[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2810 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2810

 To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish various programs 
   for the recruitment and retention of public health workers and to 
eliminate critical public health workforce shortages in Federal, State, 
      local, and tribal public health agencies and health centers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 10, 2009

  Ms. Matsui 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 various programs 
   for the recruitment and retention of public health workers and to 
eliminate critical public health workforce shortages in Federal, State, 
      local, and tribal public health agencies and health centers.

    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 ``Public Health Workforce Investment 
Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purpose of this Act is to address the impending shortage of 
public health workers across the United States by providing financial 
incentives for public health graduates to work in public health 
departments and community health centers.

SEC. 3. PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAMS.

    Part E of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
294n et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``Subpart 3--Public Health Workforce Recruitment and Retention Programs

``SEC. 780. PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish the Public 
Health Workforce Scholarship Program (referred to in this section as 
the `Program') to assure an adequate supply of public health 
professionals to eliminate critical public health workforce shortages 
in Federal, State, local, and tribal public health agencies and health 
centers.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to participate in the Program, 
an individual shall--
            ``(1) be accepted for enrollment, or be enrolled, as a 
        full-time or part-time student--
                    ``(A) in an educational institution in a State or 
                territory that is accredited by the Council on 
                Education for Public Health; and
                    ``(B) in a course of study or program that is 
                accredited by the Council on Education for Public 
                Health, offered by such institution and approved by the 
                Secretary, leading to a health professions degree 
                (graduate, undergraduate, or associate) or certificate, 
                which may include public health, laboratory sciences, 
                epidemiology, environmental health, health 
                communications, health education and behavioral 
                sciences, health policy and management, information 
                sciences, or public administration;
            ``(2) be a United States citizen;
            ``(3) submit an application to the Secretary to participate 
        in the Program; and
            ``(4) sign and submit to the Secretary, at the time of the 
        submission of such application, a written contract (described 
        in subsection (d)) to serve, upon the completion of the course 
        of study or program involved, for the applicable period of 
        obligated service in the full-time employment of a Federal, 
        State, local, or tribal public health agency or a health 
        center.
    ``(c) Dissemination of Information.--
            ``(1) Application and contract forms.--The Secretary shall 
        disseminate application forms and contract forms to individuals 
        desiring to participate in the Program. The Secretary shall 
        include with such forms--
                    ``(A) a fair summary of the rights and liabilities 
                of an individual whose application is approved (and 
                whose contract is accepted) by the Secretary, including 
                in the summary a clear explanation of the damages to 
                which the United States is entitled in the case of the 
                individual's breach of the contract; and
                    ``(B) information relating to the service 
                obligation and such other information as may be 
                necessary for the individual to understand the 
                individual's prospective participation in the Program.
            ``(2) Information for schools.--The Secretary shall 
        distribute to health professions schools and other appropriate 
        accredited academic institutions and relevant Federal, State, 
        local, and tribal public health agencies and health centers, 
        materials providing information on the Program and shall 
        encourage such schools, institutions, and agencies to 
        disseminate such materials to potentially eligible students.
            ``(3) Understandability and timing.--The application form, 
        contract form, and all other information furnished by the 
        Secretary under this section shall--
                    ``(A) be written in a manner calculated to be 
                understood by the average individual applying to 
                participate in the Program; and
                    ``(B) be made available by the Secretary on a date 
                sufficiently early to ensure that such individuals have 
                adequate time to carefully review and evaluate such 
                forms and information.
    ``(d) Contract.--The written contract between the Secretary and an 
individual shall contain--
            ``(1) an agreement on the part of the Secretary that the 
        Secretary will provide the individual with a scholarship for a 
        period of years (not to exceed 4 academic years) during which 
        the individual shall pursue an approved course of study or 
        program to prepare the individual to serve in the public health 
        workforce;
            ``(2) an agreement on the part of the individual that the 
        individual will--
                    ``(A) maintain full-time or part-time enrollment in 
                the approved course of study or program described in 
                subsection (b)(1) until the individual completes that 
                course of study or program;
                    ``(B) while enrolled in the course of study or 
                program, maintain an acceptable level of academic 
                standing (as determined under regulations of the 
                Secretary by the educational institution offering such 
                course of study or program); and
                    ``(C) immediately upon graduation, serve in the 
                full-time employment of a Federal, State, local, or 
                tribal public health agency or a health center in a 
                position related to the course of study or program for 
                which the contract was awarded for a period of time 
                (referred to in this section as the `period of 
                obligated service') equal to the greater of--
                            ``(i) 1 year for each academic year for 
                        which the individual was provided a scholarship 
                        under the Program; or
                            ``(ii) 2 years;
            ``(3) an agreement by both parties as to the nature and 
        extent of the scholarship assistance, which may include--
                    ``(A) payment of the tuition or fee expenses of the 
                individual;
                    ``(B) payment of all other reasonable educational 
                expenses of the individual including fees, books, 
                equipment, and laboratory expenses; and
                    ``(C) payment of a stipend of not more than $1,200 
                per month for each month of the academic year involved 
                (indexed to account for increases in the Consumer Price 
                Index);
            ``(4) a provision that any financial obligation of the 
        United States arising out of a contract entered into under this 
        subsection and any obligation of the individual which is 
        conditioned thereon, is contingent upon funds being 
        appropriated for scholarships under this section;
            ``(5) a statement of the damages to which the United States 
        is entitled for the individual's breach of the contract; and
            ``(6) such other statements of the rights and liabilities 
        of the Secretary and of the individual, not inconsistent with 
        the provisions of this section.
    ``(e) Postponing Obligated Service.--With respect to an individual 
receiving a degree or certificate from a school of medicine, public 
health, nursing, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, 
optometry, podiatry, pharmacy, psychology, or social work under a 
scholarship under the Program, the date of the initiation of the period 
of obligated service may be postponed, upon the submission by the 
individual of a petition for such postponement and approval by the 
Secretary, to the date on which the individual completes an approved 
internship, residency, or other relevant public health advanced 
training program.
    ``(f) Administrative Provisions.--
            ``(1) Contracts with institutions.--The Secretary may 
        contract with an educational institution in which a participant 
        in the Program is enrolled, for the payment to the educational 
        institution of the amounts of tuition or fees and other 
        reasonable educational expenses described in subsection (d)(3).
            ``(2) Employment ceilings.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of law, individuals who have entered into written 
        contracts with the Secretary under this section, while 
        undergoing academic training, shall not be counted against any 
        employment ceiling affecting the Department or any other 
        Federal agency.
    ``(g) Breach of Contract.--An individual who fails to comply with 
the contract entered into under subsection (d) shall be subject to the 
same financial penalties as provided for under section 338E for 
breaches of scholarship contracts under sections 338A.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $35,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2010 through 2015.
    ``(i) Definition.--For purposes of this subpart, the term `health 
center' means a Federally-qualified health center (as defined in 
section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act).

