BILL NUMBER: AB 2216	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


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:

  SECTION 1.  Section 127941 is added to the Health and Safety Code,
to read:
   127941.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature to increase the
number of primary care physicians in California serving underserved
communities by enacting incentives to support the sustainability and
expansion of current federal Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical
Education (THCGME) programs (42 U.S.C. Section 293l-1), for
individuals who participate in, or were recipients of, teaching
health center development grants in federally qualified health
centers (FQHCs), community mental health centers, rural health
clinics, Indian Health Service or tribal clinics, and Title X family
planning clinics (Subchapter VII (commencing with Section 300) of
Chapter 6A of Title 42 of the United States Code).
   (b) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development and
the State Department of Health Care Services shall provide technical
assistance to support the expansion of primary care residency
programs at THCGME programs.
   (c) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development and
the State Department of Health Care Services shall provide technical
assistance to THCGME programs in FQHCs and rural health clinics to
support the maximizing of federal financial participation.
   (d) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development and
the State Department of Health Care Services shall provide technical
assistance 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.