Public health issues in the united states

 Introduction
Public health remains a major issue in the United States, and the government seems to be facing more and more challenges in addressing different aspects of it. One key matter of concern in the US public healthcare system is the shortage of caregivers and doctors. At present, the US faces a serious shortage, possibly in the excess of tens of thousands that are still required to meet the health requirements of the US population (Gupta, 2015). This could mean that Americans will have to deal
with longer waiting times in public health facilities, but policy makers will also have to deal with numerous issues, such as the need to increase the number of residency training slots and the number of available health care professionals, both locally and internationally, that can help fill the gaps. This paper looks to discuss the development of a grant application aimed addressing the local care givers shortage.
Plan
The planning phase for the grant application will be based on the understanding that, in order for the finding to be guaranteed, a convincing application will have to be presented. It is also understood that such an application cannot be drafted and presented if the right information is not available, which further necessitates the involvement of all relevant stakeholders. One of the most important stakeholders is the institution from which the grant application is being presented. In this light, it will be an important step to obtain the first ideas from the institution, which will come from possibly a cross-functional team from all departments.  This means that members of team that drafts the final application from the institution will be required to present their different ideas and perspectives, including human resources, finance, and other managerial departments. Their ideas will be further supported by information from external sources, including external experts, primary data, and secondary data. Different ideas will be discussed regarding the possible budget and timeline, the relevant constraints, and how the institutional approval will be obtained. Having understood that, the next section discusses the approach that will be taken in the preparation of the necessary elements of the grant application.
Prepare
In the preparation of the aforementioned elements, the following steps will be followed. First, there will be a meeting between the team making this proposal and the subsequent application and the central grants support office in the institution, which will make it an internal affair. In this meeting, the teams idea on the type of grant mechanism that is being considered, the anticipated timeline, and the expected budgetary constraints and goals will be presented to the central grants support office. It is expected that the central grants support office will help the team in understanding of all aspects of the grant application process and if there are any deadlines required by the institution that should be met. Even more importantly, the support office will be expected to provide the team with guidance on the budget. The next step will involve the team, which will be focused on planning its own timeline in making the first draft, which is be obviously be based on the guidelines that will be provided by the central grants support office, aimed at making sure that it is delivered to the office in time for approval. It would also be important to mention that collaborating investigators are often involved (La-Piana, Gowdy, & Copen, 2012). As such, it will be important to factor them in making the timeline in order to give them ample time for their investigative process. Finally, the application will take to account the inputs of the institutional contacts and other experienced staff as it becomes ready for submission.
 Partners
The grant application, one would mention, will be focused on meeting the health needs beginning with family and community levels. This is based on the understanding there are not enough health care professionals to take care of health needs at the community level, which is the most affected level. In addition, it has been established that the elderly are faced with the most health difficulties and, at the community level, they lack access not only to healthcare facilities but also to health care professionals. With this understanding, it will be important to put in consideration partnering with community level health organizations and healthcare programs and initiatives, which have not only the best understanding of the real depth of the problem but also have the most credible contacts (La-Piana, Gowdy, & Copen, 2012). Focus will also be on partnering with local health authorities at municipal, county, and state levels, who will in turn facilitate the acquisition of federal funding.
Conclusion
This grant application will begin by the development of a plant that will be looking to obtain internal and external support, which is why the planning phase will begin by seeking institutional approval and guidance. Different ideas from both internal and external stakeholders will be taken to account prior to the presentation of the application. The application will also be focused on partnering with community level health organizations and healthcare programs and initiatives and public authorities at municipal, county, and state levels.




References
Gupta, S. (2015, January 05). America's nine biggest health issues. Retrieved November 18, 2015, from CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/02/opinion/gupta-health-challenges-2015/
La-Piana, D., Gowdy, ‎H., & Copen, B. (2012). The Nonprofit Business Plan: The Leader's Guide to Creating a Successful Business Model. Nashville, TN: Turner Publishing Company.