APHA Supports Legislation to Strengthen the Public Health Work Force and Mitigate Personnel Shortages

Washington, D.C., July 8, 2004 —The American Public Health Association today announced its enthusiastic support for new legislation aimed at mitigating public health personnel shortages and ensuring that the United States is adequately protected from public health threats by a robust, well-trained work force.

The Public Health Preparedness Workforce Development Act of 2004 will provide scholarships to qualified students going into the public health field and a loan repayment program for current workers in exchange for a commitment of additional years of service in public health. The bill was introduced yesterday by U.S. Sens. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and Richard Durbin (D-Ill.).

“Shortages of public health workers threaten a system already overburdened by new demands and responsibilities,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “And the forecast is even more ominous with large numbers of workers soon eligible for retirement and insufficient numbers of students in the pipeline to replace them. The public health community is grateful to Sens. Hagel and Durbin for their foresight in helping to shore up the public health work force and to avert a looming crisis.”