``SEC. 781. PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish the Public 
Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program (referred to in this section as 
the `Program') to assure an adequate supply of public health 
professionals to eliminate critical public health workforce shortages 
in Federal, State, local, and tribal public health agencies and in 
health centers.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to participate in the Program, 
an individual shall--
            ``(1)(A) be accepted for enrollment, or be enrolled, as a 
        full-time or part-time student in an academic educational 
        institution accredited by the Council on Education for Public 
        Health in a State or territory in the final year of a course of 
        study or program offered by that institution leading to a 
        health professions degree or certificate, which may include a 
        degree (graduate, undergraduate, or associate) or certificate 
        relating to public health, laboratory sciences, epidemiology, 
        environmental health, health communications, health policy and 
        management, health education and behavioral sciences, 
        information sciences, or public administration; or
            ``(B) have graduated, within 10 years, from an educational 
        institution accredited by the Council on Education for Public 
        Health in a State or territory and received a health 
        professions degree (graduate, undergraduate, or associate) or 
        certificate, which may include a degree (graduate, 
        undergraduate, or associate) or certificate relating to public 
        health, laboratory sciences, epidemiology, environmental 
        health, health communications, health education and behavioral 
        sciences, health policy and management, information sciences, 
        or public administration;
            ``(2)(A) in the case of an individual described in 
        paragraph (1)(A), have accepted employment with a Federal, 
        State, local, or tribal public health agency or a health 
        center, as recognized by the Secretary, to commence upon 
        graduation; or
            ``(B) in the case of an individual described in paragraph 
        (1)(B), be employed by, or have accepted employment with, a 
        Federal, State, local, or tribal public health agency or a 
        health center, as recognized by the Secretary;
            ``(3) be a United States citizen;
            ``(4) submit an application to the Secretary to participate 
        in the Program; and
            ``(5) sign and submit to the Secretary, at the time of the 
        submission of such application, a written contract (described 
        in subsection (d)) to serve for the applicable period of 
        obligated service in the full-time employment of a Federal, 
        State, local, or tribal public health agency or a health 
        center.
    ``(c) Dissemination of Information.--
            ``(1) Application and contract forms.--The Secretary shall 
        disseminate application forms and contract forms to individuals 
        desiring to participate in the Program. The Secretary shall 
        include with such forms--
                    ``(A) a fair summary of the rights and liabilities 
                of an individual whose application is approved (and 
                whose contract is accepted) by the Secretary, including 
                in the summary a clear explanation of the damages to 
                which the United States is entitled to recover in the 
                case of the individual's breach of the contract; and
                    ``(B) information relating to the service 
                obligation and such other information as may be 
                necessary for the individual to understand the 
                individual's prospective participation in the Program.
            ``(2) Information for schools.--The Secretary shall 
        distribute to health professions schools and programs and other 
        appropriate accredited academic institutions and relevant 
        Federal, State, local, and tribal public health agencies and 
        health centers, materials providing information on the Program 
        and shall encourage such schools, institutions, programs, and 
        agencies to disseminate such materials to potentially eligible 
        students.
            ``(3) Understandability and timing.--The application form, 
        contract form, and all other information furnished by the 
        Secretary under this section shall--
                    ``(A) be written in a manner calculated to be 
                understood by the average individual applying to 
                participate in the Program; and
                    ``(B) be made available by the Secretary on a date 
                sufficiently early to ensure that such individuals have 
                adequate time to carefully review and evaluate such 
                forms and information.
    ``(d) Contract.--The written contract (referred to in this section) 
between the Secretary and an individual shall contain--
            ``(1) an agreement on the part of the Secretary that the 
        Secretary will repay on behalf of the individual loans incurred 
        by the individual in the pursuit of the relevant public health 
        workforce educational degree or certificate in accordance with 
        the terms of the contract;
            ``(2) an agreement on the part of the individual that the 
        individual will serve, immediately upon graduation in the case 
        of an individual described in subsection (b)(1)(A) service, or 
        in the case of an individual described in subsection (b)(1)(B) 
        continue to serve, in the full-time employment of a Federal, 
        State, local, or tribal public health agency or health center 
        in a position related to the course of study or program for 
        which the contract was awarded for a period of time (referred 
        to in this section as the `period of obligated service') equal 
        to the greater of--
                    ``(A) 3 years; or
                    ``(B) such longer period of time as determined 
                appropriate by the Secretary and the individual;
