Public Health Informatics and Technology Workforce Development Program

Sherilyn Pruitt and Maggie Wanis
PHITWorkforce@hhs.gov

Carmel Halloun
ONCGrants@hhs.gov

The Public Health Informatics and Technology (PHIT) Workforce Development Program will provide funding to increase the number of public health professionals trained in informatics and technology with an emphasis on improving public health reporting through modern standards and computing. Through an interdisciplinary approach to data science and managing public health information, the program is designed to build capacity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, other minority serving institutions, and other colleges and universities to educate and diversify the future public health workforce.

Program components should include:

• Develop a consortium that includes representatives from organizations such as:
  • Public health departments
  • Community health centers
  • Rural Health Clinics
  • Other community-based organizations
  • Behavioral health providers
  • Other local nonprofit and clinical providers
• Curriculum development with subject areas including:
  • Health equity
  • Data science, including privacy and security
  • Data aspects of outbreak investigation
  • Epidemiology
  • Public health analytics
  • Lab based and remote diagnostics
  • Public health reporting
  • Public health emergency preparedness and response
• Recruitment and training including undergraduate, graduate, major, minor, and/or certificate programs
• Paid internships and placement
• Sustainability planning
• Participation in a community of practice

Only consortium-based approaches will be considered for this program, and applications must include letters of intent from proposed consortium members.

Lead applicants should be institutions listed below that have an existing computer science, information science, biomedical technology, public health, health informatics, or similar program.

• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
• Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs)
• Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs)
• Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)
• Other Minority serving institutions (MSIs)
• Non- HBCU, TCU, HSI, AANAPISI, or other MSIs may also apply but must include at least one of these types of institutions as a consortium member.

Award ceiling: $10,000,000
Project period: 4 years
Estimated number of awards: 30
Estimated total program funding: $75,000,000

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.

While not required, potential applicants are encouraged to email a notice of intent to PHITWorkforce@hhs.gov by July 26, 2021.

Applicant webinar recording