HRSA issued funding opportunity announcement (HRSA-10-159) for Licensure Portability Special ARRA Initiative grants. The grants will support state professional licensing boards to carry out programs so that licensing boards of various states will be able to cooperate, develop, and implement state policies to reduce statutory and regulatory barriers to telemedicine.
Telemedicine providers are greatly concerned about the state licensure restrictions against cross-state practice for physicians, as this requires physicians to have a license in each state where they provide telemedicine services on a regular basis. This is particularly a problem for physicians who provide highly specialized services around the country for rare conditions such as genetic counseling.
Funds for $1.5 million will support the grants. In FY 2010, up to three grants will be awarded for up to $500,000 per grant including direct and indirect costs for a two year budget period and a two year project period. The budget period will be for a 24 month period beginning March 1, 2010.
Projects are overseen by HRSA’s Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) within the Office of Health Information Technology. Eligible applicants can include state professional licensing boards and national organizations of professional licensing boards that provide services to State licensing boards.
The application is due November 18, 2009. For more information on the October 5th funding announcement, go to www.grants.gov. Forms may be downloaded from www.hrsa.gov/grants/forms.htm. To contact the HRSA Grants Application Center, email HRSAGAC@hrsa.gov or call (877) 477-2123.
