Health Education and Training Centers

Health Education and Training Center grants improve the health status and life expectancy of low-income and racial and ethnic minority populations in severely underserved areas. HETCs employ educational incentives to attract and retain health care personnel and emphasize wellness in public health education. Training focuses on health education, health career education; continuing education for health professionals, and use of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, public health personnel and other care givers relevant to primary care in areas of exceptional need.

Health Education and Training Center projects

• address the persistent and severe unmet health care needs in states along the border between the United States and Mexico and the state of Florida, and in other urban and rural areas with populations with serious unmet health care needs

• Establish an advisory board comprising health service providers, educators and consumers from the service area

• Conduct training and education programs for health professions students in these areas

• Conduct training in health education services, including training to prepare community health workers

• Support, through education and other services, health professionals (including nurses) practicing in the area

Eligibility
Public or nonprofit private accredited schools of allopathic or osteopathic medicine, parent institutions of such schools and consortia of such schools are eligible to apply. Accredited schools of nursing are eligible in states with no area health education center program.

Funding History
FY 2003: $4 million awarded to 13 projects (five in border states)
FY 2002: $4.2 million awarded to 13 projects (12 were state-supported, five in border states)
FY 2001: $4.2 million awarded to nine projects
FY 1999: $3.5 million awarded to nine projects (five in border states)
FY 1990 -1998: $30.5 million awarded

Applicants may request support for as many as three years.

Half of appropriated funds each fiscal year must be made available for approved applications for border HETCs. The award to each is determined by formula, based on the low-income population, including Hispanic individuals, and its rate of growth in Florida and states on the U.S.-Mexico border; need for health care service providers; and mortality, morbidity and other health status indicators.