118 HR 7307 IH: Health Care Workforce Innovation Act of 2024
U.S. House of Representatives
2024-02-09
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I
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7307
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.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Health Care Workforce Innovation Act of 2024”.
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:
“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.”.