,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bejj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #ah1 #bjai,ms4 ,harris 7for herself and ,mr4 ,gardner7 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 mental health professionals to relieve workforce shortages1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,mental ,health ,professionals ,workforce ,shortage ,loan ,repayment ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,loan repayment program for mental health professionals in shortage ,title ,,vii of the ,public ,health ,service ,act is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating part ,g 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bie;j et seq47 as part ,h2 and 7#b7 by inserting after part ,f 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bidn et seq47 the following3 ,g ,mental ,health ,professionals in ,workforce ,shortage #ghc4 ,loan repayment program for mental health professionals in workforce shortages 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 mental health professional shortage area4 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 #af 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 in mental health or a related field leading to a master's degree1 leading to a doctoral degree1 or consisting of post-doctoral study4 7#b7 ,any ,federal ,direct ,stafford ,loan1 ,federal ,direct ,,plus ,loan1 or ,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#c7 ,any ,federal ,perkins ,loan under part ,e of title ,i of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife4 7#d7 ,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 as a mental health professional in the ,united ,states in a mental health professional shortage area4 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 ,mental ,health ,professionals ,workforce ,shortage ,loan ,repayment ,act of #bjai1 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 mental health services in mental health professional shortage areas4 7i7 ,definition ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term mental health professional means a full-time job 7including a fellowship7 where the primary intent and function of the job is the direct treatment or recovery support of patients with or in recovery from a mental health disorder1 such as a physician 7,,md or ,,do71 psychiatric nurse1 social worker1 marriage and family therapist1 mental health counselor1 occupational therapist1 psychologist1 psychiatrist1 child and adolescent psychiatrist1 or neurologist4 7#b7 ,the term mental health professional shortage area means-- 7,a7 an area designated under section #ccb with respect to a shortage of mental health professionals2 or 7,b7 any facility1 program1 center1 or clinic as determined appropriate by the ,secretary for purposes of this section because of a shortage of mental health professionals1 including private physician practices and other medical facilities designated under section #ccb7;a7 as having such a shortage4 7j7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #be1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbi4 4