$100M will be targeted to schools, rural communities to boost U.S. healthcare workforce

Sept. 17 (UPI) -- The federal government on Tuesday released details on new plans to expand and strengthen the American healthcare workforce with a nearly $100 million investment for schools, and rural and tribal communities, as well as addiction and mental health efforts.

The Health Resources and Services Administration, an arm of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced that it will utilize $100 million in awards aimed at expanding the number of nurses and primary-care physicians throughout the United States.

The money will be used to strengthen the nation's healthcare workforce and improve access to quality care in high-need areas -- all the while increasing behavioral health support across the United States by growing a "community-based workforce."

"It is especially important that we address workforce shortages in underserved and rural communities, where access is often lacking," Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said Tuesday in a release on HRSA's announcement.

The Biden administration's announcement arrived at about the same time as the convening of an HHS Health Workforce Roundtable that is part of Becerra's so-called "Health Workforce Initiative."

The department's initiative was unveiled last year to look at the number of health workers in the country and determine if "those health workers are receiving the support they deserve," according to Becerra.

He said that continued federal investments in recruiting, training and support for the healthcare workforce has been a particular priority so that "high-quality care is accessible for all."

HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson said her agency's work "is helping to build the next generation of the health workforce and overcome barriers to care."

More than $19 million has been awarded to five schools and two community colleges in funding during the next five years to increase the number of nurses practicing in acute-care settings and long-term care facilities.

And in an effort to boost the number of primary-care physicians in the nation's vastly underserved rural and tribal communities, nearly $12M this year is targeted to three medical schools and, likewise, will be used to increase the number of primary-care physicians in the workforce in more higher-need areas.

The effort and the money to fund it is needed now more than ever.

An increasing number of U.S. adults experienced serious psychological distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and outpatient mental health care remains inaccessible to many of them, a study released this year indicated.

Meanwhile, addiction and substance-abuse challenges have mounted, too.

Recently, the White House announced a new final rule meant to require health plans to improve access to mental health and substance abuse care for an affordable price as part of Biden administration's ongoing efforts to improve mental health.

More than $63 million over the next fours years will go to 32 separate organizations that train and increase the number of peer-support specialists and other community-based providers or workers. HRSA says it also will provide mental health services and family support to children whose parents or guardians have been impacted by the ongoing U.S. opioid epidemic.

Mental-health costs for young people have jumped 31% in five years, according to a report in March.