HHS Announces Funding for Public Health IT Workforce

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) this week awarded $73 million in cooperative agreements as part of its Public Health Informatics & Technology Workforce Development Program (PHIT Workforce Program). The program, announced earlier this year and funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), aims to strengthen U.S. public health information technology efforts, improve COVID-19 data collection, and increase representation of underrepresented communities within the public health IT workforce.

The 10 awardees will form multiple consortia to collectively train more than 4,000 individuals over a four-year period through an interdisciplinary approach in public health informatics and technology. The consortia will develop curricula, recruit and train participants, secure paid internship opportunities, and assist in career placement at public health agencies, public health-focused non-profit organizations, or other public health-focused organizations. Awardees from California include the California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and the University of California, Irvine (UCI).

Additional information on the program is available here.