Sarbanes: President Biden’s FY 2025 Budget Would Strengthen the Health Care Workforce and Access to Primary, Preventive and Mental Health Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today highlighted the critical need to invest in our health care workforce and programs that promote access to comprehensive primary, preventive and mental health care for all - especially our nation's youth - in Fiscal Year 2025.

During an Energy and Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee hearing on the Fiscal Year 2025 budget for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Congressman Sarbanes discussed how President Biden's budget will strengthen our health care workforce pipelines and provide additional resources to address workforce shortages across every level and type of care. He also called on Congress to deliver robust funding for the National Center on Health Workforce Analysis, which is a critical source of health care workforce supply and demand data relied upon by stakeholders and policymakers, and for programs that assist individuals with the burden of student loan debt in exchange for a commitment to serve in underserved areas.

"Like many on this dais, I have heard from providers and patients alike - you've certainly been hearing it - about the very real challenges our health care system is facing as the result of tremendous workforce shortages that span every level of care. This year, I'm proud again to join Representative Blunt Rochester and Representative Schrier in urging robust funding for HRSA's National Center for Health Workforce Analysis," said Congressman Sarbanes.

He continued, "I've long believed that we can encourage individuals to pursue public service or other careers that may be paths less traveled for any number of reasons - lower salaries, what are perceived as less ideal geographic locations, etc. through programs that offer loan repayment assistance to those who commit to these positions for a given time."

As a longtime champion of school-based health centers, which provide comprehensive primary, preventive, mental and behavioral health care to children in a trusted setting, Congressman Sarbanes also applauded the President's increased investments in community health centers and initiatives to address the youth mental health care crisis

The Congressman's full remarks can be found here(link is external).

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