The GPE Program was flat-funded for a third year at $4.5 million. The other health professions education programs were flat funded except that Primary Care Medicine & Dentistry received a $1.2 million increase possibly for a demonstration project for Medicine-Pediatrics residency fellows for a total of $90 million, the nursing programs received a $10 million increase over last year but were flat-funded in the House budget at approximately $150 million.

The Geriatric Education Programs were cut by $2 million for a total of $29.5 million. The Quentin Burdick Rural Program was flat funded at $6 million. The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Program received a cut of $5 million from field placement activities but the scholarship & loan repayment programs were flat-funded at $86 million the same as the President's request. Psychologists are eligible for one of the Geriatric Programs, the rural interdisciplinary program and the NHSC Loan Repayment Program.

Community Health Centers Programs Receive Another Increase

The Senate Committee provided $1.839 million that is $105 million over last year but $200 million less than the President's request for the nation's community health centers, migrant health centers, health care for the homeless, and public housing health services.

The community health center programs are slowly but surely expanding their health care services to include mental health. Although the data for mental health professionals are aggregate, it appears that more psychiatrists and social workers than psychologists are being hired. APA Education advocacy staff are working with Health Resources & Services Administration officials as well as the National Association of Community Health Centers to promote the hiring of psychologists and the use of psychology interns. APA members will be at the NACHC conference this Fall and others will be writing an article both for the purpose of promoting the discipline.

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