mental health and substance use services to underserved populations. Fellowships are administered by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) through a Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Funds to assist states in improving the quality and efficiency of forensic science and medical examiner/coroner services in order to meet the increased need for forensic investigation due to the proliferation of opioids and synthetic drugs. Offers funding by formula to enhance personnel, training, equipment, infrastructure, and other components of forensic examination.

Strengthens the relationship between recovery organizations, their statewide networks of recovery stakeholders, and healthcare systems to improve recovery services for individuals with substance use disorder (SUD). Aims to promote and integrate recovery organizations and peer recovery support services (PRSS) across coordinated state and local networks through increased collaboration, training, and participation in multilevel planning, policy, and program development activities.

Funds to assist medical examiner/coroners, forensic pathologists, and medical and legal death investigation systems efficiently handle the increased need for services resulting from the proliferation of opioids and synthetic drugs. Seeks to provide accelerated and improved forensic science and medical examiner/coroner services by funding expenses related to personnel, training, equipment, infrastructure, and more.

Provides funding to prevent substance misuse and address mental health issues by establishing and expanding behavioral healthcare services in rural communities for children and adolescents aged 5-17 who are at risk for, have, or are recovering from a behavioral health disorder.

Addresses health professional shortages by offering scholarships to eligible nursing students in exchange for full-time service obligations at critical shortage facilities (CSFs) located in Primary Care or Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).

Awards fellowships to ethnic/racial minority students in master's or doctoral psychiatric, mental health, or substance use nursing programs. Aims to increase the number of nurses and nurse practitioners providing mental health and substance use prevention and treatment services to ethnic and racial minority populations. Provides stipends, tuition assistance, and educational supports to help students complete their degrees, conduct research, build leadership and cultural competency skills, and meet the needs of the communities they serve. Fellowships are administered by the American Nurses Association (ANA) through a Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Addresses primary care provider shortages by offering scholarships to health professions students in exchange for full-time service obligations at National Health Service Corps (NHSC)-approved sites in a Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in urban, rural, or tribal communities.

Provides funding for loan repayment for primary care, dental, behavioral/mental health, and maternal health professionals in exchange for 2-year service obligations at National Health Service Corps (NHSC)-approved sites in a Primary Care, Dental, and Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in rural, urban, and underserved areas.

Provides funding for loan repayment for primary care and behavioral/mental health professionals in exchange for 3-year service obligations at National Health Service Corps (NHSC)-approved sites in Primary Care and Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in rural communities. Seeks to increase the number of primary care and behavioral/mental health professionals providing opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and services to patients in rural areas.

Provides funding for loan repayment for substance use disorder (SUD) primary care and behavioral/mental health professionals in exchange for 3-year service obligations at National Health Service Corps (NHSC)-approved sites in Mental Health and/or Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in rural and underserved areas.

Provides funding to eligible entities to establish, expand and/or enhance existing community-based nurse practitioner (NP) residency and fellowship training programs to increase the number of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) prepared to provide primary care in community-based settings for rural, urban, and tribal underserved populations. Supports efforts to integrate behavioral and maternal health into primary care through the training of qualified NPs in these fields.

Enhances the work of medical examiners and coroners in the U.S. by providing funds to agencies accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduated Medical Education (ACGME) to recruit qualified applicants for fellowship programs. Improves medical and legal death investigation services by assisting medical examiner and coroner agencies seeking to achieve or maintain accreditation through an independent accrediting organization.

Funding to support the training and graduation of advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) students and trainees in the areas of primary care, mental health, substance use, and maternal healthcare, with preference given to programs that train students to practice in underserved and rural communities.

Expands access at the community level to naloxone and other medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency treatment of opioid overdose by establishing best practices for prescribing overdose reversal drugs. Provides training and resources to prescribers and providers and ensures protocols are in place to connect people who have experienced overdose to appropriate follow-up care and substance use treatment, including medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and behavioral therapies. Focuses on specific urban and rural populations to address the needs and expand workforce capacity in communities highly impacted by overdose and reduce overdose deaths.

