HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1724        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1245

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Thomas M. Stanley

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the primary care workforce development and loan repayment grant program at community health centers.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

1/18/2023

Peter Capano

11th Essex

1/30/2023

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

1/30/2023

John J. Cronin

Worcester and Middlesex

1/30/2023

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

1/31/2023

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

1/31/2023

Daniel Cahill

10th Essex

2/1/2023

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

2/2/2023

Michael P. Kushmerek

3rd Worcester

2/2/2023

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

2/2/2023

Rodney M. Elliott

16th Middlesex

2/3/2023

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

2/5/2023

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex

2/6/2023

James J. O'Day

14th Worcester

2/6/2023

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

2/7/2023

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

2/7/2023

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

2/9/2023

Brian W. Murray

10th Worcester

2/17/2023

Dylan A. Fernandes

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

2/17/2023

Estela A. Reyes

4th Essex

3/1/2023

Kevin G. Honan

17th Suffolk

3/14/2023

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

3/14/2023

Rady Mom

18th Middlesex

3/22/2023

Tommy Vitolo

15th Norfolk

4/4/2023

Carlos González

10th Hampden

4/4/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1724        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1245

By Representative Stanley of Waltham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1245) of Thomas M. Stanley and others relative to the primary care workforce development and loan repayment grant program at community health centers.  Health Care Financing.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the primary care workforce development and loan repayment grant program at community health centers.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 6A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by  adding the following after Section 16CC:

Section 16DD (a) There shall be established a primary care workforce development and loan forgiveness grant program at community health centers for the purpose of enhancing recruitment and retention of primary care physicians, other clinicians, bachelor’s degree-level mental health and primary care professionals including, but not limited to, community health workers, recovery coaches, and family partners, as well as all other non-clinician staff at community health centers throughout the Commonwealth. Priority shall be given to clinicians and bachelor’s degree-level mental health and primary care professionals. The grant program shall be administered by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, provided, that the office may contract with an organization to administer the grant program. This program shall ensure the continuation of state-level loan repayment for clinicians at community health centers including but not limited to those programs established by Chapter 102 of the acts of 2021, reserve 1599-2026. 

(b) the program shall prioritize the recruitment and retention of a culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse workforce; provided further, that to be eligible for loan repayment assistance under this item, an individual shall: (a) work in a community health center (i) have outstanding educational debt; (ii) not participate in any other loan repayment program; and (iii) be required to enter into a contract with the commonwealth for not less than 4 years; provided further, that the amounts of assistance per individual shall be pro-rated for individuals working on a part-time basis; provided further, that the executive office shall promulgate regulations for the administration and enforcement of the loan repayment assistance program under this item which shall include penalties and repayment procedures if a participating individual fails to comply with the program requirements; 

(c) The program shall be funded through expenditures from the Behavioral Health and Community-Based Primary Care Reserve established in section 2a of chapter 102 of the Acts of 2021.