Bill Summary
The "Health Workforce Innovation Act" aims to enhance the education and training of allied health professionals through a new program known as the Health Care Workforce Innovation Program. This legislation amends the Public Health Service Act to support innovative, community-driven approaches that specifically address the workforce needs in underserved communities and rural areas.
Key provisions include:
1. **Eligibility for Funding**: Entities such as Federally Qualified Health Centers, State-level associations, rural health clinics, and accredited vocational programs are eligible to apply for grants. Applicants must demonstrate a clear plan for training programs and community engagement.
2. **Grant Utilization**: Funds from the program can be used for a range of initiatives, including partnerships with educational institutions, training programs tailored to community needs, and development opportunities for healthcare professionals. However, the funds cannot be used for construction costs or to replace existing funding.
3. **Focus on Underserved Areas**: The program prioritizes applicants that aim to increase workforce diversity by recruiting individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and improving healthcare access in underserved regions.
4. **Reporting Requirements**: Recipients of the grants must provide periodic reports to the Secretary of Health detailing the outcomes of their programs.
5. **Funding Authorization**: The legislation authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 2027 through 2029, with individual grants capped at $2.5 million.
Overall, the Act seeks to bolster the healthcare workforce by promoting innovative training solutions that better reflect and serve the needs of communities with limited access to healthcare services.
Possible Impacts
The "Health Workforce Innovation Act" can have several impacts on individuals and communities. Here are three examples of how this legislation could affect people:
1. **Increased Access to Healthcare in Underserved Areas**: By focusing on expanding the supply of allied health professionals in underserved communities and rural areas, the legislation aims to enhance healthcare access for residents in these regions. Individuals living in areas with a shortage of healthcare providers may experience improved access to essential services such as medical, dental, and behavioral health care, potentially leading to better health outcomes and reduced health disparities.
2. **Job Creation and Workforce Development**: The establishment of the Health Care Workforce Innovation Program will likely lead to the creation of new educational and training opportunities for individuals in allied health professions. This could result in increased job prospects for local residents, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds who may not have previously considered careers in healthcare. As training programs are developed and expanded, participants may gain valuable skills that enhance their employability in the healthcare sector.
3. **Community-Driven Health Initiatives**: The emphasis on community-driven approaches means that local entities will have the opportunity to tailor healthcare training programs to meet specific community needs. This could foster a sense of ownership and empowerment within the community, as residents may participate in shaping the workforce that serves them. Additionally, programs that involve partnerships with local schools and vocational institutions may encourage younger individuals to pursue careers in health care, thereby building a sustainable local workforce over time.
Overall, the Health Workforce Innovation Act aims to address healthcare access issues while simultaneously creating opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive in the health sector.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4254 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4254
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a health care
workforce innovation program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 26, 2026
Mr. Wyden (for himself and Mrs. Blackburn) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a health care
workforce innovation program.
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 Workforce Innovation Act''.
SEC. 2. HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE INNOVATION PROGRAM.
Section 755(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294e(b))
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(5)(A) Supporting and developing new innovative,
community-driven approaches for the education and training of
allied health professionals, including those described in
subparagraph (F)(i), with an emphasis on expanding the supply
of such professionals located in, and meeting the needs of,
underserved communities and rural areas. Grants or contracts
under this paragraph shall be awarded through a new program
(referred to as the `Health Care Workforce Innovation Program'
or in this paragraph as the `Program').
