Advocacy
Title VII
CAFM “Ask”
CAFM asked Congress to fund Title VII Primary Care Training Grants at the level of $215 million for FY 2010. This level was recommended by the HRSA Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry.
Additionally, CAFM asked Congress to reauthorize the programs to better support a family medicine infrastructure and with a greater emphasis on evaluating program effectiveness.
The FY 2010 budget has passed. Early next year, CAFM will update Title VII Primary Care Training Grant asks for FY 2011.
Background
Title VII Health Professions Programs are authorized under Title VII of the Public Health Services Act. Family medicine grants, which are part of the Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry Cluster (Section 747), include grants for residency programs, predoctoral education, faculty development, and academic administrative units. Section 747 is the only program at the federal level that supports family medicine training programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Title VII has seen continuous decreases since its highest funding level of $92 million in Fiscal Year 2003. Because of this, CAFM is asking Congress to reauthorize the programs (reestablish the guidelines for Congress to appropriate funds for the programs).
Committees and Agencies of Jurisdiction
House Appropriations Committee (annual spending amounts)
Senate Appropriations Committee (annual spending amounts)
House Energy and Commerce Committee (authorization)
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (authorization)
Health Resources and Services Administration
Current Landscape
The FY 10 Conference Report was released and passed in December. For FY 10, funding for Title VII saw a 14% increase over FY 09, raising the total funding to $254 million. The Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry Cluster (Section 747) is funded at $54.43 million, a 12% increase over FY 09 levels.
We are still waiting to hear from HRSA to learn how they will be allocating the $200 million that was appropriated for primary care workforce development in the recovery bill. Our staff has been in constant contact with HRSA staff. Keep checking the CAFM Briefing Room. When HRSA knows, we will make sure you know.