Supports efforts to decrease opioid, stimulant, and other substance misuse and overdose deaths by offering financial and technical assistance to state, local, and tribal government entities. Helps provide treatment and recovery services for individuals involved with the criminal justice system resulting from substance misuse and their families. Seeks to enhance public safety and support underserved and rural populations through prevention and harm reduction activities and diversion programs.

Funding to plan, develop, and operate a 12 month full-time, or 24 month half-time, training program for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, health service psychologists, counselors, nurses, and/or social workers focused on training practitioners to provide mental health and substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD), services. Seeks to expand the workforce trained to provide care for individuals in need of mental health and SUD/OUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services in an integrated primary care underserved community-based setting.

Offers funds and technical assistance to states, local governments, and federally recognized Indian tribes to plan, implement, or expand comprehensive collaboration programs to improve outcomes for people with mental health disorders or co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders who are involved with the justice system. Aims to develop collaborations across the criminal justice system that will provide healthcare, treatment, social services, and other supports to enhance public safety and public health, and reduce recidivism among the target population.

Funds economic revitalization projects in the Appalachian region focused on building businesses, workforce ecosystems, infrastructure, culture and tourism, and leadership capacity to meet Appalachian Regional Commission's strategic investment goals. Gives priority to investments for building a competitive workforce, fostering entrepreneurial activities, developing industry clusters, and broadband initiatives.

Assists rural communities working to reduce the incidence and impact of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) among pregnant, postpartum, and persons of childbearing age who are diagnosed with or at risk for opioid use disorder (OUD) and/or other substance use disorders (SUDs). Supports the implementation of evidence-based OUD/SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery strategies designed to improve systems of care, family supports, and social determinants of health (SDOH) in rural areas.

Aims to increase access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) along with comprehensive opioid use disorder (OUD) psychosocial and recovery support services (RSS) for individuals with OUD seeking MOUD. Provides funds to states, nonprofits, American Indian and Alaska Native tribes, and tribal organizations to support MOUD programs and related program activities.

Provides funding for loan repayment for registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and nurse faculty in exchange for full-time service obligations at critical shortage facilities (CSFs) located in Primary Care or Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) or at a school of nursing. Addresses nursing shortages to meet the healthcare needs of underserved communities, including mental health, substance use disorder (SUD), and other behavioral health services.

Awards fellowships to master's and doctoral students in marriage and family therapy (MFT) programs. Offers financial support, training, and professional development opportunities designed to build cultural competency in mental health treatment for ethnic and racial minorities. Seeks to increase the number of marriage and family therapists providing mental health and substance use services to underserved populations. Fellowships are administered by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Research and Education Foundation through the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Funds infrastructure enhancements and capacity building efforts to address the changing healthcare landscape and increase access to high-quality HIV primary healthcare services for individuals with low-income and underserved populations, including those in rural areas.

Offers funding, based on a formula, to eligible institutions that then distribute funds to full-time nurse anesthetist trainees to help cover required education costs and living expenses. Seeks to increase the number of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) practicing in rural, urban, and tribal underserved areas.

Funds demonstration projects in states to improve the quality of emergency medical services (EMS) for children. Seeks innovative models and methods to strengthen EMS systems. Seeks to improve health outcomes and attain equitable access to pediatric emergency care and everyday readiness for all children across the nation, especially for those children living in racial or ethnic minority, tribal, and rural communities.

Provides funding to support community-based partnerships and collaborations aimed at promoting access to healthcare for under-resourced and underserved children and their families in rural and underserved areas through the implementation and evaluation of new or improved evidence-informed, evidence-based strategies, or innovative community-based projects and models of care. Includes substance use services for children and adolescents at risk for substance use disorders (SUD).

Supports American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth in successfully transitioning back into the community after completing treatment at an Indian Health Services (IHS) Youth Regional Treatment Center (YRTC). Provides culturally adapted aftercare and case management services focused on whole-person wellness and community engagement to help youth achieve and sustain safety and sobriety, with an emphasis on employability as a means of achieving program goals. YRTC is an initiative of the IHS Alcohol and Substance Abuse Branch (ASAB).

