Warner & Kaine Announce Over $1 Million in Federal Funding to Support the Nursing Workforce

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP), announced $1,006,097 in federal funding to support individuals studying to become nurses at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Old Dominion University (ODU). The funding is awarded by the Health Resources & Services Administration’s (HRSA) Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) Program, the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, and the Nurse Anesthetist Traineeship (NAT) Program.

“Nurses deliver essential care to Virginians every day, and we should do everything we can to help ensure they have access to the training they need,” said the senators. “We’re glad VCU and ODU are receiving these funds to support their nursing programs and help more nursing students afford and advance their educations.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

• $650,000 for ODU through the ANEW Program to provide partial financial assistance to trainees for tuition, transportation, and housing, build academic-clinical partnerships to facilitate clinical training, and continue to recruit and retain clinical faculty and preceptors, who provide supervision and mentorship to trainees during clinicals and other experiential learning experiences, as needed. The ANEW Program seeks to increase the number of primary care nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and certified nurse midwives trained and prepared to provide primary care services, mental health and substance use disorder care, and/or maternal health care by supporting the training of advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) students in these disciplines.
• $217,290 for VCU through the Nurse Faculty Loan Program to establish and operate a student loan program and maintain a fund, provide loans to students enrolled in advanced education nursing degree programs, and monitor compliance with program requirements. The Nurse Faculty Loan Program seeks to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty nationwide by providing low interest loans for individuals studying to be nurse faculty and loan cancelation for those who then go on to work as faculty.
• $138,807 to VCU through the NAT Program to help educate registered nurses to become nurse anesthetists through traineeship support. The NAT Program seeks to increase the supply and distribution of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) who are well prepared to practice independently and collaboratively within interprofessional teams and to deliver evidence-based, high quality, and safe anesthesia and pain management services. The program aims to expand access to anesthesia services, especially to rural, urban, and tribal underserved communities nationwide.

Warner and Kaine have long championed efforts to support the health care workforce. Warner and Kaine voted to pass the Fiscal Year 2023 government funding bill, which included a technical correction to protect funding for programs that train nurses and other allied health professionals at hospital-based nursing programs across the country. That provision was based on the Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, legislation Kaine cosponsored.The bill also included the Anna Westin Legacy Act, legislation sponsored by Warner to improve training for health care providers to improve treatment for those affected by eating disorders, and an extension of telehealth flexibilities allowing providers to continue to care for their patients and help supplement the workforce in more rural areas – policies based on legislation sponsored by both Warner and Kaine. Warner has also introduced the Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act to improve training for Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) and the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act, which would allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to establish plans of care, work they’re licensed to do in many states but for which Medicare does not currently reimburse. Kaine has introduced the Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act, legislation to support the recruitment, training, and retention of direct care workers and family caregivers. Kaine also led the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, comprehensive legislation to reduce and prevent suicide, burnout, and mental and behavioral health conditions among health care professionals, which President Biden signed into law last year.

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