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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Financial aid for health career education

Caring for America: Legislation to Support Patients, Caregivers, and Providers
Recording of a U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing on legislation related to funding for behavioral and mental health services for the healthcare workforce; a loan repayment program for local, state, and tribal public health professionals; increasing diversity in allied health professions; improving health outcomes in underserved communities through the use of community health workers; and more. Includes testimony from the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Augusta University, Ballad Health, and others.
Additional links: Alan Levine, Ballad Health - Testimony, Brooks A. Keel, Augusta University - Testimony, Lisa Macon Harrison, National Association of County and City Health Officials - Testimony
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health
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Oklahoma National Health Service Corps Providers (NHSC) All Disciplines
Map of Oklahoma showing the locations of all National Health Service Corps (NHSC) dental health, mental health, and primary care providers in the state.
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma Office of Primary Care and Rural Health Development
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2021 Maryland Primary Care Needs Assessment
Identifies areas of focus for primary, dental, and mental healthcare and services in Maryland. Includes sections on Health Professional Shortage Areas, Medically Underserved Areas and Populations, Federally Qualified Health Centers, the J-1 Visa Waiver program, and the State Loan Repayment Program.
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Maryland Department of Health
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Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program: Too Early to Determine Effects of Allowing Recipients to Serve at For-Profit Facilities
Provides an overview of the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program as well as how the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) manages the program. Examines the effects of eliminating the restrictions on program participants working at for-profit facilities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2): Public Health, Medical Supply Chain, Health Services, and Related Provisions
Provides an overview of the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that relate to public health; behavioral health; medical supply chain; and health-related workforce, services, and support. Includes information related to funding for the National Health Service Corps and Nurse Corps, funding for graduate medical education, and emergency rural development grants for rural healthcare providers.
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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National Health Service Corps: Program Directs Funding to Areas with Greatest Provider Shortages
Provides an overview of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) programs. Examines data for fiscal year 2020 on the number of NHSC providers and where they served, the number and characteristics of applicants that did not receive funding, the number of NHSC sites with vacancies, and information about the effectiveness of NHSC programs at alleviating provider shortages.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Health Workforce Strategies for California: A Review of the Evidence
Examines literature and evidence on healthcare workforce strategies, discussing workforce issues in urban and rural areas in California. Describes the impacts of pipeline, scholarship, loan repayment, professional training, and residency programs, including rural-specific considerations.
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Alexandra Ament, Janet Genevro, Kara Contreary
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organizations: California Health Care Foundation, Mathematica
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Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act & Related Legislation and Administrative Action Impacting Rural Health
Provides an overview of legislation passed by Congress regarding COVID-19. Identifies provisions relevant to rural healthcare providers, including the Paycheck Protection Program, funding for public health and rural workforce programs, telehealth flexibilities, and more.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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2021 Idaho Primary Care Needs Assessment
Identifies Idaho communities with the greatest unmet healthcare needs, disparities, and healthcare workforce shortages, and discusses key barriers to accessing preventive and primary care services. Includes sections on Health Professional Shortage Areas, Medically Underserved Areas and Populations, the Idaho State Loan Repayment Program, the Rural Physician Incentive Program, primary care educational opportunities, and advanced medical training programs in Idaho. Features maps showing urban, rural, and frontier areas, locations of Rural Health Clinics, and locations of Critical Access Hospitals.
Author(s): Alex Prado
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Idaho Bureau of Rural Health and Primary Care
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Student Loan Programs Authorized by the Public Health Service Act: An Overview
Provides an overview of student loan programs for health profession students authorized by the Public Health Service Act and administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Describes borrower eligibility requirements, loan terms and conditions, and administrative rules. Includes a table comparing the programs by borrower type, repayment terms, the number of participating schools, and the number and financial amount of outstanding loans.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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