            ``(3) an agreement, as appropriate, on the part of the 
        individual to relocate for the entire period of obligated 
        service to a political jurisdiction designated by the Secretary 
        to be a priority service area in exchange for an additional 
        loan repayment incentive amount that does not exceed 20 percent 
        of the individual's eligible loan repayment award per academic 
        year such that the total of the loan repayment and the 
        incentive amount shall not exceed \1/3\ of the eligible loan 
        balance per year;
            ``(4) in the case of an individual described in subsection 
        (b)(1)(A) who is in the final year of study and who has 
        accepted employment with a Federal, State, local, or tribal 
        public health agency or a health center upon graduation, an 
        agreement on the part of the individual to complete the 
        education or training, maintain an acceptable level of academic 
        standing (as determined by the education institution offering 
        the course of study or training), and agree to the period of 
        obligated service;
            ``(5) a provision that any financial obligation of the 
        United States arising out of a contract entered into under this 
        section and any obligation of the individual that is 
        conditioned thereon, is contingent on funds being appropriated 
        for loan repayments under this section;
            ``(6) a statement of the damages to which the United States 
        is entitled, under this section for the individual's breach of 
        the contract; and
            ``(7) such other statements of the rights and liabilities 
        of the Secretary and of the individual, not inconsistent with 
        this section.
    ``(e) Payments.--
            ``(1) In general.--A loan repayment provided for an 
        individual under a written contract under the Program shall 
        consist of payment, in accordance with paragraph (2), on behalf 
        of the individual of the principal, interest, and related 
        expenses on government and commercial loans received by the 
        individual regarding the undergraduate or graduate education of 
        the individual (or both), which loans were made for--
                    ``(A) tuition or fee expenses; or
                    ``(B) all other reasonable educational expenses, 
                including fees, books, and laboratory expenses, 
                incurred by the individual.
            ``(2) Payments for years served.--
                    ``(A) In general.--For each year of obligated 
                service that an individual contracts to serve under 
                subsection (d) the Secretary may pay up to $35,000 on 
                behalf of the individual for loans described in 
                paragraph (1). With respect to participants under the 
                Program whose total eligible loans are less than 
                $105,000, the Secretary shall pay an amount that does 
                not exceed \1/3\ of the eligible loan balance for each 
                year of obligated service of the individual.
                    ``(B) Repayment schedule.--Any arrangement made by 
                the Secretary for the making of loan repayments in 
                accordance with this subsection shall provide that any 
                repayments for a year of obligated service shall be 
                made no later than the end of the fiscal year in which 
                the individual completes such year of service.
            ``(3) Tax liability.--For the purpose of providing 
        reimbursements for tax liability resulting from payments under 
        paragraph (2) on behalf of an individual--
                    ``(A) the Secretary shall, in addition to such 
                payments, make payments to the individual in an amount 
                not to exceed 39 percent of the total amount of loan 
                repayments made for the taxable year involved; and
                    ``(B) may make such additional payments as the 
                Secretary determines to be appropriate with respect to 
                such purpose.
            ``(4) Payment schedule.--The Secretary may enter into an 
        agreement with the holder of any loan for which payments are 
        made under the Program to establish a schedule for the making 
        of such payments.
    ``(f) Postponing Obligated Service.--With respect to an individual 
receiving a degree or certificate from a school of medicine, public 
health, nursing, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, 
optometry, podiatry, pharmacy, psychology, or social work, the date of 
the initiation of the period of obligated service may be postponed, 
upon the submission by the individual of a petition for such 
postponement and approval by the Secretary, to the date on which the 
individual completes an approved internship, residency, or other 
relevant public health advanced training program.
    ``(g) Administrative Provisions.--
            ``(1) Hiring priority.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
        of law, Federal, State, local, and tribal public health 
        agencies and health centers may give hiring priority to any 
        individual who has qualified for and is willing to execute a 
        contract to participate in the Program.
            ``(2) Employment ceilings.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of law, individuals who have entered into written 
        contracts with the Secretary under this section, who are 
        serving as full-time employees of a State, local, or tribal 
        public health agency or a health center, or who are in the last 
        year of public health workforce academic preparation, shall not 
        be counted against any employment ceiling affecting the 
        Department or any other Federal agency.
    ``(h) Breach of Contract.--An individual who fails to comply with 
the contract entered into under subsection (d) shall be subject to the 
same financial penalties as provided for under section 338E for 
breaches of loan repayment contracts under section 338B.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $195,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2010 through 2015.

