The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced the availability of $103 million in grants for healthcare organizations to address burnout in the workforce, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

The grants include $29 million to promote resilience and mental health among healthcare providers and $68 million for educational institutions as well as state and local entities involved with practitioners early in their careers.

“These investments, which take into particular consideration the needs of rural and medically underserved communities, will help health care organizations establish a culture of wellness  among the health and public safety workforce and will support training efforts that build resiliency for those at the beginning of their health careers,” the HHS said.

The 10 grants under the “Promoting Resilience and Mental Health Among Health Professional Workforce” program are available to entities that provide healthcare, including healthcare provider associations and Federally Qualified Health Centers.

The 30 “Health and Public Safety Workforce Resiliency Training Program” grants are available to “Health professions schools, academic health centers, state or local governments, Indian tribes and tribal organizations, or other appropriate public or private nonprofit entities.”

The deadline for both programs is Aug. 30.

The burnout rate in nursing was estimated at 40 percent before the pandemic and was reported as high as 70 percent in a survey done in January during the height of the pandemic. Burnout can have an impact on patients as well as nurses because it can lead to lower quality patient care, more clinical errors, and reduced patient satisfaction.

“It is essential that we provide behavioral health resources for our health care providers – from paraprofessionals to public safety officers – so that they can continue to deliver quality care to our most vulnerable communities,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.