Health Professions

Health Professions Training for Diversity

Centers of Excellence

Authorizing Legislation - Section 736 of the Public Health Service Act.

FY 2008 Authorization...........................................................................................................Expired

Statement of the Budget Request - The FY 2008 Budget does not request funding for this program. This is $11,880,000 below the FY 2007 Continuing Resolution (CR).

Program Description - The Centers of Excellence (COE) Program provides support for designated health professions schools. Designated health professions schools, under Section 736 of the Public Health Service Act, include such schools that meet the required general conditions regarding: a) certain Historically Black Colleges and Universities, b) Hispanic individuals, c) Native American individuals, and d) enrollment of underrepresented minorities above the national average for such enrollments of health professions schools. The COE grants and contracts may also be used for other public and nonprofit health or educational entities to assist such designated schools for programs of excellence in health professions education.

Rationale for the Budget Request - The FY 2008 Budget does not request funding for the Centers of Excellence Program. This is $11,880,000 below the FY 2007 CR. Other sources of funding through partnership linkages with private and corporate entities are available to provide support for health professions training. The budget focuses on activities that fund the placement of more doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals in the regions and pockets of the country that face shortages. Analyses found that 8 of every 10 providers that benefitted from the Health Profession program's long-term training support did not practice in shortage areas. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded in 1994 that evaluations have not linked Health Professions programs with changes of supply, distribution, and minority representation of health professionals.

Funding levels for the COE Program during the last five years reflect this effort and are as follows:

Outputs:

Performance Analysis - Most of the Health Professions’ Title VII and Title VIII, PHS Act programs were reviewed as a unit during the FY 2004 budget cycle using the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART). This program was included in that assessment. These programs, in the aggregate, received a rating of Ineffective. New performance measures are being established for the Health Professions program overall.

Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students

Authorizing Legislation - Section 737 of the Public Health Service Act.

FY 2008 Authorization...........................................................................................................Expired

Statement of the Budget Request - The FY 2008 Budget of $9,733,000 is a decrease of $36,924,000 below the FY 2007 CR.

Program Description - The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) Program increases diversity in the health professions and nursing workforce by providing grants to eligible health professions and nursing schools for use in awarding scholarships to financially needy students from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom are underrepresented minorities (URMs). The health disciplines funded by the SDS Program include allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatry, pharmacy, chiropractic, behavioral and mental health, public health, nursing, allied health, and physician assistants.

The SDS Program assists eligible students who are pursuing a health professions or nursing education by eliminating or reducing financial barriers that might otherwise prevent these students from enrolling. For each SDS dollar received, the recipient is relieved of the repayment burden associated with loan funds.

The availability of these scholarship funds improves access to health care by reducing the level of debt the students must incur to obtain a health professions or nursing education, thereby facilitating the ability of these students to choose to practice in underserved areas, where salaries are generally lower than in other areas. In addition, as the U.S. population is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse, the training of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds (including URMs) is essential for meeting the needs of the general population for culturally sensitive and appropriate health care.

Since 1999, SDS funds have been made available only to schools that demonstrate a commitment to enrolling and graduating disadvantaged students. Among schools that meet the eligibility criteria, the distribution of funds is weighted more heavily toward those schools that demonstrate a commitment to training primary care practitioners, URMs, and individuals who practice in medically underserved communities. The school eligibility requirements and funding priorities are designed to direct SDS funds to schools that have a demonstrated commitment to training a health care workforce that will contribute to improved access to health care in our Nation.

Over 15,000 disadvantaged students received scholarship assistance in Academic Year 2005-2006. Of these, more than 8,300 were nursing students and more than 2,100 were pharmacy students.

Of the schools that received SDS awards in FY 2006, 47 percent had a demonstrated commitment to primary care, 67 percent had a demonstrated commitment to enrolling URMs, and 64 percent had a demonstrated commitment to graduating students who practice in medically underserved communities.

Rationale for the Budget Request - The FY 2008 Budget of $9,733,000 is a decrease of $36,924,000 below the FY 2007 CR. This level of funding will support 3,309 disadvantaged students. The program facilitates the training of health practitioners from disadvantaged backgrounds, including URMs, helping to increase diversity among health practitioners affecting improved access to health care.

Funding levels for the SDS Program during the last five years reflect this effort and are as follows:

Outputs:

Performance Analysis - Most of the Health Professions’ Title VII and Title VIII, PHS Act programs were reviewed as a unit during the FY 2004 budget cycle using the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART). This program was included in that assessment. These programs, in the aggregate, received a rating of Ineffective. New performance measures are being established for the Health Professions program overall.

Health Careers Opportunity Program

Authorizing Legislation - Section 739 of the Public Health Service Act.

FY 2008 Authorization...........................................................................................................Expired

Statement of the Budget Request - The FY 2008 Budget does not request funding for this program. This is $3,960,000 below the FY 2007 CR.

Program Description - The Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) provides grants to eligible accredited schools and public and private non-profit health educational entities. The goal of the HCOP Program is to increase the number of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds entering and graduating from health and allied health professions programs in order to increase diversity in the health professions workforce affecting improved access to health care. To accomplish this goal, HCOP focuses on intervening at the earliest level, and throughout the educational pipeline to develop a sufficient applicant pool of academically prepared and competitive students thus, enhancing their abilities to enter and graduate from health and allied health professions programs.

Rationale for the Budget Request - The FY 2008 Budget does not request funding for the Health Careers Opportunity Program. This is $3,960,000 below the FY 2007 CR. The budget focuses on activities that fund the placement of more doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals in the regions and pockets of the country that face shortages. Private foundations have put resources into increasing the number of disadvantaged and minority students that enter health professions and other science disciplines, thus eliminating the need for the Federal government to fund these activities.

Funding levels for the HCOP during the last five years reflect this effort and are as follows:

Outputs:

Performance Analysis - Most of the Health Professions’ Title VII and Title VIII, PHS Act programs were reviewed as a unit during the FY 2004 budget cycle using the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART). This program was included in that assessment. These programs, in the aggregate, received a rating of Ineffective. New performance measures are being established for the Health Professions program overall.