ONC Introduces Two IT Training Grants

The Washington-based Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has added two grant programs to support the training and development of the workforce required to support adoption and use of health IT, it says.

• Information Technology Professionals in Health Care: Program of Assistance for University-Based Training — The objective of this program is to quickly increase the availability of qualified individuals to serve in specific health IT professional roles requiring university-level training. Through training grants, approximately $32 million in funding will be provided to support to 8-12 institutions of higher education to develop academic programs that will lead to university-issued certificates of advanced studies, within or in complement to a bachelor’s degree, or to a master’s degree.
• Information Technology Professionals in Health Care: Program for Competency Examination for Individuals Completing Non-Degree Training — This program aims to support the development and initial administration of a set of health IT competency examinations. It will provide approximately $6 million of funding support to an institution of higher education to develop examinations for individuals who have completed non-degree training for key health IT professional roles.

Applications for both programs are due Jan. 25, 2010 at www.grants.gov. For more information on additional HITECH funding opportunities, visit http://healthit.hhs.gov/hitechgrants.