November 25, 2009
The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
The undersigned organizations of the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC) write to thank you for your longstanding support of the Heath Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)’s Title VII and Title VIII health professions and nursing education programs. We respectfully request that you continue to prioritize a strong health care workforce in your Fiscal Year 2011 budget request with a significant investment in Title VII and Title VIII that reflects the nation’s urgent workforce needs. HPNEC is an alliance of national organizations representing schools, programs, health professionals, and students dedicated to ensuring that the health workforce is educated and trained to meet the needs of our diverse population.
We sincerely appreciate that your budget request for FY 2010 reflected your stated commitment to the Title VII and Title VIII programs and represented an increase over previous years, and are very pleased that funding for some health professions programs was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These investments have been an important first step in reversing the chronic underfunding of these essential programs. However, as Congress considers legislation to expand the nation’s access to health care, it will be vital to continue placing the health professions programs on this budget trajectory.
As you know, the Title VII and Title VIII programs are an invaluable component of the nationwide health care safety net, improving the supply, distribution and diversity of health professionals nationwide. They not only prepare aspiring professionals to meet a critical workforce need, but also help to improve the health of our nation. With existing and looming provider shortages across all health professions disciplines, a continued commitment to funding the Title VII and Title VIII programs is essential.
Once again, thank you for your administration’s renewed emphasis on and continued commitment to the success of the health professions education programs. We are truly grateful for your efforts to reinvest in Title VII and Title VIII, which are critical to preserving the health and well-being of the American people.
Sincerely,