1.
This Act may be cited as the
Allied Health Reinvestment
Act
.
2.
(a)
Congress makes the following findings:
(1)
The United States Census Bureau and other reports highlight the
increased demand for acute and chronic healthcare services among both the
general population and a rapidly growing aging portion of the
population.
(2)
The calls for reduction in medical errors, increased patient
safety, and quality of care have resulted in an amplified call for allied
health professionals to provide healthcare services.
(3)
Several allied health professions are characterized by workforce
shortages, declining enrollments in allied health education programs, or a
combination of both factors, and hospital officials have reported vacancy rates
in positions occupied by allied health professionals.
(4)
Many allied health education programs are facing significant
economic pressure that could force their closure due to an insufficient number
of students.
(b)
It is the purpose of this Act to provide incentives for
individuals to seek and complete high quality allied health education and
training and provide additional funding to ensure that such education and
training can be provided to allied health students so that the United States
healthcare industry with have a supply of allied health professionals needed to
support the health care system of the United States in this decade and
beyond.
3.
Amendment to the Public Health
Service Act
Title VII of the
Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C.
292 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
G
Allied health professionals
799C.
In this part:
(1)
Allied health education program
The term allied health education program means any
postsecondary educational program offered by an institution accredited by an
agency or commission recognized by the Department of Education, or leading to a
State certificate or license or any other educational program approved by the
Secretary. Such term includes colleges, universities, or schools of allied
health and equivalent entities that include programs leading to a certificate,
associate, baccalaureate, or graduate level degree in an allied health
profession.
(2)
Allied health professions
The term allied health professions includes
professions in the following areas at the certificate, associate,
baccalaureate, or graduate level:
(A)
Dental hygiene.
(B)
Dietetics or nutrition.
(C)
Emergency medical services.
(D)
Health information management.
(E)
Clinical laboratory sciences and medical technology.
(F)
Cytotechnology.
(G)
Occupational therapy.
(H)
Physical therapy.
(I)
Radiologic technology.
(J)
Nuclear medical technology.
(K)
Rehabilitation counseling.
(L)
Respiratory therapy.
(M)
Speech-language pathology and audiology.
(N)
Any other profession determined appropriate by the
Secretary.
(3)
The term health care facility means an outpatient
health care facility, hospital, nursing home, home health care agency, hospice,
federally qualified health center, nurse managed health center, rural health
clinic, public health clinic, or any similar healthcare facility or practice
that employs allied health professionals.
799C–1.
Public service announcements
The Secretary shall develop
and issue public service announcements that shall—
(1)
advertise and promote the allied health professions;
(2)
highlight the advantages and rewards of the allied health
professions; and
(3)
encourage individuals from diverse communities and backgrounds
to enter the allied health professions.
799C–2.
State and local public service announcements
(a)
The Secretary shall award grants to designated eligible
entities to support State and local advertising campaigns that are conducted
through appropriate media outlets (as determined by the Secretary) to—
(1)
promote the allied health professions;
(2)
highlight the advantages and rewards of the allied health
professions; and
(3)
encourage individuals from disadvantaged communities and
backgrounds to enter the allied health professions.
(b)
To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an
entity shall—
(1)
be a professional, national, or State allied health
association, State health care provider, or association of one or more health
care facilities, allied health education programs, or other entities that
provides similar services or serves a like function; and
(2)
prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
799C–3.
Allied health recruitment grant program
(a)
The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to
increase allied health professions education opportunities.
(b)
To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an
entity shall—
(1)
be a professional, national, or State allied health
association, State health care provider, or association of one or more health
care facilities, allied health education programs, or other eligible entities
that provides similar services or serves a like function; and
(2)
prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
(c)
An entity shall use amounts received under a grant under
subsection (a) to—
(1)
support outreach programs at elementary and secondary schools
that inform guidance counselors and students of education opportunities
regarding the allied health professions;
(2)
carry out special projects to increase allied health education
opportunities for individuals who are from disadvantaged backgrounds (including
racial and ethnic minorities that are underrepresented among the allied health
professions) by providing student scholarships or stipends, pre-entry
preparation, and retention activities;
(3)
provide assistance to public and nonprofit private educational
institutions to support remedial education programs for allied health students
who require assistance with math, science, English, and medical
terminology;
(4)
meet the costs of child care and transportation for individuals
who are taking part in an allied health education program at any level;
and
(5)
support community-based partnerships seeking to recruit allied
health professionals in rural communities and medically underserved urban
communities, and other communities experiencing an allied health professions
shortage.
