Index for HR3962: Affordable Health Care for America Act

To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes.

Mr. Dingell (for himself, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Waxman, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Stark, Mr. Pallone, and Mr. Andrews) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

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

“(a) Program.—The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration and in consultation with the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, shall establish an interdisciplinary mental and behavioral health training program consisting of awarding grants and contracts under subsection (b).

“(b) Support and development of mental and behavioral health training programs.—The Secretary shall make grants to, or enter into contracts with, eligible entities—

“(1) to plan, develop, operate, or participate in an accredited professional training program for mental and behavioral health professionals to promote—

“(A) interdisciplinary training; and

“(B) coordination of the delivery of health care within and across settings, including health care institutions, community-based settings, and the patient’s home;

“(2) to provide financial assistance to mental and behavioral health professionals, who are participants in any such program, and who plan to work in the field of mental and behavioral health;

“(3) to plan, develop, operate, or participate in an accredited program for the training of mental and behavioral health professionals who plan to teach in the field of mental and behavioral health; and

“(4) to provide financial assistance in the form of traineeships and fellowships to mental and behavioral health professionals who are participants in any such program and who plan to teach in the field of mental and behavioral health.

“(c) Eligibility.—To be eligible for a grant or contract under subsection (b), an entity shall be—

“(1) an accredited health professions school, including an accredited school or program of psychology, psychiatry, social work, marriage and family therapy, professional mental health or substance abuse counseling, or addiction medicine;

“(2) an accredited public or nonprofit private hospital;

“(3) a public or private nonprofit entity; or

“(4) a consortium of 2 or more entities described in paragraphs (1) through (3).

“(d) Preference.—In awarding grants or contracts under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to entities that have a demonstrated record of at least one of the following:

“(1) Training a high or significantly improved percentage of health professionals who serve in underserved communities.

“(2) Supporting teaching programs that address the health care needs of vulnerable populations.

“(3) Training individuals who are from disadvantaged backgrounds (including racial and ethnic minorities underrepresented among mental and behavioral health professionals).

“(4) Training individuals who serve geriatric populations with an emphasis on underserved elderly.

“(5) Training individuals who serve pediatric populations with an emphasis on underserved children.

“(e) Report.—The Secretary shall submit to the Congress an annual report on the program under this section.

“(f) Definition.—In this section:

“(1) The term ‘interdisciplinary’ means collaboration across health professions, specialties, and subspecialties, which may include public health, nursing, allied health, dietetics or nutrition, and appropriate health specialties.

“(2) The term ‘mental and behavioral health professional’ means an individual training or practicing—

“(A) in psychology; general, geriatric, child or adolescent psychiatry; social work; marriage and family therapy; professional mental health or substance abuse counseling; or addiction medicine; or

“(B) another mental and behavioral health specialty, as deemed appropriate by the Secretary.

“(g) Authorization of appropriations.—To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015. Of the amounts appropriated to carry out this section for a fiscal year, not less than 15 percent shall be used for training programs in psychology.”.