Section 37-153-205 - Accelerate Mississippi Nursing/Allied Health Grant Program established; purpose; definitions; application process; prioritization for approval; Office of Workforce Development duties(1) There is established the Accelerate Mississippi Nursing/Allied Health Grant Program, which shall be directed by the office for the purpose of increasing capacity in nursing and allied health training programs, including accredited paramedic programs, job sectors which were severely impacted by the disruption to the economy and workforce caused by COVID-19.(2) For purposes of this section, the following words shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless the context requires otherwise:(a) "Grant program" means the program established in this section, which provides funding, as determined by the office, from federal COVID-19 relief funds to sustain and increase capacity in nursing and allied health education and training programs, including accredited paramedic programs, or to help retain and graduate nursing and allied health students, at community and junior colleges or other entities facilitating healthcare-focused training programs as determined by the office.(b) "Recipient" means a community or junior college or other entities facilitating healthcare-focused training programs as determined by the office.(c) "Trainee" means an individual receiving training or other services through the grant program under this article with the goal of becoming employed in the nursing or allied health field, including as a licensed paramedic.(d) "COVID-19" means the Coronavirus Disease 2019.(e) "Federal COVID-19 relief funds" means funds allocated to the State of Mississippi from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund in Section 9901 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law No. 117-2).(f) "High-wage, high-demand industry" means those nursing or allied health jobs, including paramedics, paying above Mississippi's median annual income and prioritized by the office.(g) "Eligible expenses" means a cost incurred by a recipient under this article, to include: (i) Necessary equipment or other supplies to sustain or increase capacity in nursing or allied health training programs, including accredited paramedic programs;(ii) Necessary infrastructure, including building renovation or construction, for increasing capacity in nursing or allied health training programs, including accredited paramedic programs;(iii) Curricula or other academic or training materials to sustain or increase capacity in nursing or allied health training programs, including accredited paramedic programs;(iv) Remote learning or other classroom technology to sustain or increase capacity in nursing or allied health training programs, including accredited paramedic programs;(v) Job placement services for nursing or allied health students and graduates, including those in accredited paramedic programs;(vi) Recruitment programs for nursing or allied health students and graduates, including those in accredited paramedic programs;(vii) Other services aimed at helping retain and graduate current nursing and allied health students, including those in accredited paramedic programs.(3) The Department of Employment Security shall serve as fiscal agent in administering the funds.(4) Subject to appropriation by the Legislature, allocations to recipients shall be awarded by the office through an application process, which shall require the applicant to provide: (a) A detailed explanation of the program the applicant intends to use awarded funds to create or expand, to include: (i) A description of the nursing or allied health workforce shortage the program is intended to address, including specific information from hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities or other health care providers in the region;(ii) Any relevant waitlist or other information demonstrating high demand for graduates from the relevant nursing or allied health program;(iii) The number of nursing or allied health students who will be served by the program; and(iv) The average wage rate for nursing or allied health students receiving employment after completing the program;(b) A proposed budget on how awarded funds will be expended, including a plan to consistently report expenditures to the office throughout the funding commitment;(c) A plan to provide data on participation and outcomes of the program, including a plan to report outcomes to the office throughout the funding commitment; and(d) Other relevant information as determined appropriate by the office.(5) Applicants agreeing to commit a portion of their federal COVID-19 relief funds, if they received federal COVID-19 relief funds directly, or other state, federal or private funds as supplemental matching funds to offset the total cost of the approved program will be prioritized for approval.(6) The office shall:(a) Inform each recipient of its portion of the funds appropriated to the grant program;(b) Develop regulations and procedures to govern the administration of the grant program;(c) Prioritize jobs within the nursing or allied health fields which are currently experiencing staffing shortages in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and other health care providers across the state; and(d) Prioritize jobs which are high-wage, high-demand jobs within the nursing and allied health fields, including the paramedic field.(7) Seventy-five percent (75%) of the funds provided through the appropriations process for this program shall be reserved for community and junior colleges. A maximum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the funds provided through the appropriations process for this program may be awarded to recipients other than a community or junior college which facilitate healthcare-focused training programs as determined by the office.Added by Laws, 2023, ch. 473, SB 2371,§ 3, eff. 7/1/2023.