There shall be a special commission to study and make recommendations on the opportunities and challenges faced by community health centers in the Commonwealth that serve as three-year primary care residency sites.  The commission shall consist of: the secretary of health and human services or her designee, who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of health care finance and policy or his designee; 1 member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 1 member appointed by the senate president; 1 representative of the Mass League of Community Health Centers; 1 representative of the Department of Family Medicine at UMass Medical School; 1 representative of the Department of Family Medicine at Boston Medical Center; 1 executive director of a community health center that currently participates in a family medicine residency training program; 1 executive director of a community health center that is the sponsoring organization and holds the credentials for the accredited training program; 1 representative of a health center with an interest in starting a residency program; 1 community health center physician who is a graduate of a community health center residency program; 1 residency director at a community health center; and 1 current community health center resident.

The study will investigate the role community health centers can play in addressing the primary care workforce shortage and determine the potential outcome of an expansion of community health center residency programs.  The Commission’s review shall include but not be limited to the following:

a methodology to measure the cost of a residency training program in a community health center, considering there is some variance in how costs are measured

the sources of funding for community health center residency programs, and a determination on whether increased state investment will provide benefits for the Commonwealth

the graduate medical costs devoted to medical education training at community health centers

the workforce needs at community health centers across the Commonwealth within the context of the broader workforce shortage issues, and an evaluation on how community health centers can fill those slots.  The study shall also review the percentage of residents at health centers that eventually choose to practice in the community health center setting.

community health center based residency programs for mid-level providers (e.g., nurse practitioners and physician assistants)

the opportunities and challenges to expanding other residency training programs at community health centers (e.g., internal medicine, pediatric medicine, dental)

the feasibility and potential benefits of a supplemental Medicaid fee to community health centers engaged in 3-year residency programs

the contribution CHC residency programs have made in diversifying the physician pipeline and training physicians to address the medical needs of diverse populations.

the impact of national health reform on Massachusetts CHC residency programs, both new and existing, and an evaluation of any potential opportunities.

The Commission shall provide recommendations to address the issues raised in the study, and consider any legislative or regulatory action necessary to support community health center residency training programs.

The commission shall report its findings by July 1, 2011.