,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bebd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #h1 #bjah ,mr4 ,donnelly 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,murkowski1 and ,ms4 ,hassan7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,public ,health ,service ,act to authorize a loan repayment program for substance use disorder treatment employees1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,substance ,use ,disorder ,workforce ,loan ,repayment ,act of #bjah 4 #b4 ,loan repayment program for substance use disorder treatment employees ,title ,,vii of the ,public ,health ,service ,act is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating part ,f as part ,g2 and 7#b7 by inserting after part ,e 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bidn et seq47 the following3 ,f ,substance use disorder treatment employees #gha4 ,loan repayment program for substance use disorder treatment employees 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration1 shall carry out a program under which-- 7#a7 the ,secretary enters into agreements with individuals to make payments in accordance with subsection 7b7 on the principal of and interest on any eligible loan2 and 7#b7 the individuals each agree to complete a period of service in a substance use disorder treatment job1 as described in subsection 7d74 7b7 ,payments ,for each year of obligated service by an individual pursuant to an agreement under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall make a payment to such individual as follows3 7#a7 ,service in a shortage area ,the ,secretary shall pay-- 7,a7 for each year of obligated service by an individual pursuant to an agreement under subsection 7a71 #a_/f of the principal of and interest on each eligible loan of the individual which is outstanding on the date the individual began service pursuant to the agreement2 and 7,b7 for completion of the sixth and final year of such service1 the remainder of such principal and interest4 7#b7 ,maximum amount ,the total amount of payments under this section to any individual shall not exceed #bej1jjj4 7c7 ,eligible loans ,the loans eligible for repayment under this section are each of the following3 7#a7 ,any loan for education or training for a substance use disorder treatment job4 7#b7 ,any loan under part ,e of title ,,viii 7relating to nursing student loans74 7#c7 ,any ,federal ,direct ,stafford ,loan1 ,federal ,direct ,,plus ,loan1 ,federal ,direct ,unsubsidized ,stafford ,loan1 or ,federal ,direct ,consolidation ,loan 7as such terms are used in section #dee of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife74 7#d7 ,any ,federal ,perkins ,loan under part ,e of title ,i of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife4 7#e7 ,any other ,federal loan as determined appropriate by the ,secretary4 7d7 ,period of service ,the period of service required by an agreement under subsection 7a7 shall consist of up to #f years of full-time employment1 with no more than one year passing between any two years of covered employment1 in a substance use disorder treatment job in the ,united ,states in-- 7#a7 a ,mental ,health ,professional ,shortage ,area1 as designated under section #ccb2 or 7#b7 a county 7or a municipality1 if not contained within any county7 where the mean drug overdose death rate per #ajj1jjj people over the past #c years for which official data is available from the ,state1 is higher than the most recent available national average overdose death rate per #ajj1jjj people1 as reported by the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention4 7e7 ,ineligibility for double benefits ,no borrower may1 for the same service1 receive a reduction of loan obligations or a loan repayment under both-- 7#a7 this subsection2 and 7#b7 any federally supported loan forgiveness program1 including under section #cch;,b1 #cch;,i1 or #hdf of this ,act1 or section #dbh;,j1 #dbh,l1 #dee7m71 or #dfj of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife4 7f7 ,breach 7#a7 ,liquidated damages formula ,the ,secretary may establish a liquidated damages formula to be used in the event of a breach of an agreement entered into under subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,limitation ,the failure by an individual to complete the full period of service obligated pursuant to such an agreement1 taken alone1 shall not constitute a breach of the agreement1 so long as the individual completed in good faith the years of service for which payments were made to the individual under this section4 7g7 ,additional criteria ,the ,secretary-- 7#a7 may establish such criteria and rules to carry out this section as the ,secretary determines are needed and in addition to the criteria and rules specified in this section2 and 7#b7 shall give notice to the committees specified in subsection 7h7 of any criteria and rules so established4 7h7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #e years after the date of enactment of the ,substance ,use ,disorder ,workforce ,loan ,repayment ,act of #bjah1 and every other year thereafter1 the ,secretary shall prepare and submit to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate a report on-- 7#a7 the number and location of borrowers who have qualified for loan repayments under this section2 and 7#b7 the impact of this section on the availability of substance use disorder treatment employees nationally and in shortage areas and counties described in subsection 7d74 7i7 ,definition ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term #8municipality' means a city1 town1 or other public body created by or pursuant to ,state law1 or an ,indian ,tribe4 7#b7 ,the term #8substance use disorder treatment job' means a full-time job 7including a fellowship7-- 7,a7 where the primary intent and function of the job is the direct treatment or recovery support of patients with or in recovery from a substance use disorder1 such as a physician1 physician assistant1 registered nurse1 nurse practitioner1 advanced practice registered nurse1 social worker1 recovery coach1 mental health counselor1 addictions counselor1 psychologist or other behavioral health professional1 or any other relevant professional as determined by the ,secretary2 and 7,b7 which is located at a substance use disorder treatment program1 private physician practice1 hospital or health system-affiliated inpatient treatment center or outpatient clinic 7including an academic medical center-affiliated treatment program71 correctional facility or program1 youth detention center or program1 inpatient psychiatric facility1 crisis stabilization unit1 community health center1 community mental health or other specialty community behavioral health center1 recovery center1 school1 community-based organization1 telehealth platform1 migrant health center1 health program or facility operated by a tribe or tribal organization1 ,federal medical facility1 or any other facility as determined appropriate for purposes of this section by the ,secretary4 7j7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #be1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjai through #bjbh4 4