``SEC. 782. GRANTS FOR STATE AND LOCAL PROGRAMS.

    ``(a) In General.--For the purpose of operating State, local, 
tribal, and health center public health workforce loan repayment 
programs under this subpart, the Secretary shall award a grant to any 
public health agency that receives public health cooperative 
agreements, or other successor cooperative agreements, from the 
Department of Health and Human Services.
    ``(b) Requirements.--A State or local loan repayment program 
operated with a grant under subsection (a) shall incorporate all 
provisions of the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program under 
section 781, including the ability to designate priority service areas 
within the relevant political jurisdiction.
    ``(c) Administration.--The head of the State or local office that 
receives a grant under subsection (a) shall be responsible for 
contracting and operating the loan repayment program under the grant.
    ``(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to obligate or limit any State, local, or tribal government 
entity from implementing independent or supplemental public health 
workforce development programs within their borders.

``SEC. 783. TRAINING FOR MID-CAREER PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may make grants to, or enter into 
contracts with, any eligible entity to award scholarships to eligible 
individuals to enroll in degree or professional training programs for 
the purpose of enabling mid-career professionals in the public health 
workforce to receive additional training in the field of public health.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--
            ``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' 
        indicates an educational institution accredited by the Council 
        on Education for Public Health that offers a course of study, 
        certificate program, or professional training program in 
        infectious disease science, medicine, public health, veterinary 
        medicine, or other discipline impacting or influenced by 
        bioterrorism or emerging infectious diseases.
            ``(2) Eligible individuals.--The term `eligible 
        individuals' includes those individuals employed in public 
        health positions at the Federal, State, tribal, or local level 
        or a health center who are interested in retaining or upgrading 
        their education.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, $30,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2010 through 2015.

``SEC. 784. CATALOGUE OF FEDERAL PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE EMPLOYMENT 
              OPPORTUNITIES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Director of the Office of Personnel 
Management, in cooperation with the Secretary, shall ensure that, 
included in the Internet website of the Office of Personnel Management, 
there is an online catalogue, or link to an online catalogue, of public 
health workforce employment opportunities in the Federal Government.
    ``(b) Requirements.--To the extent practicable, the catalogue 
described in subsection (a) shall include--
            ``(1) existing and projected job openings in the Federal 
        public health workforce; and
            ``(2) a general discussion of the occupations that comprise 
        the Federal public health workforce.
    ``(c) Information.--The Secretary shall include a copy of the 
catalogue described in subsection (a), or a prominent reference to the 
catalogue, in--
            ``(1) the application forms provided under section 
        780(c)(1); and
            ``(2) the information for schools provided under section 
        780(c)(2).