799C–4.
Grants for health career academies
(a)
The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to assist
such entities in collaborating to carry out programs that form education
pipelines to facilitate the entry of students of secondary educational
institutions, especially underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities, into
careers in the allied health professions.
(b)
To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an
entity shall—
(1)
be an institution that offers allied health education programs,
a health care facility, or a secondary educational institution; and
(2)
prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
799C–5.
Allied health education, practice, and retention
grants
(a)
The Secretary may award grants to or enter into contracts with
eligible entities to—
(1)
expand the enrollment of individuals in allied health education
programs, especially the enrollment of underrepresented racial and ethnic
minority students; and
(2)
provide education through new technologies and methods,
including distance-learning methodologies.
(b)
The Secretary may award grants to or enter into contracts with
eligible entities to—
(1)
establish or expand allied health practice arrangements in
noninstitutional settings to demonstrate methods to improve access to primary
health care in rural areas and other medically underserved communities;
(2)
provide care for underserved populations and other high-risk
groups such as the elderly, individuals with HIV/AIDS, substance abusers, the
homeless, and victims of domestic violence;
(3)
provide managed care, information management, quality
improvement, and other skills needed to practice in existing and emerging
organized health care systems; or
(4)
develop generational and cultural competencies among allied
health professionals.
(c)
(1)
The Secretary may award grants to and enter into contracts with
eligible entities to enhance the allied health professions workforce by
initiating and maintaining allied health retention programs described in
paragraph (2) or (3).
(2)
Grants for career ladder programs
The Secretary may award grants to and enter into contracts with
eligible entities for programs—
(A)
to promote career advancement for allied health personnel in a
variety of training settings, cross training or specialty training among
diverse population groups, and the advancement of individuals; and
(B)
to assist individuals in obtaining the education and training
required to enter the allied health professions and advance within such
professions, such as by providing career counseling and mentoring.
(3)
Enhancing patient care delivery systems
(A)
The Secretary may award grants to eligible entities to improve
the retention of allied health professionals and to enhance patient care that
is directly related to allied health activities by enhancing collaboration and
communication among allied health professionals and other health care
professionals, and by promoting allied health involvement in the organizational
and clinical decision-making processes of a health care facility.
(B)
In making awards of grants under this paragraph, the Secretary
shall give preferences to applicants that have not previously received an award
under this paragraph and to applicants from rural, underserved areas.
(C)
The Secretary shall make continuation of any award under this
paragraph beyond the second year of such award contingent on the recipient of
such award having demonstrated to the Secretary measurable and substantive
improvement in allied health personnel retention or patient care.
(d)
To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity
shall—
(1)
be a health care facility, or any partnership or coalition
containing a health care facility or allied health education program;
and
(2)
prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
799C–6.
Developing models and best practices program
(a)
The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to enable
such entities to carry out demonstration programs using models and best
practices in allied health for the purpose of developing innovative strategies
or approaches for the retention of allied health professionals.
(b)
To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity
shall—
(1)
be a health care facility, or any partnership or coalition
containing a health care facility or allied health education program;
and
(2)
prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
(c)
In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall
ensure that grantees represent a variety of geographic regions and a range of
different types and sizes of facilities, including facilities located in rural,
urban, and suburban areas.
(d)
An entity shall use amounts received under a grant under this
section to carry out demonstration programs of models and best practices in
allied health for the purpose of—
(1)
promoting retention and satisfaction of allied health
professionals;
(2)
promoting opportunities for allied health professionals to
pursue education, career advancement, and organizational recognition;
and
(3)
developing continuing education programs that instruct allied
health professionals in how to use emerging medical technologies and how to
address current and future health care needs.
(e)
Area health education centers
The Secretary shall award grants to area health education
centers to enable such centers to enter into contracts with allied health
education programs to expand the operation of area health education centers to
work in communities to develop models of excellence for allied health
professionals or to expand any junior and senior high school mentoring programs
to include an allied health professions mentoring program.
