The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
announced today that 30 awards totaling more than $2.2 million will be issued to primary care physicians and other providers as an incentive to work in the New Orleans area for the next three years.

This is the second round of awards for applicants of the Greater New Orleans Health Service Corps, a $15 million program funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The awards are aimed at rebuilding the health care workforce in Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes.

“We are very pleased that DHH has been able to provide support for 81 primary care providers with these funds in the first two rounds of awards,” said DHH Secretary Dr. Fred Cerise. “This funding is critical in recruiting providers who left the area after Katrina, attracting new providers, as well as retaining those providers who remained in the New Orleans area after the storm,” he said.

In the second round, five primary care physicians, one faculty nurse practitioner, three primary care nurse practitioners and one specialist pediatric/adult dermatologist received awards. Fourteen mental health professionals also received awards including two psychiatrists, one psychiatric nurse practitioner, seven psychologists, three licensed social workers and one licensed professional counselor. Additionally, four dentists and two pharmacists were approved for funding.

Twenty-four of the 30 providers were newly recruited to the area and will receive placement assistance from Med Job Louisiana, the state’s free recruitment service. Six providers were retained in the area.

Seventy percent of the program’s funding is dedicated to recruiting new providers to the area. The remaining 30 percent of the funding is available to provide retention incentives for area providers.

Currently, funding is available to recruit an additional 33 primary care physicians, 11 mental health providers, four dentists, four pharmacists and 10 medical and dental school faculty members. In addition, limited funds are available to recruit critically needed non-primary care specialists.

DHH will continue to accept applications until all program funds are allocated. The next round of awards will be announced on June 30, 2007. Applications received by the last Friday of each month will be reviewed for eligibility, and awards will be announced within 30 days of the review.

Family practice, general practice, obstetrics/gynecology, internal medicine, pediatrics and general psychiatry physicians and dentists are eligible for up to $110,000 from the grant program. Primary care physician assistants, certified nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, registered clinical dental hygienists, licensed clinical or counseling psychologists, psychiatric nurse specialists, licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers and marriage and family therapists are eligible for up to $55,000. Licensed pharmacists may receive up to $50,000.

Providers may customize their awards to include up to $110,000 in loan repayment or income guarantees, up to $40,000 for sign-on bonuses or malpractice premium payments, up to $20,000 for relocation expenses and up to $10,000 for health information technology continuing education
expenses.

To learn more or to apply for the Greater New Orleans Health Service Corps, visit www.pcrh.dhh.louisiana.gov or contact Gayla Strahan at 877-345-0579.

Submitted by Rob Anderson. Filed under Post-Hurricane Healthcare

Comments

HELLO, MY NAME IS GALATIA JOHNSON AND I WAS WONDERING IF LOUISIANA HAVE ANY INCENTIVES/GRANT MONEY AVAILABE FOR CERTIFIED RESPIRATORY THERAPY TECHNICIAN TO COME AND LIVE AND WORK IN ONE OF YOUR DISASTER AREAS. MY HOME PHONE NUMBER IS 281-894-7272. THANK YOU. GALATIA JOHNSON
GALATIA JOHNSON on August 10th, 2007

I'm an RN with 10 years critical care and psych experience. I want to pay off my student loans and help with the N.O. recovery. Are there any grants, incentives, etc for RNs like me? We could mutually benefit each other. Let me know.
LEWIS G WALLACE, RN, BSN on August 18th, 2007

Hello: I am expecting a reply to my application for the incentive grant to retain physicians who are already working in New Orleans Area. I did submit mine on-line on 08/23/07, following the instructions given on the computer on-line. However, today, 09/25/07, when I contacted theGNO Health Service Corps Program Coordinator at (985)345-0579, she said that the application had to be mailed and could not have been made on-line. It appears, therefore that this program was advertised via the computer at more than one site because I did follow the instructions given on-line to submit my application on 08/23/07. Could check with other sites that advertised this program, please, for my on-line application. Thank you.
Bennett O. Nwankpa, M.D. on September 25th, 2007

I applied for the incentive grant in 8/07. Has anyone recieved notification of funding?
heather on October 15th, 2007

I MAIL MY APPLICATION OFF ON AUGUST 14, 2007 AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION REGARDING MY APPLICATION, PLEASE GIVE ME A UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF MY APPLICATION. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE
LINDA WEBB on November 7th, 2007

Is this program still available?
Dr. Willie Harkless DDS on December 24th, 2007

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