Aims to increase the affordability, accessibility, acceptability, and availability of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) by establishing new MAT access points in rural communities. Enhances the capacity to provide MAT treatment services for people in rural areas with or at risk of opioid use disorder (OUD), with focus on underserved populations. Promotes the use of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for the treatment of OUD along with supportive services, including counseling and behavioral therapies. Supports the use MAT to treat alcohol use disorder, if the need exists.

Offers funding for predoctoral training programs in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry for dental, dental hygiene, and public health dentistry students. Aims to enhance trainees' ability to provide oral healthcare for populations and individuals with medically complex health conditions, special healthcare, and behavioral healthcare needs in vulnerable, underserved, or rural communities. Focuses on training that integrates oral health within primary care and promotes patient-centered approaches that address the impact of social determinants of health on oral health outcomes.

Supports community-driven efforts to deliver evidence-based, culturally appropriate substance use prevention, treatment, and aftercare services for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Works to expand access to behavioral health services; improve care coordination and cross-system collaboration; and engage family, youth, and community resources to reduce substance use disorder (SUD) and overall substance misuse in tribal communities. SASP is an initiative of the IHS Alcohol and Substance Abuse Branch (ASAB).

Funds for states to develop and implement programs to address the oral health workforce needs in Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), including those in rural communities. Supports new ideas, methods, and/or approaches to increase access to oral health services. Allows states to design programs to address opioid use disorder (OUD) by improving pain management practices, treatments, and recovery support services. Helps states become better prepared for future public health emergencies by evaluating and responding to the impact of COVID-19 on oral health workforce.

Provides funds to implement evidence-based or promising prevention, treatment, and recovery activities for substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD), in rural communities. Expands access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services for rural residents diagnosed with or at risk of OUD/SUD, their families, and others in the community.

Provides funding to increase the number of internships, field placements, and other experiential training opportunities for individuals working to become peer support specialists and other behavioral health paraprofessionals. Promotes collaboration with community-based health partners to meet workforce demand in high need and high demand areas and expand access to quality behavioral health services, including services for the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD). Promotes interdisciplinary collaboration through team-based care and emphasizes training oriented toward the behavioral health needs of children, adolescents, and transitional-aged youth.

Provides funds to implement evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery activities in rural communities to address psychostimulant use disorders and the misuse of psychostimulants, including methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy, and prescription stimulants. Expands access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services for rural residents diagnosed with or at risk of psychostimulant use disorder, their families, and others in the community.

Provides funding for local, regional, or state-level organizations to develop advanced nursing education programs to train eligible nurses as sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs). Coordinates all aspects of the education process, from recruitment, didactic and clinical training, and monitoring experiential learning hours up to certification completion and the retention of SANEs in the workforce. Seeks to increase the number of practicing SANEs, especially among rural and underserved populations, with the goals of better physical and mental healthcare for survivors, better evidence collection, and higher prosecution rates.

Offers funding to increase the number of internships, field placements, and other experiential training opportunities for individuals working to become behavioral health professionals. Works with community-based health partners to meet workforce demand in high need and high demand areas with the goal of expanding access to quality behavioral health services, including services for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs). Supports interdisciplinary collaboration through team-based care and emphasizes training oriented toward the behavioral health needs of children, adolescents, and transitional-aged youth.

Provides funding for the creation of employment and training programs in high demand rural healthcare occupations, including behavioral and mental healthcare. Seeks to address rural health workforce shortages by increasing the number of individuals training in occupations that directly impact the care of rural populations. Assists unemployed, underemployed, and incumbent workers to transition into sustainable health careers that qualify as middle or high-skilled occupations under the H-1B visa program. Focuses on training for veterans, military spouses, transitioning service members, women, people of color, ex-offenders, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented rural populations.

