Nurse Practitioner Program Gets Federal Funding

From the Community Health Center

President Obama signed into law a spending bill Wednesday that provides $225,000 in funding for Community Health Center, Inc. (CHC) to support a Connecticut-based initiative, the country’s first formal residency training program for new family nurse practitioners.

CHC developed this program in 2007 in responses to the need for additional training for new nurse practitioners who aspire to practice in the complex setting of federally qualified health centers, such as CHC. Health Centers are the largest system of primary care in the U.S. and face enormous demands for primary care providers ready to care for individuals and families across the lifespan. CHC.is headquartered in Middletown and provides care to 70,000 patients in primary care sites across Connecticut.

CHC’s residency program accepts four newly graduated and certified family nurse practitioners annually and provides them with intensive training in the health problems commonly seen in health centers. It has several components: precepted or continuity clinics, specialty training in specific high volume areas, and training to a model of primary care that includes electronic health records, advanced access, and a “planned care” approach to both prevention and the management of chronic disease.

The funding was supported by Senators Chris Dodd and Joe Lieberman, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd Dist., and Congressmen Joe Courtney, D-2nd Dist., Chris Murphy, D-5th Dist., and John Larson, D-1st Dist.

“We very much appreciate the support of the Connecticut delegation, who recognize the need to train the next generation of primary care providers,” said Margaret Flinter, CHC vice president and clinical director. “They have been
champions of the program, and understand the great value of nurse practitioners
in meeting the health-care needs of our patients.”

This residency, which is an intensive, 12- month program, accepts only family nurse practitioners committed to developing practice careers as primary care providers in community health centers.

CHC graduated its first class of four family nurse practitioners in August 2008, its second class graduated in August 2009 and its third class is underway.

The graduates to date have gone on to practice as primary care providers both at CHC and at other FQHC across the country.