SACRAMENTO – Continuing its efforts to strengthen and expand its health care workforce, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) awarded 17 registered nurse education programs a total of $2,799,939.00.

Additionally, OSHPD awarded four physician assistant programs a total of $399,999 in Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funds.

The funds were made available through the Song-Brown Program in a competitive process administered through the California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission.

“The Song-Brown Program has been dedicated to providing financial support to California’s health care professions workforce programs. These programs are committed to graduating health care workforce professionals that are willing to work in California’s underserved areas and provide culturally sensitive and responsive care to its citizens,” said Stephanie Clendenin, Acting Director of OSHPD.

The Mental Health Physician Assistant Special Program was established in 2009 to increase the number of physician assistants providing care in California’s public mental health system.

To date, the program has awarded $1.63 million dollars in MHSA funds to six of California’s physician assistant programs in California.

The following registered nurse education programs received awards February 08, 2012:

• Azusa Pacific University – $192,000
• California State University, Chico – $105,000
• California State University, East Bay – $96,000
• California State University, Fresno – $249,000
• California State University, Long Beach – $201,000
• California State University, Stanislaus – $240,000
• Charles R. Drew University – $96,000
• College of the Canyons – $284,939
• College of the Sequoias – $20,000
• Fresno City College – $120,000
• Los Angeles County College – $100,000
• Los Angeles Harbor College – $285,000
• Merced College – $120,000
• Point Loma Nazarene University – $105,000
• Santa Ana College – $225,000
• University of San Diego, Hahn School of Nursing – $36,000
• West Hills College, Lemoore – $325,000

Total: $2,799,939.00

Physician assistant programs that received awards include:

• University of California Davis – $100,000
• Moreno Valley College – $99,999
• Keck School of Medicine, USC – $100,000
• Touro University – $100,000

Total: $399,999

The Song-Brown Program was established to increase the number of trained and educated family practice physicians, physician assistants, family nurse practitioners, and registered nurses providing healthcare services to medically underserved areas of California.

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.

For information about the program visit the Web site at http://oshpd.ca.gov/HWDD/Song_Brown_Prog.html .