View all text of Part D [§ 296p - § 296p-1]
§ 296p. Nurse education, practice, quality, and retention grants
(a) Education priority areasThe Secretary may award grants to or enter into contracts with eligible entities for—
(1) expanding the enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs; or
(2) providing education in new technologies, including distance learning methodologies.
(b) Practice priority areasThe Secretary may award grants to or enter into contracts with eligible entities for—
(1) establishing or expanding nursing practice arrangements in noninstitutional settings to demonstrate methods to improve access to primary health care in medically underserved communities;
(2) providing care for underserved populations and high risk groups, such as the elderly, individuals with HIV/AIDS, individuals with mental health or substance use disorders, individuals who are homeless, and survivors of domestic violence;
(3) providing coordinated care, and other skills needed to practice in existing and emerging organized health care systems; or
(4) developing cultural competencies among nurses.
(c) Retention priority areasThe Secretary may award grants to and enter into contracts with eligible entities to enhance the nursing workforce by initiating and maintaining nurse retention programs pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2).
(1) Grants for career ladder programsThe Secretary may award grants to and enter into contracts with eligible entities for programs—
(A) to promote career advancement for—
(i) nursing in a variety of training settings, cross training or specialty training among diverse population groups, and the advancement of individuals including to become professional registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, and nurses with graduate nursing education; and
(ii) individuals including licensed practical nurses, licensed vocational nurses, certified nurse assistants, home health aides, diploma degree or associate degree nurses, and other health professionals, such as health aides or community health practitioners certified under the Community Health Aide Program of the Indian Health Service, to become registered nurses with baccalaureate degrees or nurses with graduate nursing education;
(B) to assist individuals in obtaining education and training required to enter the nursing profession and advance within such profession, such as by providing career counseling and mentoring; and
(C) developing and implementing internships, accredited fellowships, and accredited residency programs in collaboration with one or more accredited schools of nursing, to encourage the mentoring and development of specialties.
(2) Enhancing patient care delivery systems
(A) Grants
(B) Preference
(C) Continuation of an award
(d) Other priority areas
(e) Report
(f) Eligible entity
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VIII, § 831, as added Pub. L. 105–392, title I, § 123(4), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3568; amended Pub. L. 107–205, title II, § 201, Aug. 1, 2002, 116 Stat. 815; Pub. L. 111–148, title V, § 5309(a), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 629; Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title III, § 3404(a)(6), Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 393.)