§296j–1 Demonstration Grants for Family Nurse Practitioner Training Programs

Summary

The Secretary of Health and Human Services must create a program that hires and gives one-year paid training to new family nurse practitioners so they can work as primary care providers in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and nurse-managed health clinics (NMHCs). The program must teach clinical primary care skills, follow Institute of Medicine principles and the needs of vulnerable people, and produce a training model that can be copied nationwide. The Secretary will award three-year grants to FQHCs or NMHCs that apply. Priority goes to sites that can train at least 3 nurse practitioners a year, provide each trainee 12 full months of full-time paid work and benefits, assign at least one staff nurse practitioner or physician to each of four supervised clinics, and offer specialty rotations (including prenatal/women’s health, adult and child psychiatry, orthopedics, geriatrics, plus at least three other busy, high-need areas). Trainees must be licensed or licensure-eligible advanced practice nurses and eligible or board-certified family nurse practitioners who plan to work in FQHCs or NMHCs; bilingual applicants are preferred. National Health Service Corps service starts 22 days after training ends. Grants are capped at $600,000 per year and funds may be carried over. The Secretary may also fund technical assistance to experienced clinics. Funding was authorized as needed for fiscal years 2011 through 2014.