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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7307 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7307
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to
expand the number of allied health professionals in underserved
communities and rural areas, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 9, 2024
Mr. Molinaro (for himself and Ms. Craig) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to
expand the number of allied health professionals in underserved
communities and rural areas, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Health Care Workforce Innovation Act
of 2024''.
SEC. 2. HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE INNOVATION PROGRAM.
Subpart 3 of part E of title VII of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 295f et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 779. HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE INNOVATION PROGRAM.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Allied health professionals.--The term `allied health
professionals'--
``(A) has the meaning given the term in section
799B; and
``(B) includes--
``(i) an individual who provides clinical
support services, such as a medical assistant,
dental assistant, dental hygienist, pharmacy
technician, physical therapist, or health care
interpreter;
``(ii) an individual who provides
nonclinical support services, such as a billing
and coding professional or a health information
technology professional;
``(iii) a dietician;
``(iv) a medical technologist;
``(v) an emergency medical technician;
``(vi) a community health worker;
``(vii) a public health worker; and
``(viii) a peer support worker.
``(2) Program.--The term `Program' means the Health Care
Workforce Innovation Program established under subsection (b).
``(3) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary,
acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and
Services Administration.
``(4) Underserved community.--The term `underserved
community' means--
``(A) a health professional shortage area (as
defined in section 332(a));
``(B) a medically underserved community (as defined
in section 799B); and
``(C) a medically underserved population (as
defined in section 330(b)).
``(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a grant
program, to be known as the `Health Care Workforce Innovation Program',
under which the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to
support and develop new innovative, community-driven approaches for the
education and training of allied health professionals, with an emphasis
on expanding the supply of allied health professionals located in, and
meeting the needs of, underserved communities and rural areas.
``(c) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under the
Program, an entity shall be--
``(1) a Federally-qualified health center (as defined in
section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act);
``(2) an entity that represents, or is comprised of,
Federally-qualified health centers; or
``(3) a rural health clinic that meets the requirements of
an entity to which a Corps member is assigned under section
334.
``(d) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under the
Program shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require, including--
``(1) a description of how allied health professionals will
be trained in accredited training programs either directly or
through partnerships with public or nonprofit private entities,
to the extent applicable;
``(2) a description of the community-driven health care
workforce innovation model to be carried out under the grant,
including the specific allied health professions to be funded;
``(3) the geographic service area that will be served,
including quantitative data, if available, showing that such
area faces a shortage of allied health professionals and lacks
access to health care;
``(4) a description of the benefits provided to each allied
health professional trained under the proposed model during the
education and training phase;
``(5) a description of the experience that the eligible
entity has in the recruitment, retention, and promotion of the
well-being of workers and patients;
``(6) a description of how the funding awarded under the
Program will supplement, and not supplant, existing funding
that supports the health care workforce of the eligible entity;
``(7) a description of the scalability and replicability of
the community-driven approach to be funded under the grant; and
``(8) a description of the infrastructure, outreach, and
communication plan and other program support costs required to
operationalize the proposed model.
``(e) Use of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--A grantee shall use amounts received
under a grant awarded under the Program to carry out the
community-driven health care workforce innovation model
described in the application of the grantee under subsection
(d)(2), which shall be carried out for a period of not less
than 3 years.
``(2) Specific uses.--In carrying out the community-driven
health care workforce innovation model under paragraph (1), a
grantee may use grant amounts for the following specific uses:
``(A) Launching new or expanding existing
innovative health care professional partnerships.
``(B) Establishing or expanding a partnership
between an eligible entity and 1 or more high schools
(as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965), accredited public or
nonprofit private vocational-technical schools,
accredited public or nonprofit private 2-year colleges,
area health education centers, and entities with
clinical settings for the provision of education and
training opportunities not available at the facilities
of such grantee.
``(C) Providing education and training programs to
improve the readiness of allied health professionals in
settings that serve underserved communities and rural
areas.
``(D) Encouraging students from underserved
communities and disadvantaged backgrounds and former
patients to consider careers in health care, better
reflecting and meeting community needs.
``(E) Providing education and training programs for
individuals to work in patient-centered, team-based,
community-driven health care models that include
integration with other clinical practitioners and
training in cultural and linguistic competence.
``(F) Providing pre-apprenticeship and
apprenticeship programs for health care technical,
support, and entry-level occupations, particularly for
individuals enrolled in dual or concurrent enrollment
programs.
``(G) Building a preceptorship training-to-practice
model for medical, behavioral health, oral health care,
and public health disciplines in an integrated,
community-driven setting.
``(H) Providing and expanding internships, career
ladders, and development opportunities for health care
professionals, including new and existing staff.
``(I) Investing in training equipment, supplies,
and limited renovations or retrofitting of training
space needed for grantees to carry out the community-
driven health care workforce innovation model under
paragraph (1).
``(3) Limitations.--Amounts received under a grant awarded
under the Program may not be used--
``(A) to support construction costs (other than the
limited renovations and retrofits described in
paragraph (1)(I)); or
``(B) to supplant funding from existing programs
that support the health care workforce of the grantee.
``(f) Priorities.--In awarding grants under the Program, the
Secretary shall give priority to applicants that will use grant funds--
``(1) to support a community-driven health care workforce
innovation model that increases the number of individuals from
underserved communities and disadvantaged backgrounds working
in allied health professions;
``(2) to improve access to health care, including medical
care, behavioral health care, and oral health care, in
underserved communities; or
``(3) to demonstrate that the community-driven health care
workforce innovation model to be carried out using such grant
funds can be replicated in other underserved communities in a
cost-efficient and effective manner.
``(g) Grant Amount and Period.--A grant awarded under the Program--
``(1) shall not exceed $2,500,000; and
``(2) shall be for a period of not less than 3 years.
``(h) Reports.--Each entity that receives a grant under the Program
shall submit to the Secretary periodic reports at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require,
including a detailed description of the findings and outcomes of the
community-driven health care workforce innovation model carried out
under the grant.
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2025 through 2029, to remain available until expended.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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