government
HHS awards public health work force grants
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 10, 2012
The Obama administration on Aug. 29 announced a series of grant awards to bolster the U.S. public health work force and help fight illness and disease.
As part of this effort, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will provide $25 million in support money for fellowship programs, assisting workers in finding positions in state and local public health departments, and expanding training programs for current public health employees. Some of the CDC funds will go to 227 new fellows in field and contract positions that are assisting with ongoing public health issues as well as providing community education and screening services, according to a press release from the Dept. of Health and Human Services.
In addition, nearly 40 public health training centers are going to receive $23 million in grant awards from the Health Resources and Services Administration to train public health employees on issues such as nutrition and epidemiology, the release stated.
“Public health workers are on the front lines, educating their community members and doing the hard work to ensure we stay healthy and can respond to public health challenges when they arise,” Mary Wakefield, PhD, HRSA’s administrator, said in a statement. “These resources will help ensure they have the resources they need to do the job.”
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/09/10/gvbf0910.htm.
