California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 2216


Introduced by Assembly Member Bonta

February 18, 2016


An act to add Section 127941 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to health workforce development.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2216, as introduced, Bonta. Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education: grant program.

Existing federal and state laws contain programs that authorize loan forgiveness to physicians, dentists, and individuals enrolled in a postsecondary institution studying medicine or dentistry who agree to practice in medically or dentally underserved areas. The Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program was created by the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for the purpose of awarding grants to teaching health centers for the purpose of establishing new accredited or expanded primary care residency programs.

This bill would require the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development and the State Department of Health Care Services to provide technical assistance as follows: (1) to support the expansion of primary care residency programs at THCGME programs, (2) to THCGME programs in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics to support the maximizing of federal financial participation, and (3) to Medi-Cal providers, including FQHCs, community mental health centers, rural health clinics, Indian Health Service or tribal clinics, and Title X family planning clinics interested in establishing an accredited primary care residency program.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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SECTION 1.  

Section 127941 is added to the Health and Safety
2Code
, to read:

3

127941.  

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to increase the
4number of primary care physicians in California serving
5underserved communities by enacting incentives to support the
6sustainability and expansion of current federal Teaching Health
7Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) programs (42
8U.S.C. Section 293l-1), for individuals who participate in, or were
9recipients of, teaching health center development grants in federally
10qualified health centers (FQHCs), community mental health
11centers, rural health clinics, Indian Health Service or tribal clinics,
12and Title X family planning clinics (Subchapter VII (commencing
13with Section 300) of Chapter 6A of Title 42 of the United States
14Code).

15(b) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
16and the State Department of Health Care Services shall provide
17technical assistance to support the expansion of primary care
18residency programs at THCGME programs.

19(c) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
20and the State Department of Health Care Services shall provide
21technical assistance to THCGME programs in FQHCs and rural
22health clinics to support the maximizing of federal financial
23participation.

24(d) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
25and the State Department of Health Care Services shall provide
26technical assistance to Medi-Cal providers, including FQHCs,
27community mental health centers, rural health clinics, Indian Health
28Service or tribal clinics, and Title X family planning clinics
29interested in establishing an accredited primary care residency
30program.



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