Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) Funding and Resources

Offers funding to increase the number of internships, field placements, and other experiential training opportunities for individuals working to become behavioral health professionals. Works with community-based health partners to meet workforce demand in high need and high demand areas with the goal of expanding access to quality behavioral health services, including services for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs). Supports interprofessional team-based care, integration of behavioral with primary care, and recruitment of diverse workforce. Special emphasis is placed on training focused on the behavioral health needs of children, adolescents, and young adults.

Provides funding to expand the number of didactic and experiential training opportunities for individuals working to become health service psychologists. Works with community-based health partners to meet workforce demand in primary care settings in high need and high demand areas with the goal of expanding access to behavioral health services. Supports integrated, interprofessional training with significant emphasis placed on trauma-informed care and substance use disorder (SUD) prevention and treatment services.

Supports the planning, development, operation, and participation in accredited postdoctoral training programs for general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, and dental public health. Seeks to improve health outcomes by providing low-income, underserved, underrepresented minority, rural, and other disadvantaged populations with increased access to oral health services.

Provides funding for loan repayment for students in their last year of pursuing a degree in allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, physician assistant studies, nursing, or dentistry in exchange for 3-year full-time service commitments providing primary care services in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) upon the completion of their residency.

Funds to support new and existing medical and dental residency training programs in community-based, ambulatory patient care settings. Helps address health professional shortages by supporting efforts to encourage and prepare residents to offer high-quality healthcare to rural and underserved communities.

Provides funding for loan repayment for pediatric medical subspecialty care, pediatric surgical specialty care, and child and adolescent behavioral healthcare providers in exchange for 3-year service obligations at approved sites in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs), and Medically Underserved Population (MUPs). Aims to increase pediatric workforce in underserved areas and expand access to care, including child and adolescent mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) prevention and treatment services.

Assists with the recruitment and retention of pediatric medical subspecialty care, pediatric surgical specialty care, and behavioral healthcare professionals serving Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUAs/Ps). New and current clinical staff working in eligible disciplines at an approved facility are eligible to receive loan repayment assistance through the Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program. Helps communities meet pediatric workforce needs and increases access to child and adolescent behavioral healthcare, including mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) prevention and treatment services.

Provides funding for loan repayment for substance use disorder (SUD) professionals in exchange for 6-year service obligations at STAR LRP-approved facilities located in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) or in counties with high rates of drug overdose deaths. Helps recruit and retain qualified clinicians and paraprofessionals to provide direct SUD treatment or recovery support services in underserved areas and rural communities significantly impacted by substance use.

Assists communities with the recruitment and retention of qualified substance use disorder (SUD) professionals who provide direct treatment or recovery support at facilities located in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) or in counties with a drug overdose death rate that is higher than the national average. New and current clinical staff working in eligible disciplines at a STAR LRP-approved facility are eligible to receive loan repayment assistance through the STAR Loan Repayment Program, which is open to a wider range of SUD clinicians and paraprofessionals compared to other HRSA loan repayment programs.

Helps underserved communities recruit and retain primary care clinicians at approved practice sites that provide quality, culturally appropriate primary healthcare services in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Supports sites that provide comprehensive primary care and primary care behavioral health services in rural and underserved communities. Clinicians working at an approved site in an eligible National Health Service Corps (NHSC) discipline may be eligible for a NHSC loan repayment or scholarship program.

Provides funding for loan repayment for primary care, oral health, behavioral/mental health, and maternal health providers in exchange for 2-year service obligations at National Health Service Corps (NHSC)-approved sites in a Primary Care, Dental, and Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in rural, urban, and underserved areas.

Provides funding for loan repayment for primary care and behavioral/mental health professionals in exchange for 3-year service obligations at National Health Service Corps (NHSC)-approved sites in Primary Care and Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in rural communities. Seeks to increase the number of primary care and behavioral/mental health professionals providing opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and services to patients in rural areas.

Provides funding for loan repayment for substance use disorder (SUD) primary care and behavioral/mental health professionals in exchange for 3-year service obligations at National Health Service Corps (NHSC)-approved sites in Mental Health and/or Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in rural and underserved areas.

Supports new and existing training programs for paraprofessionals in behavioral health fields in order to improve services for families whose parents are impacted by opioid use disorder (OUD) or other substance use disorders (SUD). Seeks to increase the number of paraprofessionals in behavioral health working in high-need and high-demand areas to reduce the risk of mental health disorders and SUD among children.

Addresses health professional shortages by offering scholarships to eligible nursing students in exchange for full-time service obligations at critical shortage facilities (CSFs) located in Primary Care or Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).

Addresses primary care provider shortages by offering scholarships for students pursuing primary care health professions in exchange for full-time service obligations at National Health Service Corps (NHSC)-approved sites in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).

Provides funding for local, regional, or state-level organizations to develop advanced nursing education programs to train eligible nurses as sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs). Coordinates all aspects of the education process, from recruitment, didactic and clinical training, and monitoring experiential learning hours up to certification completion and the retention of SANEs in the workforce. Seeks to increase the number of practicing SANEs, especially among rural and underserved populations, with the goals of better physical and mental healthcare for survivors, including trauma-informed care, and better evidence collection.

