Information on how Community and Faith-Based Leaders Can Help to Foster Careers in Health Care

Information on how Community and Faith-Based Leaders
Can Help to Foster Careers in Health Care

Thank you for participating in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services conference call on fostering careers in health care. The call was sponsored by HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) and the HHS Partnership Center. We wanted to share some follow-up information concerning ways your community, congregation, or faith-based organization can connect to resources in your local community.

1. Tell members in your community or congregation about opportunities in health careers and job training programs:


These opportunities will help to increase the diversity of the health care workforce, to ensure that there are health care workers in underserved areas, and to prepare the health care workforce to meet the needs of the aging population. The Affordable Care Act is supporting the training of primary care physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants through grants to medical schools, hospitals, nursing schools and other entities.

For more information, go to http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/grants/affordablecareact.htm

HRSA also supports both scholarship and loan programs for disadvantaged students participating in certain health professions training programs. Participating schools make scholarships and select loan recipients through these need-based, competitive programs.
For more information, go to http://www.hrsa.gov/loanscholarships/index.html

2. Tell members in your community or congregation about the new scholarship opportunities for primary care training:

· The National Health Service Corps gives scholarships for primary care training. This money covers tuition, fees, living, and other costs related to training for jobs such as doctor, nurse, mental health provider, and dentists. In exchange, people serve in the Corps for two to four years. Find out more at: http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/scholarship/

· The Indian Health Service Scholarship Program gives American Indian/Alaska Native students money for:

- Classes to improve the basic skills needed to get trained as a primary care provider
- Classes leading to a college degree needed to become a primary care provider
- Primary care provider training classes.

For more information on the scholarship program or where to apply, go to http://www.scholarship.ihs.gov/learn_more.cfm

3. Tell the primary care and mental health providers in your community or congregation how they can get their student loans repaid:

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) offers up to $170,000 tax-free to repay student loans. In return, people serve in the Corps either full-time or half-time at a NHSC-approved site.

Federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, and other sites that care for low-income and uninsured people can become NHSC-approved sites where dentists, dental hygienists, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, physician assistants, and mental health professionals who are eligible for loan repayment funding or have received scholarships can fulfill their service obligation.

For more information about NHSC Loan Repayment Program go to http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/


4. Let your community or congregation or health ministry know if there is a community health center in your area:

Federally-funded community health centers provide primary care for individuals and their families, even if they have no health insurance. You pay what you can afford, based on your income. If you cannot afford to pay, you will not be turned away.

For more information about becoming a NHSC site, go to http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/communities/


5. Let your community or congregation or health ministry know if there is a community health center in your area:

Federally-funded community health centers provide primary care for individuals and their families, even if they have no health insurance. You pay what you can afford, based on your income. If you cannot afford to pay, you will not be turned away.

http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx