SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Today the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) announced the approval of more than $2.6 million in grants for 17 registered nurse training programs to help expand health care access to Californians most in need.
The California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission, which recommends funding awards to HCAI’s Director for multiple medical disciplines under the Song-Brown Healthcare Workforce Training Act, presented awards totaling $2,688,000 to support 122 training slots at institutions throughout the state. The Song-Brown Act funds institutions that train medical professionals to provide care in medically underserved areas of the state.
See the entire list of awardees on the HCAI website.
“During one of the most challenging times for healthcare, the California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission remains committed to growing health care across California – especially for our underserved and vulnerable populations,” said Dr. Jasmeet K. Bains, chair of the California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission. “With every surge we saw the great need for additional nursing staff to support our efforts and response to COVID-19. Our efforts as a Commission are small compared to the sacrifice and dedication shown daily by our frontline healthcare heroes. They inspire us to continue to prioritize funding to support our underserved populations.”
Institutions qualify for the grant awards based on their ability to attract and admit underrepresented racial and ethnic populations into their programs, as well as those from geographically underserved communities. Residency programs must train students in underserved areas and place their graduates in those regions.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on the health care needs of low-income communities and people of color.” said HCAI Director Elizabeth Landsberg. “By providing these funds to registered nurse training programs, we help build a more diverse and equitable workforce that can provide care to our most underserved populations.”
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HCAI is the leader in collecting data and disseminating information about California’s healthcare infrastructure. HCAI promotes an equitably distributed healthcare workforce and monitors the construction, renovation and seismic safety of hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. HCAI also provides loan insurance to assist in the capital needs of California’s nonprofit healthcare facilities. Learn more about HCAI at www.hcai.ca.gov, and follow us on social media at Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.
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