HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced on September 11, 2013 that nearly $5.3 million in grants will help expand the rural health information technology workforce and expand the use of telehealth to improve mental health services for veterans in rural areas.
The grants funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) within HHS, are part of an ongoing collaboration between HHS and the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement a 21st century information infrastructure for rural health.
HHS announced that close to $4.4 million will go to rural organizations in 15 states to recruit and train current healthcare staff, local unemployed workers, rural veterans, and other potential students to meet the technology needs of rural hospitals and clinics.
Community colleges will work with local rural healthcare providers to develop rural-focused health IT training programs. Students selected for these programs will gain EHR technology certification, apprenticeship training, and the opportunity for employment in rural hospitals and clinics.
In addition, a total of $900,000 will be awarded to Maine, Montana, and Alaska to improve the quality of mental health and other critical healthcare services for veterans living in rural areas in those states. Each state will receive $300,000 to enhance crisis intervention services through telehealth technologies.
The telehealth services will enable health providers to coordinate care wirelessly and electronically across long distances to detect and treat PTSD, TBI, and other injuries for rural veterans.
The programs are designed to build on existing networks of care among healthcare entities such as critical access hospitals, home health agencies, community mental health clinics and other providers of mental health services.
For the list of awards, go to www.hrsa.go/about/news/pressreleases/130911ruralhealthit.html .