799C–7.
Allied health faculty loan program
(a)
The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health
Resources and Services Administration, may enter into an agreement with any
institution offering an eligible allied health education program for the
establishment and operation of a faculty loan fund in accordance with this
section (referred to in this section as the loan fund
), to
increase the number of qualified allied health faculty.
(b)
Each agreement entered into under this section shall—
(1)
provide for the establishment of a loan fund by the institution
offering the allied health education program involved;
(2)
provide for deposit in the loan fund of—
(A)
the Federal capital contributions to the fund;
(B)
an amount provided by the institution involved which shall be
equal to not less than one-ninth of the amount of the Federal capital
contribution under subparagraph (A);
(C)
any collections of principal and interest on loans made from
the fund; and
(D)
any other earnings of the fund;
(3)
provide that the loan fund will be used only for the provision
of loans to faculty of the allied health education program in accordance with
subsection (c) and for the costs of the collection of such loans and the
interest thereon;
(4)
provide that loans may be made from such fund only to faculty
who are pursuing a full-time course of study or, at the discretion of the
Secretary, a part-time course of study in an advanced degree program;
and
(5)
contain such other provisions determined appropriate by the
Secretary to protect the financial interests of the United States.
(c)
Loans from any faculty loan fund established pursuant to an
agreement under this section shall be made to an individual on such terms and
conditions as the allied health education program may determine, except
that—
(1)
such terms and conditions are subject to any conditions,
limitations, and requirements prescribed by the Secretary;
(2)
in the case of any individual, the total of the loans for any
academic year made by an allied health education program from loan funds
established pursuant to agreements under this section may not exceed $30,000,
plus any amount determined by the Secretary on an annual basis to reflect
inflation;
(3)
upon completion by the individual of each of the first, second,
and third year of full-time employment, as required under the loan agreement,
as a faculty member in an allied health education program, the program shall
cancel 20 percent of the principal and interest due on the amount of the unpaid
portion of the loan on the first day of such employment;
(4)
upon completion by the individual of the fourth year of
full-time employment, as required under the loan agreement, as a faculty member
in an allied health education program, the program shall cancel 25 percent of
the principal and interest due on the amount of the unpaid portion of the loan
on the first day of such employment;
(5)
the loan may be used to pay the cost of tuition, fees, books,
laboratory expenses, and other reasonable education expenses;
(6)
the loan shall be repayable in equal or graduated periodic
installments (with the right of the borrower to accelerate repayment) over the
10-year period that begins 9 months after the individual ceases to pursue a
course of study in an allied health education program; and
(7)
such loan shall—
(A)
beginning on the date that is 3 months after the individual
ceases to pursue a course of study in an allied health education program, bear
interest on the unpaid balance of the loan at the rate of 3 percent per year;
or
(B)
subject to subsection (e), if the allied health education
program determines that the individual will not complete such course of study
or serve as a faculty member as required under the loan agreement under this
subsection, bear interest on the unpaid balance of the loan at the prevailing
market rate.
(d)
Payment of proportionate share
Where all or any part of a loan (including interest thereon) is
canceled under this section, the Secretary shall pay to the allied health
education program involved an amount equal to the program’s proportionate share
of the canceled portion, as determined by the Secretary.
(e)
At the request of the individual involved, the Secretary may
review any determination by an allied health education program under this
section.
799C–8.
Scholarship program for service in rural and other medically
underserved areas
(a)
The Secretary shall establish a scholarship program (referred
to in this section as the program
) to provide scholarships to
individuals seeking allied health education who agree to provide service in
rural and other medically underserved areas with allied health personnel
shortages.
(b)
In awarding scholarships under this section, the Secretary
shall give preference to—
(1)
applicants who demonstrate the greatest financial need;
(2)
applicants who agree to serve in health care facilities
experiencing allied health shortages in rural and other medically underserved
areas;
(3)
applicants who are currently working in a health care facility
who agree to serve the period of obligated service at such facility;
(4)
minority applicants; and
(5)
applicants with an interest in a practice area of allied health
that has unmet needs.
