,i #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #haea ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #ba1 #bjbb,mr4 ,ruiz introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,public ,health ,service ,act with respect to awards to support community health workers and community health4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,building a ,sustainable ,workforce for ,healthy ,communities ,act4 #b4 ,awards to support community health workers and community health ,section #cii,v of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bhj;g-#aa7 is amended-- 7#a7 by amending the section heading to read as follows3 ,awards to support community health workers and community health2 7#b7 by amending subsection 7a7 to read as follows3 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention and in coordination with the ,administrator of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration1 shall award grants1 contracts1 and cooperative agreements to eligible entities to promote healthy behaviors and outcomes for populations in medically underserved communities through the use of community health workers1 including by addressing ongoing and longer-term community health needs1 and by building the capacity of the community health worker workforce4 ,such grants1 contracts1 and cooperative agreements shall be awarded in alignment and coordination with existing funding arrangements supporting community health workers4 2 7#c7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 by striking ,grants awarded and inserting ,subject to any requirements for the scope of licensure1 registration1 or certification of a community health worker under applicable ,state law1 grants1 contracts1 and cooperative agreements awarded2 and 7ii7 by striking support community health workers2 7,b7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#c7 through 7#e7 as paragraphs 7#d7 through 7#f71 respectively2 7,c7 by striking paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 and inserting the following3 7#a7 recruit1 hire1 and train community health workers that reflect the needs of the community2 7#b7 support community health workers in providing education and outreach1 in a community setting1 regarding-- 7,a7 health conditions prevalent in-- 7i7 medically underserved communities 7as defined in section #gii;,b71 particularly racial and ethnic minority populations2 and 7ii7 other such populations or geographic areas that may require additional support during public health emergencies1 which may include counties identified by the ,secretary using applicable measures developed by the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention or other ,federal agencies2 and 7,b7 addressing social determinants of health and eliminating health disparities1 including by-- 7i7 promoting awareness of services and resources to increase access to health care1 child services1 technology1 housing services1 educational services1 nutrition services1 employment services1 and other services2 and 7ii7 assisting in conducting individual and community needs assessments2 7#c7 educate community members1 including regarding effective strategies to promote healthy behaviors2 2 7,d7 in paragraph 7#d71 as so redesignated1 by striking to educate and inserting educate2 7,e7 in paragraph 7#e71 as so redesignated-- 7i7 by striking to identify and inserting identify2 7ii7 by striking healthcare agencies and inserting health care agencies2 and 7iii7 by striking healthcare services and to eliminate duplicative care2 or and inserting health care services and to streamline care1 including serving as a liaison between communities and health care agencies2 and2 and 7,f7 in paragraph 7#f71 as so redesignated-- 7i7 by striking to educate1 guide1 and provide and inserting support community health workers in educating1 guiding1 or providing2 and 7ii7 by striking maternal health and prenatal care and inserting chronic diseases1 maternal health1 and prenatal care in order to improve maternal and infant health outcomes2 7#d7 in subsection 7c71 by striking ,each eligible entity and all that follows through accompanied by and inserting ,to be eligible to receive an award under subsection 7a71 an entity shall prepare and submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing2 7#e7 in subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking grants and inserting awards2 7,b7 by amending paragraph 7#a7 to read as follows3 7#a7 propose to serve-- 7,a7 areas with populations that have a high rate of chronic disease1 infant mortality1 or maternal morbidity and mortality2 7,b7 low-income populations1 including medically underserved populations 7as defined in section #ccj7;b77#c772 7,c7 populations residing in health professional shortage areas 7as defined in section #ccb7;a772 7,d7 populations residing in maternity care health professional target areas identified under section #ccb7k72 or 7,e7 rural or traditionally underserved populations1 including racial and ethnic minority populations or low-income populations2 2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking 2 and and inserting 1 including rural populations and racial and ethnic minority populations22 7,d7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking with community health workers4 and inserting and established relationships with community health workers in the communities expected to be served by the program2 or and 7,e7 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 develop a plan for providing services to the extent practicable1 in the language and cultural context most appropriate to individuals expected to be served by the program4 2 7#f7 in subsection 7e7-- 7,a7 by striking community health worker programs and inserting eligible entities2 and 7,b7 by striking and one-stop delivery systems under section #aba7;e7 and inserting 1 health professions schools1 minority-serving institutions 7as described in section #cga of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife71 area health education centers under section #gea of this ,act1 and one-stop delivery systems under section #aba2 7#g7 by striking subsections 7f71 7g71 7h71 7i71 and 7j7 and inserting the following3 7f7 ,technical assistance ,the ,secretary may provide to eligible entities that receive awards under subsection 7a7 technical assistance with respect to planning1 development1 and operation of community health worker programs authorized or supported under this section4 7g7 ,dissemination of best practices ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of the ,building a ,sustainable ,workforce for ,healthy ,communities ,act1 the ,secretary shall1 based on activities carried out under this section and in collaboration with relevant stakeholders1 identify and disseminate evidence-based or evidence-informed practices regarding recruitment and retention of community health workers to address ongoing public health and community health needs1 and to prepare for1 and respond to1 future public health emergencies4 7h7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #d years after the date of enactment of the ,building a ,sustainable ,workforce for ,healthy ,communities ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives a report concerning the effectiveness of the program under this section in addressing ongoing public health and community health needs4 ,such report shall include recommendations regarding any improvements to such program1 including recommendations for how to improve recruitment1 training1 and retention of the community health workforce4 7i7 ,authorization of appropriations ,for purposes of carrying out this section1 there are authorized to be appropriated #ge1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbg4 2 7#h7 by redesignating subsection 7k7 as subsection 7j72 and 7#i7 in subsection 7j71 as so redesignated-- 7,a7 by striking paragraphs 7#a71 7#b71 and 7#d72 7,b7 by redesignating paragraph 7#c7 as paragraph 7#a72 7,c7 in paragraph 7#a71 as so redesignated-- 7i7 by striking entity 7including a ,state or public subdivision of a ,state and inserting entity1 including a ,state or political subdivision of a ,state1 an ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization1 an urban ,indian organization1 a community-based organization2 and 7ii7 by striking as defined in section #ahfa7;aa7 of the ,social ,security ,act77 and inserting 7as described in section #ahfa7;aa77#d77;,b7 of the ,social ,security ,act72 and 7,d7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,indian ,tribe2 ,tribal organization ,the terms ,indian ,tribe and ,tribal organization have the meanings given the terms ,indian tribe and tribal organization1 respectively1 in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act4 7#c7 ,urban ,indian organization ,the term urban ,indian organization has the meaning given such term in section #d of the ,indian ,health ,care ,improvement ,act4 4 #c4 ,,gao study and report ,not later than #d years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives a report on the program authorized under section #cii,v of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bhj;g-#aa7 7as amended by section #b1 including a review of the outcomes and effectiveness of the program and coordination with applicable programs of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration to ensure there is no unnecessary duplication of efforts among such programs4