1-1 By: Turner of Coleman, Hawley H.B. No. 1124 1-2 (Senate Sponsor - Moncrief) 1-3 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 2001; 1-4 May 11, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Health 1-5 and Human Services; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the 1-6 following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-7 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-8 AN ACT 1-9 relating to establishing a community healthcare awareness and 1-10 mentoring program for students. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Chapter 106, Health and Safety Code, is amended 1-13 by adding Subchapter H to read as follows: 1-14 SUBCHAPTER H. COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE AWARENESS AND 1-15 MENTORING PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS 1-16 Sec. 106.251. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: 1-17 (1) "Health care professional" means: 1-18 (A) an advanced nurse practitioner; 1-19 (B) a dentist; 1-20 (C) a dental hygienist; 1-21 (D) a laboratory technician; 1-22 (E) a licensed vocational nurse; 1-23 (F) a licensed professional counselor; 1-24 (G) a medical radiological technologist; 1-25 (H) an occupational therapist; 1-26 (I) a pharmacist; 1-27 (J) a physical therapist; 1-28 (K) a physician; 1-29 (L) a physician assistant; 1-30 (M) a psychologist; 1-31 (N) a registered nurse; 1-32 (O) a social worker; 1-33 (P) a speech-language pathologist; 1-34 (Q) a veterinarian; 1-35 (R) a chiropractor; and 1-36 (S) another appropriate health care professional 1-37 identified by the executive committee. 1-38 (2) "Program" means the community healthcare awareness 1-39 and mentoring program for students established under this 1-40 subchapter. 1-41 (3) "Underserved urban area" means an urban area of 1-42 this state with a medically underserved population, as determined 1-43 in accordance with criteria adopted by the board by rule, 1-44 considering relevant demographic, geographic, and environmental 1-45 factors. 1-46 Sec. 106.252. COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE AWARENESS AND MENTORING 1-47 PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS. (a) The executive committee shall establish 1-48 a community healthcare awareness and mentoring program for students 1-49 to: 1-50 (1) identify high school students in rural and 1-51 underserved urban areas who are interested in serving those areas 1-52 as health care professionals; 1-53 (2) identify health care professionals in rural and 1-54 underserved urban areas to act as positive role models, mentors, or 1-55 reference resources for the interested high school students; 1-56 (3) introduce interested high school students to the 1-57 spectrum of professional health care careers through activities 1-58 such as health care camps and shadowing of health care 1-59 professionals; 1-60 (4) encourage a continued interest in service as 1-61 health care professionals in rural and underserved urban areas by 1-62 providing mentors and community resources for students 1-63 participating in training or educational programs to become health 1-64 care professionals; and 2-1 (5) provide continuing community-based support for 2-2 students during the period the students are attending training or 2-3 educational programs to become health care professionals, including 2-4 summer job opportunities and opportunities to mentor high school 2-5 students in the community. 2-6 (b) In connection with the program, the center shall 2-7 establish and maintain an updated medical resource library that 2-8 contains information relating to medical careers. The center shall 2-9 make the library available to school counselors, students, and 2-10 parents of students. 2-11 Sec. 106.253. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The center shall 2-12 administer or contract for the administration of the program. 2-13 (b) The center may solicit and accept gifts, grants, 2-14 donations, and contributions to support the program. 2-15 (c) The center may administer the program in cooperation 2-16 with other public and private entities. 2-17 (d) The center shall coordinate the program with similar 2-18 programs, including programs relating to workforce development, 2-19 scholarships for education, and employment of students, that are 2-20 administered by other agencies, such as the Texas Workforce 2-21 Commission and local workforce development boards. 2-22 Sec. 106.254. GRANTS; ELIGIBILITY. (a) Subject to available 2-23 funds, the executive committee shall develop and implement, as a 2-24 component of the program, a grant program to support employment 2-25 opportunities in rural and underserved urban areas in this state 2-26 for students participating in training or educational programs to 2-27 become health care professionals. 2-28 (b) In awarding grants under the program, the executive 2-29 committee shall give first priority to grants to training or 2-30 educational programs that provide internships to students. 2-31 (c) To be eligible to receive a grant under the grant 2-32 program, a person must: 2-33 (1) apply for the grant on a form adopted by the 2-34 executive committee; 2-35 (2) be enrolled or intend to be enrolled in a training 2-36 or educational program to become a health care professional; 2-37 (3) commit to practice or work, after licensure as a 2-38 health care professional, for at least one year as a health care 2-39 professional in a rural or underserved urban area in this state; 2-40 and 2-41 (4) comply fully with any practice or requirements 2-42 associated with any scholarship, loan, or other similar benefit 2-43 received by the student. 2-44 (d) As a condition of receiving a grant under the program 2-45 the student must agree to repay the amount of the grant, plus a 2-46 penalty in an amount established by rule of the executive committee 2-47 not to exceed two times the amount of the grant, if the student 2-48 becomes licensed as a health care professional and fails to 2-49 practice or work for at least one year as a health care 2-50 professional in a rural or underserved urban area in this state. 2-51 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 2-52 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 2-53 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 2-54 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 2-55 Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 2-56 * * * * *