Gov. Blagojevich announces more than $760,000 in grants to help increase access to healthcare
New doctors encouraged to practice in underserved areas
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today announced $760,480 in Family Practice Residency grants to help increase access to healthcare in underserved areas of the state. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) awards grants to various medical facilities and universities across Illinois for projects that encourage family practice residents, after they complete training, to work in areas of Illinois with a shortage of health professionals or in areas with population groups that have special needs.
“People need and deserve access to quality, affordable healthcare regardless of which part of the state they live in,” said Gov. Blagojevich. “These grants will help put more doctors and health care professionals in areas where they are needed most.”
Over the last 11 years, almost $6.7 million has been distributed statewide through this program. Successful projects have increased access to healthcare for designated shortage areas or special populations groups by increasing the number of family practice residents who serve those communities in need.
“Governor Blagojevich has made expanding access to quality health care to every Illinoisan his top priority. The goal of this program is to fund projects that encourage medical residents to build support and links with community organizations such as local health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers, hospitals, schools, churches, Area Health Education Centers and other providers so they will want to continue practicing as family physicians in that area after they have completed residency training,” said Dr. Damon T. Arnold, IDPH Director.
Fiscal year 2008 Family Practice Residency grant recipients include:
Family Practice Residency |
Project |
FY 08 |
Mount Sinai Hospital Family Practice Residency Dept. of Family Medicine and Community Health |
Teaching Chronic Care Model in Federally Qualified Health Centers based HIV Primary Care and Community based AIDS Prevention |
$50,000
|
Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees for and on the behalf of its School of Medicine Quincy Family Medicine Residency |
Expand Practice Management Training Model
|
$50,000
|
Advocate Northside Health Network DBA Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center |
An Inter-disciplinary Patient Management and Training Program for Depressive Disorders in an Urban Family Medicine Residency |
$80,000
|
Copley Memorial Hospital Rush Copley Family Medicine Residency |
Community for Health Initiative
|
$74,067
|
University of Illinois Board of Trustees University of Illinois at Chicago Grants and Contracts |
Care of Underserved Patients with Chronic Disease A Longitudinal Curriculum to Educate Residents to Promote Patient Self Management |
$79,037
|
Jackson Park Hospital Family Practice Residency Program |
Chronic Disease Management
|
$106,844
|
Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees for an on behalf of its School of Medicine Carbondale Family Practice Residency |
Enhanced OB Curriculum
|
$106,844
|
Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees for and on behalf of its School of Medicine Springfield Family Medicine Residency |
Shared Mental Health: An Innovative Approach to Improving the Mental Health Curriculum for Residency Training |
$106,844
|
University of Illinois Board of Trustees for an on behalf of the University of Illinois at Rockford Department of Family Medicine |
Serving the Underserved: Meeting Mental Health Needs Through Primary Care
|
$106,844
|
IDPH administers several scholarship programs to help increase access to healthcare in Illinois by encouraging students to practice in-state after graduation.
- Allied Health Care Professional Scholarship Program
This scholarship program was created to increase the number of nurse practitioners, physician assistants and certified nurse midwives practicing in areas of the state determined by the Illinois Department of Public Health to be designated shortage areas. The scholarship recipient repays the award by practicing in an area in Illinois designated by the Department as having a shortage of primary care providers. The recipient must practice on a full-time basis, one year for each year scholarship funds were received. There is no other repayment obligation.
- Medical Student Scholarship Program
This program awards scholarships to Illinois residents attending medical schools in the state. Illinois physician shortage areas have gained several hundred physicians through this program. Within 30 days after completing residency training, the scholarship recipient begins to repay the award by establishing an office-based practice in an area in Illinois designated by the Department as having a shortage of primary care providers. The recipient must practice on a full-time basis, one year for each year scholarship funds were received. There is no other repayment obligation.
- Nursing Education Scholarship Program
The goal of this program is to increase the number of nurses available for employment in Illinois by offering scholarships to overcome financial barriers to education. The program provides financial assistance to qualified individuals pursuing an associate degree in nursing, an associate degree in applied sciences in nursing, a hospital based diploma in nursing, a baccalaureate degree in nursing, a graduate degree in nursing or a certificate in practical nursing. Prior to receiving scholarship funding for any academic year, the recipient must sign a contract with the state of Illinois agreeing to work in Illinois providing direct patient care as a registered professional nurse or licensed practical nurse or as a nurse educator in the case of a graduate degree student.
