Sec. 5306, Mental and Behavioral Health Education and Training Grants: The Secretary can award grants to institutions of higher education to support the recruitment and education of students in social work, clinical psychology, pediatric behavioral specialists, and other mental health paraprofessionals. Between 2010 and 2013 there was authorized to be appropriated $8,000,000 for social work training, $12,000,000 for graduate level psychology training, $10,000,000 for the training of child psychologists and mental health professionals, and an additional $5,000,000 for the training of child and adolescent paraprofessionals. It is required that at least 4 grant recipients be historically black colleges. Read more »

Section 5305 of the Affordable Care Act is entitled Geriatric Education and Training; Career Awards; Comprehensive Geriatric Education. This Section authorizes two grant programs that are intended to increase the supply of professionals in geriatric medicine and long term care (fields that care for the elderly). Read more »

Sec. 5303, Training in General, Pediatric, and Public Health Dentistry: The Secretary can award grants to, or enter into contracts with, dental schools and other entities to operate professional training programs in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry. These grants and programs are intended to increase the supply of practicing dentists, especially in rural and underserved areas, and increase the number of qualified faculty members serving at dental schools and in training programs. To achieve these goals, funds can be used to repay individuals’ student loans, cover the costs of doctoral training, and provide technical assistance in establishing various programs. Read more »

Sec. 5301, Training in Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, General Pediatrics, and Physician Assistantship: This Section of Obamacare allows the Secretary to make grants to, or enter contracts with, hospitals, medical schools, physician’s assistant training programs, or non profit organizations. Grant recipients must use funds to: plan, develop, operate, or participate in professional development programs (such has internships, residencies, and fellowships) for internal medicine, general pediatrics, or family medicine; provide need-based financial assistance to students; plan, develop, and operate training programs for physicians who will teach internal medicine, pediatrics, or family medicine; and provide fellowships to physicians who are willing to teach the previously mentioned professions.   Read more »

Sec. 5206, Grants for State and Local Programs: $60,000,000 in grants to educational institutions offering courses or training in public health or allied health were authorized to be appropriated in 2010 (and such sums as necessary in subsequent years) for a scholarship program. The program would award scholarships to “mid-career public health and allied health professionals” wishing to further their education and training. Read more »

Sec. 5201, Federally Supported Student Loan Funds: Medical students who receive student loans under an existing program established by the Public Health Service Act are required to practice in their field for 10 years, or until the student loan is completely repaid (whichever comes first). Should the student stop practicing before the loan is repaid, the loan’s annual interest rate will increase by 2%. Congress will not use interest collected for any purpose other than adding to this student loan program, and the Secretary will not require parental financial information from applicants for these student loans.  Read more »

Sec. 5103, Healthcare Workforce Assessment: Under this Section the Secretary will establish the National Center for Healthcare Workforce Analysis which will evaluate all healthcare workforce related programs, collect information on the healthcare workforce, develop performance measures and benchmarks, and establish and publicize a website registry that lists all of the recipients of grants under Title V of Obamacare. The “National Center” will share data with other Federal agencies, and can contract with outside entities to meet its obligations. The Secretary will also be able to provide grants at the State and local levels to organizations that will provide information and data to the National Center. $7,500,000 has been appropriated between 2010 and 2014 for the National Center, and $4,500,000 for the grants to State and local entities. Read more »

Under Section 5102, State Healthcare Workforce Development Grants, the Department of Health and Human Services was allowed to award competitive grants to State “partnerships” through the States’ workforce investment boards for use in planning and implementing healthcare workforce strategies at the State and local levels. These partnerships were required to consist of representatives from healthcare, labor, education, and philanthropy, and grants were made during 2010 (with the option to provide additional funding in the future). Two types of grants could be awarded to these partnerships; planning grants which could not exceed 1 year in length and $150,000 in value, and implementation grants which could not exceed two years in length (value limit not specified). Read more »

Although the National Healthcare Workforce Commission established by Section 5101 of Obamacare has yet to be funded, we will still provide a summary of the Commission’s responsibilities, and topics for their consideration, as prescribed by the Law, as the Commission may meet at some point in the future. Read more »

Section 5101 of Obamacare establishes a National Healthcare Workforce Commission that is intended to help resolve issues related to the shortage of certain types of healthcare workers in the United States. The Commission is a 15 member panel, appointed by the Comptroller General, whose purposes are stated by the Law as follows: serving as a resource for Congress and the President on healthcare workforce issues; communicating and coordinating with Federal Departments; developing and implementing medical training methods; ensuring that demand for healthcare workers is met; identifying barriers to improved coordination; and encouraging healthcare workforce innovations to respond to constantly changing needs. Read more »