[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 1 (Thursday, January 4, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S72-S73]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REID (for Mr. Inouye):
  S. 53. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide 
health care practitioners in rural areas with training in preventive 
health care, including both physical and mental care, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Rural 
Preventive Health Care Training Act, a bill that responds to the dire 
need of our rural communities for quality health care and disease 
prevention programs. Almost one fourth of Americans live in rural areas 
and frequently lack access to adequate physical and mental health care. 
As many as 21 million of the 34 million people living in underserved 
rural areas are without access to a primary care provider. Even in 
areas where providers do exist, there are numerous limits to access, 
such as geography, distance, lack of transportation, and lack of 
knowledge about available resources. Due to the diversity of rural 
populations, language and cultural obstacles are often a factor in the 
access to medical care.
  Compound these problems with limited financial resources, and the 
result is that many Americans living in rural communities go without 
vital health care, especially preventive care. Children fail to receive 
immunizations and routine checkups. Preventable illnesses and injuries 
occur needlessly, and lead to expensive hospitalizations. Early 
symptoms of emotional problems and substance abuse go undetected, and 
often develop into full-blown disorders.
  An Institute of Medicine (IOM) report entitled, ``Reducing Risks for 
Mental Disorders: Frontiers for Preventive Intervention Research,'' 
highlights the benefits of preventive care for all health problems. The 
training of health care providers in prevention is crucial in order to 
meet the demand for care in underserved areas. Currently, rural

[[Page S73]]

health care providers lack preventive care training opportunities.
  Interdisciplinary preventive training of rural health care providers 
must be encouraged. Through such training, rural health care providers 
can build a strong educational foundation from the behavioral, 
biological, and psychological sciences. Interdisciplinary team 
prevention training will also facilitate operations at sites with both 
health and mental health clinics by facilitating routine consultation 
between groups. Emphasizing the mental health disciplines and their 
services as part of the health care team will contribute to the overall 
health of rural communities.
  The Rural Preventive Health Care Training Act would implement the 
risk-reduction model described in the IOM study. This model is based on 
the identification of risk factors and targets specific interventions 
for those risk factors. The human suffering caused by poor health is 
immeasurable, and places a huge financial burden on communities, 
families, and individuals. By implementing preventive measures to 
reduce this suffering, the potential psychological and financial 
savings are enormous.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of this bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 53

       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 ``Rural Preventive Health Care 
     Training Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE TRAINING.

       Part D of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 
     U.S.C. 294 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 754 
     the following:

     ``SEC. 754A. PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE TRAINING.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may make grants to, and 
     enter into contracts with, eligible applicants to enable such 
     applicants to provide preventive health care training, in 
     accordance with subsection (c), to health care practitioners 
     practicing in rural areas. Such training shall, to the extent 
     practicable, include training in health care to prevent both 
     physical and mental disorders before the initial occurrence 
     of such disorders. In carrying out this subsection, the 
     Secretary shall encourage, but may not require, the use of 
     interdisciplinary training project applications.
       ``(b) Limitation.--To be eligible to receive training using 
     assistance provided under subsection (a), a health care 
     practitioner shall be determined by the eligible applicant 
     involved to be practicing, or desiring to practice, in a 
     rural area.
       ``(c) Use of Assistance.--Amounts received under a grant 
     made or contract entered into under this section shall be 
     used--
       ``(1) to provide student stipends to individuals attending 
     rural community colleges or other institutions that service 
     predominantly rural communities, for the purpose of enabling 
     the individuals to receive preventive health care training;
       ``(2) to increase staff support at rural community colleges 
     or other institutions that service predominantly rural 
     communities to facilitate the provision of preventive health 
     care training;
       ``(3) to provide training in appropriate research and 
     program evaluation skills in rural communities;
       ``(4) to create and implement innovative programs and 
     curricula with a specific prevention component; and
       ``(5) for other purposes as the Secretary determines to be 
     appropriate.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
     $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2011.''.
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