Awards funding to establish clinical rotations for physician assistant (PA) students in rural areas. Supports the development of rotations of at least 3 months that integrate primary care and behavioral health services, with the goal of increasing the number of PAs who choose to practice in rural areas after graduation and are trained to prevent, identify, diagnose, treat, and refer services for behavioral health conditions, including the provision of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Offers financial assistance to trainees during rotations in a rural primary care setting.

Provides funding for loan repayment for registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and nurse faculty in exchange for full-time service obligations at critical shortage facilities (CSFs) located in Mental Health or Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) or at a school of nursing. Addresses nursing shortages to meet the healthcare needs of underserved communities, including mental health, substance use disorder (SUD), and other behavioral health services.

Provides funding to develop internships, field placements, and other experiential training opportunities for individuals training in behavioral health professions focused on serving children and youth ages 16-25 in rural and underserved communities. Aims to expand access to behavioral healthcare for rural and underserved children and youth with mental health and substance use disorders (SUD) by increasing the supply and distribution of behavioral health providers. Assists in recruiting and training behavioral health professionals by increasing the number of clinical supervisors, providing stipend support for trainees, and connecting graduates to employment opportunities.

Provides funding to eligible entities to establish, expand and/or enhance existing community-based nurse practitioner (NP) residency and fellowship training programs to increase the number of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) prepared to provide primary care in community-based settings for rural, urban, and tribal underserved populations. Supports efforts to integrate behavioral and maternal health into primary care through the training of qualified NPs in these fields.

Funding to support the training and graduation of advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) students and trainees in the areas of primary care, mental health, substance use, and maternal healthcare, with preference given to programs that train students to practice in underserved and rural communities.

Funding to plan, develop, and operate a 12 month full-time, or 24 month half-time, training program for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, health service psychologists, counselors, nurses, and/or social workers focused on training practitioners to provide mental health and substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD), services. Seeks to expand the workforce trained to provide care for individuals in need of mental health and SUD/OUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services in an integrated primary care underserved community-based setting.

Offers funding, based on a formula, to eligible institutions that then distribute funds to full-time nurse anesthetist trainees to help cover required education costs and living expenses. Seeks to increase the number of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) practicing in rural, urban, and tribal underserved areas.

Offers funding for predoctoral training programs in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry for dental, dental hygiene, and public health dentistry students. Aims to enhance trainees' ability to provide oral healthcare for populations and individuals with medically complex health conditions, special healthcare, and behavioral healthcare needs in vulnerable, underserved, or rural communities. Focuses on training that integrates oral health within primary care and promotes patient-centered approaches that address the impact of social determinants of health on oral health outcomes.

Funds for states to develop and implement programs to address the oral health workforce needs in Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), including those in rural communities. Supports new ideas, methods, and/or approaches to increase access to oral health services. Allows states to design programs to address opioid use disorder (OUD) by improving pain management practices, treatments, and recovery support services. Helps states become better prepared for future public health emergencies by evaluating and responding to the impact of COVID-19 on oral health workforce.

Provides funding to increase the number of internships, field placements, and other experiential training opportunities for individuals working to become peer support specialists and other behavioral health paraprofessionals. Promotes collaboration with community-based health partners to meet workforce demand in high need and high demand areas and expand access to quality behavioral health services, including services for the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD). Promotes interdisciplinary collaboration through team-based care and emphasizes training oriented toward the behavioral health needs of children, adolescents, and transitional-aged youth.

Expands and enhances existing 12-month nurse practitioner (NP) residency programs with the goal of increasing the number of new, qualified primary care or behavioral health NPs prepared to work in integrated, community-based settings, especially in rural or underserved areas.

Provides funding to expand clinical training at accredited addiction medicine fellowship (AMF) and addiction psychiatry fellowship (APF) programs. Seeks to increase the number of physicians and psychiatrists working in underserved, community-based settings that integrate primary care with mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) prevention and treatment services. Seeks to improve access to addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services at various points of care and across healthcare sectors.

Aims to increase the number of primary care physicians capable and willing to provide care to rural and/or underserved communities by funding accredited residency training program improvements in family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, or combined internal medicine and pediatrics. Works to reduce healthcare expenses, improve care quality, and increase access to healthcare by preparing and encouraging residency graduates to serve in rural and/or underserved areas.

Provides funding to strengthen experiential training for behavioral health paraprofessional students focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery services for substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD). Emphasizes training that addresses the specific challenges of children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth at risk for behavioral health disorders. Seeks to expand access to quality SUD/OUD treatment and services in high need, high demand areas by increasing the number of qualified behavioral health paraprofessionals working in community-based settings.

Funds to expand community-based training for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD), especially among affected rural youth, for students pursuing advanced degrees in behavioral health.

Provides information, resources, and eligibility criteria to obtain free training to provide medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for eligible clinicians working to address the opioid epidemic. Providers who complete the MOUD training may receive priority consideration when applying to the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program or NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program.

Provides information on multiple grants and programs to support the development and education of the health workforce to meet the needs of rural, underserved, and other vulnerable populations. Covers funding opportunities for workforce, including scholarship and loan repayment programs, in the areas of behavioral health, primary care, nursing, oral health, geriatrics, and public health.