New healthcare workforce grants awarded

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Thursday announced the recipients of $159.1 million in grants to support healthcare workforce training.

The funds support programs to train nurses and geriatric specialists and to improve recruitment of minority students into the medical profession.

"We cannot build a healthier America if our country continues to face a growing health professions shortage," Sebelius said in announcing the grants. "A well-trained, educated and diverse workforce is critical to meeting future healthcare demands and to reforming the nation’s healthcare system."

The grants include: 

• $106 million for nursing education (including $42 million to train nurses as primary-care providers and/or nursing faculty);

• $29.5 million to fund three geriatric education and training programs; and

• $23.6 million to support Centers of Excellence programs designed to improve the recruitment and performance of underrepresented minority students preparing for careers in healthcare.