Provides funds to develop a set of clinical guidelines and protocols for the medical management of substance withdrawal in jails. Guides jail administrators, correctional officers, and jail-based clinicians in enacting policies and procedures to safely address issues related to substance withdrawal among the adult detainee population. Focuses on challenges such as rapid withdrawal from opioids, benzodiazepines, methamphetamines, and other substances; risk screening for opioid withdrawal-related suicide; medication maintenance for entering detainees; transitioning to buprenorphine treatment or detoxification; standards for dosage and administration of agonist medication, and other aspects of jail-based withdrawal management. Creates withdrawal guidelines and protocols informed by the best evidence-based clinical practices that are also responsive to the unique needs and challenges of providing care in a jail-based setting.

Expands and enhances existing 12-month nurse practitioner (NP) residency programs with the goal of increasing the number of new, qualified primary care or behavioral health NPs prepared to work in integrated, community-based settings, especially in rural or underserved areas.

Offers funding to states, territories, local governments, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments to increase public safety by supporting cross-system collaboration to improve responses and outcomes for youth with mental illness (MI) or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse (CMISA) who come into contact with the juvenile justice system.

Expands and enhances training programs for paraprofessionals in behavioral health fields in order to improve services for children whose parents are impacted by opioid use disorder (OUD) or substance use disorder (SUD). Increases the number of paraprofessionals and peer support specialists working as members of integrated, interprofessional teams in high-demand areas to reduce the risk of mental health disorders and SUD among children, adolescents, transitional aged youth and their families.

Provides funding to expand clinical training at accredited addiction medicine fellowship (AMF) and addiction psychiatry fellowship (APF) programs. Seeks to increase the number of physicians and psychiatrists working in underserved, community-based settings that integrate primary care with mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) prevention and treatment services. Seeks to improve access to addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services at various points of care and across healthcare sectors.

Supports the planning, development, operation, and participation in accredited postdoctoral training programs for general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, and dental public health. Seeks to improve health outcomes by providing low-income, underserved, uninsured, underrepresented minority, rural, and other disadvantaged populations with increased access to oral health services.

Aims to increase the number of primary care physicians capable and willing to provide care to rural and/or underserved communities by funding accredited residency training program improvements in family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, or combined internal medicine and pediatrics. Works to reduce healthcare expenses, improve care quality, and increase access to healthcare by preparing and encouraging residency graduates to serve in rural and/or underserved areas.

Enhances school climate, creating safer, healthier, more engaging and supportive environments for students. Supports the development and implementation of programs using evidence-based multi-tiered frameworks to improve learning conditions and behavioral outcomes and provides training and technical assistance to schools. Prioritizes local educational agencies (LEAs) in rural and tribal areas and gives competitive preference to projects that address the prevention and the impacts of opioid abuse.

Provides funding to strengthen experiential training for behavioral health paraprofessional students focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery services for substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD). Emphasizes training that addresses the specific challenges of children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth at risk for behavioral health disorders. Seeks to expand access to quality SUD/OUD treatment and services in high need, high demand areas by increasing the number of qualified behavioral health paraprofessionals working in community-based settings.

Funds to expand community-based training for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD), especially among affected rural youth, for students pursuing advanced degrees in behavioral health.

Funds health centers' efforts to address local behavioral health needs, specifically those related to mental health, substance use disorder (SUD), and opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural and other medically underserved communities. Aims to increase behavioral health and primary care services offered in communities with high need and high demand by expanding the trained professional and paraprofessional workforce to establish interprofessional healthcare teams in federally funded healthcare facilities.

Ensures adolescents aged 12-18 and youth aged 16-25 with substance use disorders (SUD) and/or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders (COD) state-wide access to evidence-based assessments, treatment models, and recovery services. Brings together stakeholders across systems to enhance and expand services, develop policies, expand workforce, disseminate evidence-based practices, and implement financial mechanisms and other reforms to improve the coordination and efficiency of SUD treatment and recovery support systems for adolescent and youth populations in the state.