House Committee Advances Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act

On Tuesday, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce advanced, in a 37-8 vote, the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act. The bill would expand the use of Pell funding for short term, high quality credentials. Currently, Pell grants can only be used for programs with a 15-week minimum, but the bill would allow its use for programs offered during a minimum of eight weeks, but less than 15 weeks. To pay for the expansion, the bill would end federal student loans, starting next July, at the 50-60 institutions that are subject to the federal endowment tax, a controversial proposal not included in the Senate’s workforce Pell bill, the JOBS Act, which does not yet have a Committee markup date scheduled.

On Tuesday, the Committee also advanced, in a 44-1 vote, A Stronger Workforce for America Act, which would reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The bill would codify the Strengthening Community Colleges Workforce Development Grant Program to improve and expand high-quality workforce development programs at community colleges, and would authorize the program for each of the Fiscal Years 2025 through 2030 at $65 million.

The bills and and a recording of the markup may be accessed here. Coverage from Inside Higher Ed may be accessed here and here.

Senate Committee Markup to Reauthorize Mental and Behavioral Health Education and Training Program

On Tuesday, the Senate HELP Committee will hold a mark up of four bills, including S. 3393, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act. The bill would reauthorize the Mental and Behavioral Health Education and Training Program at $50 million for FY 24, $55 million for FY 25, $60 million for FY 26, $65 million for FY 27, and $75 million for FY 28.

The bill text and summary, as well as the markup, may be accessed here.

Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program Funding Opportunity

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced the opportunity to apply for funding under the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP). The purpose of the GWEP is to educate and train the health care and supportive care workforces to care for older adults by collaborating with community partners. Applicants must maximize patient and family engagement to address care gaps and improve health outcomes for older adults by integrating geriatrics with primary care and other appropriate specialties using the Age-Friendly Health Systems Framework. Estimated total funding is $43 million, and 43 grant awards are expected. Applications are due February 26.

The funding opportunity announcement may be accessed here.

Department of Education Seeking Nominations for Negotiated Rulemaking Panel on State Authorization, Accreditation, and other Higher Education Issues

The Department of Education is seeking nominations to represent various constituent groups on a negotiated rulemaking committee to consider the following issues:

• The Secretary’s recognition of accrediting agencies and related issues;

• Institutional eligibility, including state authorization;

• The definition of distance education as it pertains to clock hour programs and reporting for students who enroll primarily online; 

• Return of Title IV of Higher Education Act of 1965 funds; and

• Cash management to address disbursement of student funds.

Nominations must be received by December 13, 2023. Negotiators selected by ED will meet virtually on January 8-11, February 5-8, and March 4-7 to discuss ideas for regulatory reform. A subcommittee will meet virtually on January 12 and February 9. Sessions will be open to the public and include opportunities for public comment.

The Department of Education’s press release may be accessed here. An article from Inside Higher Ed may be accessed here.

Administration Releases U.S. Playbook to Address Social Determinants of Health

The Biden Administration released its “U.S. Playbook to Address Social Determinants of Health”. The 53-page document aims to impart a strategic approach to addressing health related social needs, highlighting an initial set of actions by federal agencies, and setting the stage for agencies and organizations to re-imagine new policies and actions around SDOH, both inside and outside of government. The playbook outlines individual and community-centered interventions, with actions grouped into the following three pillars: 1. Expand Data Gathering and Sharing, 2. Support Flexible Funding to address Social Needs, and 3. Support Backbone Organizations.

The playbook may be accessed here.

The Challenge Of Paying For Health Care

U.S. adults with low or average incomes are more likely than their counterparts in eight other high-income nations to struggle to afford their health care, according to a new Commonwealth Fund issue brief that explored how financial barriers affect health care decisions by individuals.

The brief can be obtained at Cost of Not Getting Care Income Disparities High-Income Countries | Commonwealth Fund.

