Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network Technical Assistance Program

Background
This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network Technical Assistance Program (RPHWTN-TAP). The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to support a single organization that will provide technical assistance (TA) to rural health care networks in order to strengthen their ability to expand public health capacity by supporting health care job development, training and placement in rural and tribal communities. The goals of RPHWTN-TAP are to provide technical assistance to Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network (RPHWTN) program award recipients and other rural stakeholders seeking guidance on how to expand clinical and operational workforce capacity in four specific workforce training tracks within their rural health care networks. It also aims to identify and/or develop, promote, and maintain tools and resources that can be widely adopted to support rural health care networks’ ability to expand public health capacity by supporting health care job development, training and placement in rural and tribal communities. Additionally, it seeks to facilitate relationships between rural health care networks and relevant stakeholders at the local, state, regional, and national level to promote the exchange of information and promising practices that increase training and certification programs in specified workforce training tracks. Moreover, it aims to identify and strengthen rural health care networks' capacity to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to emerging clinical and operational workforce challenges related to COVID-19 and long COVID. Lastly, it provides technical assistance that supports rural health care networks in their efforts to connect academia with health care service delivery to address growing rural health workforce disparities.

Grant Details
The RPHWTN-TAP is authorized by Section 711(b)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 912(b)(5)) and Section 2501 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2). The technical assistance provided via this funding will support recipients of the Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network Program. The Act provides additional relief to address the continued impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the economy; public health; state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) governments; individuals; and businesses. To support the COVID-19 response, the Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network (RPHWTN) Program was developed to train a range of health care workers to fill in-demand professions affected by the pandemic. The RPHWTN program addresses the ongoing critical need in health care facilities for trained public health professionals serving rural communities. This is done through the establishment of networks to develop formal training/certification programs in order to help professionals in specific workforce training tracks: Track #1 - Community Health Support; Track #2 - Health IT and/or Telehealth Technical Support; Track #3 - Community Para-Medicine; Track #4 - Case Management Staff and/or Respiratory Therapists.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include domestic public or private, non-profit entities as well as for-profit entities. Domestic faith-based and community-based organizations, tribes, tribal organizations are also eligible. Organizations from U.S. states as well as from District of Columbia, Guam, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, Federated State of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau may apply.

Period of Performance
The period of performance is September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2025 (3 years).

Grant Value
HRSA estimates approximately $500,000 annually for one recipient with a ceiling amount of up to $500,000 total cost per year for 3 years.

Place of Performance
All technical assistance activities must exclusively benefit organizations serving communities in HRSA designated rural counties or rural census tracts in urban counties.