Research Conference Grant Program

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Purpose. The purpose of the NIH Research Conference Grant Program (R13 and U13) is to support high quality conferences/scientific meetings that are relevant to the scientific mission of the NIH and to the public health. A conference/scientific meeting is defined as a gathering, symposium, seminar, scientific meeting, workshop or any other organized, formal meeting where persons assemble to coordinate, exchange, and disseminate information or to explore or clarify a defined subject, problem, or area of knowledge. Each NIH Institute and Center (IC) has a scientific purview and different program goals and initiatives that evolve over time. Prior to preparing an application, it is critical that all applicants consult the appropriate IC representative listed in the R13/U13 Website (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/r13/) to obtain current information about IC specific program priorities and policies. This action is of utmost importance because applications with marginal or no relevance to the participating Institutes, Centers, or Offices will not be accepted for review or possible funding. Advance permission to submit an application must be requested early in the process and no later than 6 weeks before the application submission date. The letter from the NIH documenting advance permission must be included in the Cover Letter component of this application. In addition, applicants are encouraged to consult the Frequently Asked Questions Website for more detailed information about this program: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/r13/index.htm. Mechanism of Support. This FOA will utilize the NIH Conference grant (R13) and conference cooperative agreement (U13) award mechanisms. Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards. Awards issued under this FOA are contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

Service Enterprise Systems

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The SES program supports research on strategic decision making, design, planning, and operation of commercial, nonprofit, and institutional service enterprises with the goal of improving their overall effectiveness and cost reduction. The program has a particular focus on healthcare and other similar public service institutions, and emphasizes research topics leading to more effective systems modeling and analysis as a means to improved planning, resource allocation, and policy development.

Deadline(s): September 1 - October 1, Annually January 15 - February 15, Annually

What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)

US Department of Labor approves standards for direct support professional occupation under national Registered Apprenticeship system

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Standards to assist employers in training workers for growing health care sector

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration has approved national guidelines for apprenticeship standards for the occupation of direct support professional. These standards will enable employers to use ETA's Registered Apprenticeship program to train workers for careers in the long-term care sector of the health care industry.

"The direct support professional occupation represents an important segment of the health care workforce, providing assistance and support to persons with disabilities, the elderly and individuals with long-term illnesses," said Assistant Secretary for ETA Jane Oates. "The establishment of these new guidelines creates a career pathway for health care workers that can be implemented throughout the country."

The standards were developed through ETA's Office of Apprenticeship at the request of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals and the American Network of Community Options and Resources. NADSP and ANCOR are partnering with ETA on addressing the need for quality, competency-based instruction models to help establish career pathways for the direct support professional occupation. The Registered Apprenticeship program utilizes a competency-based model that allows apprentices to earn interim credentials based on the demonstration of specific skills.

Under the new standards, the Registered Apprenticeship program will provide direct support professional apprentices with on-the-job instruction to develop competencies in assisting people in need. The credentials and competencies to be achieved are based upon criteria for the NADSP national voluntary direct support credentialing program. Apprentices will have the opportunity to complete both the Registered Apprenticeship program and the NADSP credentialing program.

For more information on the apprenticeship guideline standards approved for the direct support professional occupation by ETA's Office of Apprenticeship, see http://www.doleta.gov/oa/bul10/Bulletin_2010_31_NADSP_ANCOR.pdf.

Allied Health Access Guidebook

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The Employment and Training Administration has announced the availability of the Allied Health Access (AHA!) Guidebook: How to Develop Programs for Youth in Allied Health Careers.

The intent of this Guidebook is to provide a useful tool for program planners as they begin to assess the potential for an allied health program in their area, develop a program, and implement a plan. In addition, a simple checklist is provided on the first page of the appendix that may prove useful to youth service providers and planners as they begin to think about what is needed to start an allied health program in their community.

The Guidebook has five sections:

What is Allied Health?
Description of the industry as well as the current and projected demand

Allied Health Occupations
Basic labor market information on specific occupations and various career pathways

Developing Programs for Youth in Allied Health Careers
Practical steps to creating a program in local areas

Case Studies
Examples of programs developed around the country with valuable lessons learned

Appendix

Training and Employment Notice 10-10 provides additional background on the Guidebook.

Please click here for a copy of the Guidebook.

Nursing Workforce Grants

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[Philanthropy News Digest] The Robert Wood Johnson and Northwest Health foundations have announced grants totaling $2 million to nine regional grantmakers working to develop strategies for creating and sustaining a viable nursing workforce.

The grants were made through the Partners Investing in Nursing's Future (PIN) program, which has awarded $12 million over the past five years to develop a nursing workforce that is large enough and equipped with the skills necessary to meet the changing demands of the patient population. Recipients include the Bingham Program in Maine, which is working to redesign nursing education in the state; the Caring for Colorado Foundation, which is working to increase the number and core competencies of home healthcare nurses; and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, which is addressing workforce retention issues at acute and long-term care institutions.

Read the full story here.

500 new jobs in Pittsburgh

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PITTSBURGH (AP) ― The University of Pittsburgh Medical Central plans to add 500 jobs this fiscal year after announcing operating income that jumped 13 percent in the fiscal year that ended June 30.

The 20-hospital network generated $8 billion in revenue and netted $240 million in operating income for fiscal 2010, up from $212 million in 2009.

The increased income comes after two years of steep decreases. UPMC's operating income was $321 million in 2006, but dropped to $220 million in 2007 and $184 million in 2008.

Most of the jobs will be added at two of the network's major Pittsburgh hospitals, UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Shadyside, though nurses and physician assistants could also be hired at UPMC Passavant, north of the city, Magee Womens Hospital, in Pittsburgh, and UPMC McKeesport, about 15 miles away.

Research to Understand and Inform Interventions that Promote the Research Careers of Students in Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences

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Current Closing Date for Applications: Oct 15, 2010
Estimated Total Program Funding: $2,400,000
Award Ceiling: $250,000
CFDA Number(s): 93.859

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)
issued by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National Institutes of Health (NIH) solicits applications that propose research designed to test assumptions and hypotheses regarding social and behavioral factors with the aim of advising and guiding the design of potential interventions intended to increase interest, motivation and preparedness for careers in biomedical and behavioral research. NIGMS is particularly interested in those interventions that are specifically designed to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups entering careers in these disciplines. The proposed research need not be restricted to underrepresented students. Comparative research that analyzes the experience of all groups in order to place that of underrepresented students in context and to learn whether and how interventions should be tailored to make more underrepresented students successful in biomedical careers may well be particularly illuminating and is, therefore, encouraged. Mechanism of Support. This FOA will utilize the NIH Research Project Grant (R01) award mechanism. Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards. The total amount to be awarded is approximately $2.4 million (total costs). Approximately 6-8 awards are anticipated. Awards issued under this FOA are contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.