Health Sciences
Welcome to the Health Sciences Division of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
The Division of Health Sciences leads by leveraging expertise, fostering collaboration, and supporting innovation to improve the health of West Virginians, particularly rural and underserved populations. Our initiatives grow and strengthen the healthcare workforce of the future through promoting equitable access to health and behavioral health sciences education and through supporting research, practice, and policy.
Our Initiatives
Rural Health Initiative
The Rural Health Initiative aims to improve access to healthcare in West Virginia’s rural communities by strengthening the healthcare workforce pipeline and supporting provider recruitment and retention. Through partnerships with the state’s academic medical centers, the initiative funds programs that promote healthcare career awareness, expand educational and training opportunities, engage local communities, and advance workforce strategies that address the unique healthcare needs of rural West Virginia.
Nursing Workforce Expansion Program
From 2021 through 2025, the Governor’s Nursing Workforce Expansion Program supported efforts to address critical nursing shortages across West Virginia through investments in nursing education, student support, and workforce development. The initiative helped expand the state’s nursing pipeline and contributed to increased graduation rates statewide. Building on the successes of this program, the Health Sciences Division continues to support nursing workforce development through the West Virginia Office of Nursing Education and Workforce Development and other nursing-focused initiatives.
EMS Workforce Initiative
West Virginia’s EMS Workforce Initiative is designed to build a sustainable pipeline of highly qualified emergency medical services professionals. Through strategic investments in education, training, and workforce development programs, the initiative supports student recruitment, career pathways, incumbent worker training, and partnerships that help meet the growing demand for EMS providers in communities throughout West Virginia.
Behavioral Health Initiative
The Behavioral Health Initiative aims to improve access to behavioral health services across West Virginia by strengthening the behavioral health workforce and supporting campus mental health efforts. Through strategic partnerships, program administration, and targeted investments, the initiative advances workforce pipeline development, provider recruitment and retention, and student mental health and wellness initiatives that address the behavioral health needs of communities throughout the state.
Healthcare Career Pathway Development
The Division regularly leads efforts to address education and workforce challenges related to specific healthcare pathways and engages with stakeholders to address these challenges and find opportunities to solve them. Past and current pathways include:
- Nursing Careers
- Healthcare Technology Careers
- Population and Public Health Careers
- Child Welfare and Social Work Careers
- Behavioral Health Careers
- Emergency Medicine Careers
Rural Health Residency Grant Program
The Rural Residency Program supports efforts to increase the number of physicians practicing in West Virginia’s rural and underserved communities. Through financial incentives for medical residents training in qualifying residency programs across the state, the program encourages physicians to complete their training in areas where healthcare workforce needs are greatest, helping to strengthen access to care for rural populations.
Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs
Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs have been created to increase the number of providers in underserved and rural areas of West Virginia. All have service obligation components requiring service in qualifying areas in exchange for awards.
West Virginia Office of Nursing Education and Workforce Development
West Virginia Office of Nursing Education and Workforce Development leads in providing strategies and administering programs related to recruiting and retaining nurses across West Virginia.
West Virginia Perinatal Partnership
West Virginia Perinatal Partnership to improve health outcomes for pregnant women and their babies in West Virginia.
West Virginia Anatomical Board
The West Virginia Anatomical Board is responsible for overseeing the donation, receipt, recordkeeping, distribution, and final disposition of donated human bodies for scientific, medical, and educational purposes. Its primary purpose is to ensure that anatomical gifts are used appropriately to support the education and training of healthcare professionals and the advancement of medical science.
Key responsibilities include:
- Receiving and managing anatomical gifts (donated bodies) in accordance with West Virginia law and the Revised Anatomical Gift Act.
- Providing donated human remains to medical, dental, and other higher education institutions for education and research purposes.
- Supporting anatomy education and health professions training at institutions such as West Virginia University, Marshall University, the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, and the WVU School of Dentistry.
In practical terms, the Board serves as the state’s oversight body for the Human Gift Registry and cadaver donation programs, helping ensure that generous anatomical gifts are handled ethically, respectfully, and in compliance with state law while contributing to the education of future physicians, dentists, and other health professionals at the state’s three medical schools. Visit their websites at:
Health Science Grant Resources
Welcome to the Health Sciences Division Grant Resources page. Here you will find grant opportunities, portal access, application and management tools, reporting guidance, and required templates to support all phases of the grant lifecycle, from application through project completion.
Health Sciences Division Grants Opportunity and Portal User Resources
General Grant Application and Management Templates
Rural Health Initiative Grant Templates (for WVSOM, WVU, and MUSOM)
Related Media
Healthcare Workforce Data analysis and publication to assist with policy and planning decisions.
News and Commentary
Contact
304-558-0530 (office) | 2001 Union Carbide Drive, South Charleston, WV 25303
Building 2000
Staff
 | Amanda McCarty, Senior Director of Health Sciences304-558-0530 ext. 26358Amanda.McCarty@wvhepc.edu |
 | Candace Layne, Behavioral Health Program Specialist304-558-0838 ext. 5Candace.Layne@wvhepc.edu |
 | Jordyn Reed, Director of Health Science Education Programs and Outreach304-558-0838 ext. 26393Jordyn.Reed@wvhepc.edu |
 | Deloris Vance, Business and Grants Coordinator304-558-0530 ext. 26359Deloris.Vance@wvhepc.edu |