``(B) To be eligible to receive a grant or contract under
the Program an entity shall--
``(i) be a Federally qualified health center (as
defined in section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the Social Security
Act), a State-level association or other consortium
that represents and is comprised of Federally qualified
health centers, a certified rural health clinic that
meets the requirements of section 334, or an
accredited, nonprofit post-secondary vocational program
that trains allied health professionals to work in
primary care settings; and
``(ii) submit to the Secretary an application that,
at a minimum, contains--
``(I) a description of how all trainees
will be trained in accredited training programs
either directly or through partnerships with
public or nonprofit private entities, such as
schools of allied health;
``(II) a description of the community-
driven health care workforce innovation model
to be carried out under the grant or contract,
including the specific allied health
professions to be funded;
``(III) the geographic service area that
will be served, including quantitative data, if
available, showing that such particular area
faces a shortage of allied health professionals
and lacks access to health care;
``(IV) a description of the benefits
provided to each health care professional
trained under the proposed model during the
education and training phase;
``(V) a description of the experience that
the applicant has in the recruitment,
retention, and promotion of the well-being of
workers and volunteers;
``(VI) a description of how the funding
awarded under the Program will supplement
rather than supplant existing funding;
``(VII) a description of the scalability
and replicability of the community-driven
approach to be funded under the Program;
``(VIII) a description of the
infrastructure, outreach and communication plan
and other program support costs required to
operationalize the proposed model; and
``(IX) any other information, as the
Secretary determines appropriate.
``(C)(i) An entity shall use amounts received under a grant
or contract awarded under the Program to carry out the
innovative, community-driven model described in the application
under subparagraph (B). Such amounts may be used for launching
new or expanding existing innovative health care professional
partnerships, including the following specific uses:
``(I) Establishing or expanding a partnership
between such entity and 1 or more high schools,
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 grantee's facilities.
``(II) Providing education and training programs to
improve allied health professionals' readiness in
settings that serve underserved communities and rural
areas; encouraging students from underserved and
disadvantaged backgrounds and former patients to
consider careers in health care, and better reflecting
and meeting community needs; 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; providing pre-apprenticeship and
apprenticeship programs for health care technical,
support, and entry-level occupations, particularly for
those enrolled in dual or concurrent enrollment
programs; building a preceptorship training-to-practice
model for medical, behavioral health, oral health, and
public health disciplines in an integrated, community-
driven setting; providing and expanding internships,
career ladders, and development opportunities for
health care professionals, including new and existing
staff; or investing in training equipment, supplies,
and limited renovations or retrofitting of training
space needed for grantees to carry out their particular
model.
``(ii) Amounts received under a grant or contract awarded
under the Program shall not be used to support construction
costs or to supplant funding from existing programs that
support the applicant's health workforce.
``(iii) Models funded under the Program shall be for a
duration of at least 3 years.
``(D) In awarding grants or contracts under the Program,
the Secretary shall give priority to applicants that will use
grant or contract funds to support workforce innovation models
that increase the number of individuals from underserved and
disadvantaged backgrounds working in such health care
professions, improve access to health care (including medical,
behavioral health and oral health) in underserved communities,
or demonstrate that the model can be replicated in other
underserved communities in a cost-efficient and effective
manner to achieve the purposes of the Program.
``(E) An entity that receives a grant or contract under the
Program shall provide periodic reports to the Secretary
detailing the findings and outcomes of the innovative,
community-driven model carried out under the grant. Such
reports shall contain information in a manner and at such times
as determined appropriate by the Secretary.
``(F) In this paragraph:
``(i) The term `allied health professional'
includes individuals who provide clinical support
services, including medical assistants, dental
assistants, dental hygienists, dental therapists,
pharmacy technicians, physical therapists, physical
therapist assistants and health care interpreters;
individuals providing non-clinical support, such as
billing and coding professionals and health information
technology professionals; dieticians; medical
technologists; emergency medical technicians; community
health workers; health education specialists; health
care paraprofessionals; and peer support specialists.
``(ii) The term `rural area' has the meaning given
such term by the Administrator of the Health Resources
and Services Administration.
``(iii) The term `underserved communities' means
areas, population groups, and facilities designated as
health professional shortage areas under section 332,
medically underserved areas as defined under section
330I(a), or medically underserved populations as
defined under section 330(b)(3).
``(G)(i) There are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2029,
to carry out this paragraph, to remain available until
expended.
``(ii) A grant or contract provided under the Program shall
not exceed $2,500,000 for a grant period.''.
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