By Turner of Coleman H.B. No. 1124
77R5313 DLF-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to establishing a community healthcare awareness and
1-3 mentoring program for students.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 106, Health and Safety Code, is amended
1-6 by adding Subchapter H to read as follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER H. COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE AWARENESS AND
1-8 MENTORING PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS
1-9 Sec. 106.251. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-10 (1) "Health care professional" means:
1-11 (A) an advanced nurse practitioner;
1-12 (B) a dentist;
1-13 (C) a dental hygienist;
1-14 (D) a laboratory technician;
1-15 (E) a licensed vocational nurse;
1-16 (F) a licensed professional counselor;
1-17 (G) a medical radiological technologist;
1-18 (H) an occupational therapist;
1-19 (I) a pharmacist;
1-20 (J) a physical therapist;
1-21 (K) a physician;
1-22 (L) a physician assistant;
1-23 (M) a psychologist;
1-24 (N) a registered nurse;
2-1 (O) a social worker;
2-2 (P) a speech-language pathologist;
2-3 (Q) a veterinarian; and
2-4 (R) another appropriate health care professional
2-5 identified by the executive committee.
2-6 (2) "Program" means the community healthcare awareness
2-7 and mentoring program for students established under this
2-8 subchapter.
2-9 (3) "Underserved urban area" means an urban area of
2-10 this state with a medically underserved population, as determined
2-11 in accordance with criteria adopted by the board by rule,
2-12 considering relevant demographic, geographic, and environmental
2-13 factors.
2-14 Sec. 106.252. COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE AWARENESS AND MENTORING
2-15 PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS. (a) The executive committee shall establish
2-16 a community healthcare awareness and mentoring program for students
2-17 to:
2-18 (1) identify high school students in rural and
2-19 underserved urban areas who are interested in serving those areas
2-20 as health care professionals;
2-21 (2) identify health care professionals in rural and
2-22 underserved urban areas to act as positive role models, mentors, or
2-23 reference resources for the interested high school students;
2-24 (3) introduce interested high school students to the
2-25 spectrum of professional health care careers through activities
2-26 such as health care camps and shadowing of health care
2-27 professionals;
3-1 (4) encourage a continued interest in service as
3-2 health care professionals in rural and underserved urban areas by
3-3 providing mentors and community resources for students
3-4 participating in training or educational programs to become health
3-5 care professionals; and
3-6 (5) provide continuing community-based support for
3-7 students during the period the students are attending training or
3-8 educational programs to become health care professionals, including
3-9 summer job opportunities and opportunities to mentor high school
3-10 students in the community.
3-11 (b) In connection with the program, the center shall
3-12 establish and maintain an updated medical resource library that
3-13 contains information relating to medical careers. The center shall
3-14 make the library available to school counselors, students, and
3-15 parents of students.
3-16 Sec. 106.253. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The center shall
3-17 administer or contract for the administration of the program.
3-18 (b) The center may solicit and accept gifts, grants,
3-19 donations, and contributions to support the program.
3-20 (c) The center may administer the program in cooperation
3-21 with other public and private entities.
3-22 (d) The center shall coordinate the program with similar
3-23 programs, including programs relating to workforce development,
3-24 scholarships for education, and employment of students, that are
3-25 administered by other agencies, such as the Texas Workforce
3-26 Commission and local workforce development boards.
3-27 Sec. 106.254. GRANTS; ELIGIBILITY. (a) Subject to available
4-1 funds, the executive committee shall develop and implement, as a
4-2 component of the program, a grant program to support employment
4-3 opportunities in rural and underserved urban areas in this state
4-4 for students participating in training or educational programs to
4-5 become health care professionals.
4-6 (b) In awarding grants under the program, the executive
4-7 committee shall give first priority to grants to training or
4-8 educational programs that provide internships to students.
4-9 (c) To be eligible to receive a grant under the grant
4-10 program, a person must:
4-11 (1) apply for the grant on a form adopted by the
4-12 executive committee;
4-13 (2) be enrolled or intend to be enrolled in a training
4-14 or educational program to become a health care professional;
4-15 (3) commit to practice or work, after licensure as a
4-16 health care professional, for at least one year as a health care
4-17 professional in a rural or underserved urban area in this state;
4-18 and
4-19 (4) comply fully with any practice or requirements
4-20 associated with any scholarship, loan, or other similar benefit
4-21 received by the student.
4-22 (d) As a condition of receiving a grant under the program
4-23 the student must agree to repay the amount of the grant, plus a
4-24 penalty in an amount established by rule of the executive committee
4-25 not to exceed two times the amount of the grant, if the student
4-26 becomes licensed as a health care professional and fails to
4-27 practice or work for at least one year as a health care
5-1 professional in a rural or underserved urban area in this state.
5-2 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
5-3 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
5-4 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
5-5 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
5-6 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.