Over the past few months, Congress and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have issued a wave of new health care-related requests for information (RFIs). These RFIs come at a time when the country is shifting to address deficiencies in the health care system COVID helped to expose.

Recruitment and retention of the direct care workforce has been a longstanding challenge among states. Low wages are a particular barrier because direct care worker wages often compete with gig employment, where the work is less physically and emotionally taxing.

In response to the clear need for a more robust infrastructure, in September 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will begin awarding nearly $4 billion in grants over a five year period to state and local governments to support strengthening the public health infrastructure, workforce, and data systems.

Thanks to tireless advocacy combined with impressive outcomes data, funding was allocated in the California state budget to support the continuation of the program. This is a prime example of how initial federal investments can ultimately lead to long-term sustainability of successful programs.

States are leveraging American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to support a multi-faceted policy approach to strengthening state health care infrastructure and the health workforce.

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are a critical provider of health care, particularly for communities of color and Medicaid beneficiaries. It is vital that health centers are financially and operationally stable so they can continue to effectively provide patients with primary care, behavioral health, and dental services.