On October 12, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded $3.4 million to programs in 19 states working to improve the system of services for children and youth with special health care needs. HRSA also awarded $27 million for the Nursing Scholarships Program and $55 million for the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program. Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new resource center designed to help states learn about best practices for delivering coordinated health care to individuals with chronic conditions as well as the dual eligibles.

On October 17, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced $928.5 million in funding for transit providers across the nation for more than 300 projects in urban, suburban, and rural areas. The grants, made available through the Federal Transit Administration’s FY 2011 Alternatives Analysis, Bus Livability, and State of Good Repair Programs, will fund the replacing or refurbishing of aging buses; building or improving bus terminals, garages, and other transit facilities; installing bus-related equipment; and conducting community planning studies.