Great news from Diane Elmore who made it happen!
On Wednesday, Senator Clinton (D-NY) introduced the Health Professional and Primary Care Reinvestment Act (S. 3708), her bill to amend Title VII of the Public Health Service Act. We have been working with her office on this legislation for several months and are delighted to report that we successfully secured a number of key provisions in this legislation, including:
- Authorizing language for the Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program (including an authorized appropriation of $10 million);
- Expansion of existing Geriatrics Education and Training initiatives to include graduate programs and professionals in behavioral and mental health;
- Provisions that support the training of health professionals in interdisciplinary integrated models of care that address both physical and mental health; and
- Provisions that give priority to education and training focused on meeting the health and social needs of potentially vulnerable and underserved populations, including older adults, children, homeless individuals, victims of abuse and trauma, individuals with mental health or substance-related disorders, health disparity populations, and those living with HIV/AIDS.
The legislation also includes important provisions to recruit and retain health professionals from underrepresented minority groups and to improve cultural and linguistic competence in health professions education and training.
We look forward to working with you all to ensure enactment of this important legislation. I have included a copy of Senator Clinton’s press release below, which mentions APA among the key supporters of the bill. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this new legislation.
Warm regards,
Diane
Diane Elmore, PhD, MPH
Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer
Director, Congressional Fellowship Program
Government Relations Office
Public Interest Directorate
American Psychological Association
750
(202) 336-6104
(202) 336-6063 Fax
|
| ||
| |
| |
| | For Immediate Release November 20, 2008 Contact: Press Office (202) 224-2243 or press@clinton.senate.gov SENATOR CLINTON INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO SUPPORT HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE “A stronger health workforce and a greater focus on prevention will help provide more Americans with access to necessary health care. We need to encourage more people from disadvantaged areas to join the health workforce while providing incentives for health professionals to bring primary care services to underserved communities. This bill will improve medical services in the areas that need them most and is a step in our ongoing effort to ensure that every single American has quality, affordable health care,” said Senator Clinton. Senator Clinton’s legislation would encourage more health professionals to pursue primary care practice by providing incentives for primary care training and strengthening primary care departments at the community level. It would increase the number of disadvantaged and rural students in health care professions through loan and scholarship programs, and expand funding for prevention training and increasing linkages with local health departments. The legislation would also help to expand the availability of medical care in underserved areas, strengthen coordination of mental health care and physical health care, and expand geriatric care programs. Finally, it would assist with managing and planning for future health care workforce needs by establishing national and regional health workforce analysis centers. Senator Clinton’s bill has been endorsed by multiple health organizations, including Advocating for Family Medicine, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Physician Assistants, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, American College of Preventive Medicine, American Dental Association, American Dental Education Association, American Geriatrics Association, American Osteopathic Association, American Psychological Association, Association of Departments of Family Medicine, Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, Association of Minority Health Professions Schools, Inc., Association of Schools of Public Health, Hospital Association of New York State, National AHEC Organization, National Council for Diversity in the Health Professions, North American Primary Care Research Group, Society of General Internal Medicine, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, and the National Rural Health Association. ### | |
|
| ||
| |
| |
