Congress has renewed its commitment to the Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program, that provides grants for psychology (including doctoral, internships and postdoctoral programs), while funding for other Title VII health professions education programs were dramatically reduced. GPE funding for FY 2004 remained at $4.5 million and that allows for the continuation of the seven geropsychology grants at approximately $250,000 each and for about 26 new general GPE grants for training for underserved children, chronically ill persons and victims of trauma or abuse for about $150,000 each per year for three years.

Once again the health professions education programs are a target for President Bush's cost cutting measures. If accepted by Congress, the training programs would sustain a $283 million reduction to $11 million that would fund Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students and health professions data collection. However, the National Health Service Corps which provides loan repayments to psychologists and other eligible health professionals in exchange for serving in rural areas would received a $35 million increase for a total of $205 million.

The FY2005 President's budget requests for the Health Resources and Services Administration calls for $6.6 billion, $610 million less than the FY2004 level. The primary focus is on increasing the Community Health Center Program to improve health care access for the uninsured and underserved. Increasing nursing education programs to meet the national shortage of nurses is another priority.

Selected HRSA Programs
(dollars in millions)

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