(c)
(1)
Under the program, the Secretary shall enter into contracts
with eligible individuals under which such individuals agree to serve as allied
health professionals for a period of not less than 2 years at a health care
facility with a critical shortage of allied health professionals in
consideration of the Federal Government agreeing to provide to the individuals
scholarships for attendance in an allied health education program.
(2)
In this subsection, the term eligible individual
means an individual who is enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time
or part-time student in an allied health education program.
(3)
(A)
The Secretary may not enter into a contract with an eligible
individual under this section unless the individual agrees to serve as an
allied health professional at a health care facility with a critical shortage
of allied health professionals for a period of full-time service of not less
than 2 years, or for a period of part-time service in accordance with
subparagraph (B).
(B)
An individual may complete the period of service described in
subparagraph (A) on a part-time basis if the individual has a written agreement
that—
(i)
is entered into by the facility and the individual and is
approved by the Secretary; and
(ii)
provides that the period of obligated service will be extended
so that the aggregate amount of service performed will equal the amount of
service that would be performed through a period of full-time service of not
less than 2 years.
(d)
Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this
part, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a report describing the program carried out
under this section, including statements regarding—
(1)
the number of enrollees by specialty or discipline,
scholarships, and grant recipients;
(2)
the number of graduates;
(3)
the amount of scholarship payments made;
(4)
which educational institution the recipients attended;
(5)
the number and placement location of the scholarship recipients
at health care facilities with a critical shortage of allied health
professionals;
(6)
the default rate and actions required;
(7)
the amount of outstanding default funds of the scholarship
program;
(8)
to the extent that it can be determined, the reason for the
default;
(9)
the demographics of the individuals participating in the
scholarship program; and
(10)
an evaluation of the overall costs and benefits of the
program.
799C–9.
Grants for clinical education, internship, and residency
programs
(a)
The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to
develop clinical education, internship, and residency programs that encourage
mentoring and the development of specialties.
(b)
To be eligible for a grant under this section an entity
shall—
(1)
be a partnership of an allied health education program and a
health care facility; and
(2)
prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
(c)
An eligible entity shall use amounts received under a grant
under this section to—
(1)
develop clinical education, internship, and residency programs
and curriculum and training programs for graduates of an allied health
education program;
(2)
provide support for faculty and mentors; and
(3)
provide support for allied health professionals participating
in clinical education, internship, and residency programs on both a full-time
and part-time basis.
799C–10.
(a)
The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to enable
such entities to form partnerships to carry out the activities described in
this section.
(b)
To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, and
entity shall—
(1)
be a partnership between an allied health education program and
a health care facility; and
(2)
prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
(c)
An eligible entity shall use amounts received under a grant
under this section to—
(1)
provide employees of the health care facility that is a member
of the partnership involved advanced training and education in a allied health
education program;
(2)
establish or expand allied health practice arrangements in
non-institutional settings to demonstrate methods to improve access to health
care in rural and other medically underserved communities;
(3)
purchase distance learning technology to extend general
education and training programs to rural areas, and to extend specialty
education and training programs to all areas; and
(4)
establish or expand mentoring, clinical education, and
internship programs for training in specialty care areas.
799C–11.
Allied health professions training for diversity
The Secretary, acting in
conjunction with allied health professional associations, shall develop a
system for collecting and analyzing allied health workforce data gathered by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Health Resources and Services
Administration, other entities within the Department of Health and Human
Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Center for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, the Department of Defense, allied health professional
associations, and regional centers for health workforce studies to determine
educational pipeline and practitioner shortages, and project future needs for
such a workforce.
799C–12.
Allied health professions training for diversity
The Secretary shall include
schools of allied health among the health professions schools that are eligible
to receive grants under this part for the purpose of assisting such schools in
supporting Centers of Excellence in health professions education for
under-represented minority individuals.
799C–13.
Reports by general accounting office
Not later than 4 years after
the date of enactment of this part, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct an evaluation of whether the programs carried out under
this part have demonstrably increased the number of applicants to allied health
education programs and prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of
Congress a report concerning the results of such evaluation.
799C–14.
Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this part, such sums as may be necessary for each of
fiscal years 2006 through 2011.
.