SACRAMENTO – Strengthening California’s commitment to increasing the state’s primary care workforce, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) announced awards of $1.47 million to enhance Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Physician Assistant (PA) training programs.

Funds were awarded through OSHPD’s Song-Brown Program.

The awards are funded by the California Health Data Planning Fund, which was statutorily established to receive and expend revenues in support of health care related programs. The funds are generated through annual fees collected from health facilities.

“Family nurse practitioners and physician assistants are uniquely positioned to improve access to vulnerable populations,” said OSHPD Acting Director Stephanie Clendenin.

The following 12 training programs received awards:

• California State University, Long Beach – $170,000;

• USC - Keck School of Medicine – $170,000;

• Sonoma State University – $169,959;

• California State University, Fresno – $135,000;

• Stanford University – $135,000;

• University of California, Davis – $135,000;

• University of California, Los Angeles – $100,000;

• University of California, San Francisco – $100,000;

• Touro University – $125,060;

• Azusa Pacific University – $99,981;

• San Joaquin Valley College – $65,000;

• University of California, Irvine – $65,000.

The Song-Brown Program works to increase the number of family practice physicians, physician assistants, family nurse practitioners, and registered nurses trained statewide to provide needed medical services to Californians.

For more information on the program, call 916-326-3752 or log on to www.oshpd.ca.gov/HWDD/Song_Brown_Prog.html.