Friday, November 22, 2024
11/22/2024
PROJECT ABSTRACT Project Title: Connecticut State Loan Repayment Program Project Director: Marc Camardo, MPH Applicant: Connecticut Department of Public Health 410 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06134 Contact: (860)509-7182 Marc.Camardo@ct.gov http://www.ct.gov/dph The purpose of the Connecticut State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) is to promote the primary care workforce and the recruitment and retention of health professionals in federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) through the allocation of student loan forgiveness. To this end, the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is submitting this application to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to achieve the following short and long-term goals: 1) develop and establish a State Loan Repayment Program in Connecticut; 2) recruit and retain providers to sustain a growing primary health care workforce working in a HPSA within Connecticut; and 3) encourage state level partnership/cooperation with other stakeholders to address/meet state’s health care workforce needs. The long-term goals of Connecticut’s SLRP include increasing access to primary care services, decreasing health care disparities, and improving overall health care outcomes in HPSA communities/populations. With a population of just over 3.5 million people, Connecticut is one of the wealthiest states in the country. Despite its wealth, there are great social and economic disparities, with 10% of the population living in poverty and the state ranking third among all states for income inequality. Furthermore, in the largest cities in Connecticut, Bridgeport, Hartford, and New Haven, more than 20% of households live in poverty and have median household incomes that are close to half that of the statewide Median income. Income disparities exist by race and ethnicity and geography, including in rural areas and especially for Hispanic and Black people . The CT Primary Care Needs Assessment iden tified an increased demand for primary care due to the aging population and the increased number of insured individuals because of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion. This finding is consistent with trend analysis and data from HRSA, which projects a shortage of primary care providers in Connecticut as demand for care increases. HRSA data also suggests that the existing health care workforce only meets 45% of the demand and that this trend is likely to continue until 2030. Additional data cited from the Robert Graham Center indicated that by 2023 Connecticut will need 15% more physicians to meet the demand. To relieve some of the burden this shortage has placed on our communities, DPH is proposing this SLRP to incentivize providers who are beginning their careers in health care to either stay in Connecticut after their training or to move to Connecticut from other states and to work in high need areas. Providers enrolled in the program will receive payments directed to their student loans in exchange for practicing primary care in a HPSA for a minimum of two years. As a result, this program helps meeting the health care needs in HPSA’s and reinforces the state’s safety network service delivery. While no one policy or program will solve the provider shortage, the Department is committed to creating a sustainable SLRP to begin the process of rebuilding our workforce. 1. CT Primary Care Needs Assessment 2. CT Primary Care Needs Assessment
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