Expanding Medicare Access To Behavioral Health Care

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it is expanding access to behavioral health services for beneficiaries with Medicare through coverage of intensive outpatient services. It also is making it easier for the public to learn what a hospital charges for items and services through improved hospital price transparency requirements. 

More information can be obtained at CY 2024 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Final Rule (CMS 1786-FC) | CMS.

ED Releases Final Rule on Oversight, Accountability, and Consumer Protection

The Department of Education announced final regulations to enhance oversight and accountability for institutions of higher education and strengthen protections for student borrowers. The final rules cover four areas: financial responsibility, administrative capability, certification procedures, and Ability to Benefit. The regulations will be published in the Federal Register on October 31 and will go into effect on July 1, 2024.

The Department of Education’s announcement may be accessed here, and a post from NC-SARA may be accessed here.

Tightening Rules Around Short-Term Health Insurance Plans

The Trump administration loosened regulation of short-term health insurance plans, with a stated goal of increasing coverage and reducing the uninsured rate. The Biden administration has proposed reversing course to limit these plans’ duration. 

More information can be obtained at Tightening Rules Around Short-Term Health Insurance Plans | Commonwealth Fund.

ASAHP Clinical Education Committee Seeking Graduate Student Project Coordinator

ASAHP’s Clinical Education Committee is looking for a project coordinator . The Project Coordinator will participate in all ASAHP Clinical Education Committee activities, including monthly conference calls and delegated Task Force / ASAHP meetings. The Project Coordinator will work with Committee members to support their objectives and assist with meeting goals of the Committee.

The hours are flexible and generally 2 to 4 hours per week. Applicants must be a graduate student at an ASAHP member institution. Students are paid by the hour.

Interested students can apply here.

Department of Education Outlines Strategies to Increase Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education

Today, the U.S. Department of Education released “Strategies for Increasing Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education,” a report to guide state and higher education leaders on policies and practices to advance diversity on college campuses. The report reviews evidence-based strategies and promising practices in the areas of outreach, admissions, financial aid and funding, and college completion, and is meant to serve as a resource to help guide institutions and states as they respond to the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina et al. (collectively “SFFA”).

The Department of Education press release may be accessed here. The report may be accessed here.

Department of Education Announces Gainful Employment Final Regulations

Today, the Department of Education released an unofficial copy of its final gainful employment regulations. According to the Department, the rule “will protect approximately 700,000 students a year from career training programs that leave graduates with unaffordable loan payments or earnings no better than what someone who did not pursue postsecondary education earns in their state.” The final rule also includes a new Financial Value Transparency (FVT) framework, that will give students in all programs detailed information about the net costs of postsecondary programs, and the financial outcomes they can expect.

More details may be accessed here.

How a Government Shutdown Could Affect the Department of Education and Colleges

A federal government shutdown will occur on Sunday, October 1, if a federal spending stopgap is not signed into law before then. Many Education Department employees are likely to be furloughed, and the shutdown could affect the Department’s regulatory ambitions.

An article from Inside Higher Ed may be accessed here.

House Hearing on How the Supreme Court's Ruling on Race-Based Admissions is Shaping University Policies

On Thursday, September 28, at 10:15am Eastern, the House Education and the Workforce Committee’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development will hold a hearing on, “How SCOTUS’s Decision on Race-Based Admissions is Shaping University Policies”.

More details are here. The hearing may will be streamed live here.

ASAHP Awards $60,000 in 2023 Interprofessional Collaboration Research Grants

Washington, D.C.  – Today, the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) announced that its Interprofessional Collaboration Research Grants, in the total amount of $60,000, have been awarded to two recipients: Dr. Jie Gao for effects of a park visitation program for low-income seniors and Dr. Cathy Torrington Eaton for interventions to improve communication during interactions with aphasic patients. The grant program led by ASAHP’s Research Committee is designed to support innovative research projects with the highest potential to produce new knowledge and paradigms towards success in interprofessional collaboration.

