The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration, announced awards totaling $107.2 million to 310 recipients to increase the health care workforce in rural and underserved communities. The funding was distributed across 45 states and U.S. territories to improve the quality, distribution and diversity of health professionals. Programs to fund training for nursing faculty and nurse anesthetists are among those included. "We've seen stark disparities in health and health care access contribute to the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “These grants provide support for the training of health care workers in rural and underserved communities." (HHS news release, 6/18/20)