``SEC. 785. ACADEMIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--
            ``(1) In general.--In order to improve the training of 
        public health students, the Secretary, acting through the 
        Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 
        in consultation with the Association of Schools of Public 
        Health, shall carry out the Academic Health Departments grant 
        program (referred to in this section as the `Program') under 
        which the Secretary shall award competitive grants, of not more 
        than $250,000 each, to eligible partnerships to establish or 
        maintain Academic Health Departments.
            ``(2) Academic health department defined.--For purposes of 
        this section, the term `Academic Health Department' means a 
        program administered by an eligible partnership that provides 
        for collaboration between the academic and practice aspects of 
        public health. The purpose of such a department is to increase 
        the number of graduates in public health who work in State and 
        local health departments, increase the relevance of the 
        curriculum in schools and programs of public health to health 
        department practice, and to increase the use of academic 
        theories, knowledge, and methodologies in the work of health 
        departments.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--For purposes of this section, an eligible 
partnership is a partnership, with respect to establishing an Academic 
Health Department, consisting of--
            ``(1) a State or local public health department; and
            ``(2) a school of public health or a public health degree 
        program that is accredited by the Council on Education for 
        Public Health.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible partnership (as described in 
subsection (b)) may use funds provided under a grant made under 
subsection (a) for the following purposes, with respect to an Academic 
Health Department:
            ``(1) To provide for curriculum development.
            ``(2) To provide for training and academic instruction.
            ``(3) To conduct leadership seminars.
            ``(4) To conduct training needs assessment surveys.
            ``(5) To facilitate appropriate staff of the State or local 
        health department participating in the eligible partnership to 
        teach with the school of public health or public health degree 
        program participating in such partnership.
            ``(6) To facilitate faculty and students of the school of 
        public health or public health degree program participating in 
        the eligible partnership to work in the health department 
        participating in such partnership.
            ``(7) To provide for a project coordinator.
            ``(8) To provide for subgrants to organizations to conduct 
        activities consistent with the goals of the Program.
            ``(9) Other appropriate activities specified by the 
        Secretary to recruit public health students to full-time 
        employment in a health department after graduation.
    ``(d) Reports.--
            ``(1) Grant recipient reports to the secretary.--Each 
        recipient of a grant awarded under subsection (a) shall submit 
        to the Secretary a report for each year for which the recipient 
        received such a grant on the results and outcomes of the 
        activities funded by such grant during such year.
            ``(2) Reports to congress.--For the 3-year period beginning 
        on the date of the establishment of the Program, and for each 
        subsequent 3-year period in which the Program is in existence, 
        the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report, on the results 
        and outcomes of the Program during such 3-year period, 
        including the number of Academic Health Departments funded by 
        grants under the Program, the number of students trained 
        through grants under the Program, and the number of trainees 
        participating in such Academic Health Departments who remain in 
        public health professions.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, $4,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2010 through 2015.''.

SEC. 4. LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION EXAM FOR SOCIAL WORKERS 
              PARTICIPATING IN NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS LOAN 
              REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) Amendment.--Section 338B of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 254l-1) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(i) Licensure or Certification Exam for Social Workers.--
            ``(1) In general.--If the Secretary chooses to require a 
        social worker to pass a licensure or certification exam to be 
        eligible to participate in the Loan Repayment Program, the 
        Secretary shall treat passage of a State's licensure or 
        certification exam for social workers as satisfying such 
        requirement if--
                    ``(A) the State submits a request to the Secretary 
                for such treatment; and
                    ``(B) the Secretary approves the request.
            ``(2) Review of state requests.--
                    ``(A) Standard.--The Secretary shall approve a 
                request submitted by a State under paragraph (1)(A) if 
                the State demonstrates that its licensure or 
                certification exam for social workers is sufficiently 
                stringent to assure that any deviation from the exam 
                otherwise required under this section poses no threat 
                to patient safety or public health.
                    ``(B) Timing.--The Secretary shall approve or 
                disapprove each request submitted by a State under 
                paragraph (1)(A) not later than 180 days after the 
                Secretary's receipt of such request.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--Section 338B(i) of the Public Health Service 
Act, as added by subsection (a), takes effect on the date that is 3 
months after the date of enactment of this Act.
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