"We are thrilled to announce the two recipients of the 2023 ASAHP Interprofessional Collaboration Grant Program. At ASAHP, we are committed to fostering innovation and collaboration in healthcare education,” said ASAHP President Deb Larsen PhD, FASAHP. “This grant program, which was increased to $60,000 total this year, represents a significant investment in the future of interprofessional health professions research. We look forward to seeing the impactful initiatives that will emerge from this year’s grant recipients and the positive change they will bring to the health professions.”

Both grant recipients will be invited to present their work at the 2024 ASAHP Annual Conference.

Here is more information about this year’s recipients:

A Park Visitation Program: An Interprofessional Collaboration to Address the Healthcare Needs of Older Adults in Low-income Senior Housing

$30,000 grant awarded to
Primary Investigator (PI) Jie Gao, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

Dr. Jie Gao, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM and PI of this project said, “The rising number of older adults with suboptimal health in low-income senior housing creates a need to develop low-cost health promotion strategies and support healthy aging of the residents. The positive impacts of urban park visitation on individuals’ health and wellness have potential to improve the residents’ physical and mental function. This interprofessional research project will address this healthcare need and evaluate the effects of a park visitation program on the mental health of residents living in low-income senior communities.”

“Our school’s core values include compassion, service, and social responsibility – these are at the heart of Dr. Gao’s work with our senior communities and their mental health,” said UAB School of Health Professions Dean Andrew J. Butler, Ph.D., FASAHP. “We are proud of Dr. Gao’s efforts and look forward to expanding this research and service that positively supports the fastest growing population in the U.S.” 

Improving Communication with Aphasic Patients: An Interprofessional Experience for Future Allied Health Providers

$30,000 grant awarded to
Primary Investigator (PI) Cathy Torrington Eaton, PhD, CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor from The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio

When discussing the grant project, Dr. Eaton shared “Aphasia, a complex communication disorder, is one of the most devastating impairments following stroke and is linked to a variety of poor healthcare outcomes. To improve health outcomes, healthcare professionals need skills for conversing with individuals with aphasia. This Interprofessional Education (IPE) project targets key ingredients in an intervention aimed at improving communication across allied health disciplines to enhance students’ knowledge and behaviors during interactions with aphasic patients.”

“This exciting interprofessional program will raise awareness among health professions students and clinicians as they learn how to communicate more effectively with people with aphasia. The skills and insights they gain will make a meaningful difference in the lives of people with aphasia and their loved ones,” said David Shelledy, PhD, RRT, FAARC, FASAHP, dean and professor of the School of Health Professions at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. 

About ASAHP
The Association of School Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) is a national professional organization of 120 universities and employers focused on critical issues affecting health professions education. ASAHP’s mission is to  advance health professions education and discovery through interprofessional collaboration, leadership, excellence, and innovation.

2023 ASAHP Call for Committee Members

The 2023 ASAHP Call for Committee Members is now open, and we welcome your participation. You will be able to read the goals of each committee here and indicate your interest in joining a committee. We invite you to share the Call for Committee Members with your colleagues and faculty. Committee members must be part of an ASAHP member institution.

1. Clinical Education Committee (6 open spots) – apply here

2. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (7 open spots) – apply here

3. Education (10 open spots) – apply here

4. Interprofessional Committee (1 open spot) – apply here

5. Leadership Development (5 open spots) – apply here

6. Partnerships, Alliances, and Advocacy Committee (11 open spots) - apply here

7. Research, Discovery, and Innovation Committee (1 open spot) - apply here

The deadline to apply is Wednesday, October 4, 2023. Committee term appointments are two years beginning October 2023-October 2025. Members will have the option to apply for a second term at the conclusion of their first term. (Note: These are long-term working committees to help implement the new ASAHP strategic plan, not an immediate job to be done.)

Thank you for your continued engagement with ASAHP.