I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5370 
To provide low-income individuals with opportunities to enter and follow 
a career pathway in the health professions, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois (for himself, Mr. NEAL, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. THOMPSON 
of California, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Ms. SEWELL, Ms. CHU, Ms. 
MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. EVANS of Penn-
sylvania, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. HORSFORD, Mr. GOMEZ, 
Ms. PLASKETT, and Mr. SUOZZI) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To provide low-income individuals with opportunities to enter 
and follow a career pathway in the health professions, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This section may be cited as the ‘‘Pathways to Health 
Careers Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. CAREER PATHWAYS THROUGH HEALTH PROFES-
SION OPPORTUNITY GRANTS. 
Effective October 1, 2025, section 2008 of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397g) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘SEC. 2008. CAREER PATHWAYS THROUGH HEALTH PRO-
FESSION OPPORTUNITY GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.—An eligible en-
tity desiring a grant under this section for a project shall 
submit to the Secretary an application for the grant, that 
includes the following: 
‘‘(1) A description of how the applicant will use 
a career pathways approach to train eligible individ-
uals for health professions that pay well or will put 
eligible individuals on a career path to an occupation 
that pays well, under the project. 
‘‘(2) A description of the adult basic education 
and literacy activities, work readiness activities, 
training activities, and case management and career 
coaching services that the applicant will use to assist 
eligible individuals to gain work experience, connec-
tion to employers, and job placement, and a descrip-
tion of the plan for recruiting, hiring, and training 
staff to provide the case management, mentoring, 
and career coaching services, under the project di-
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rectly or through local governmental, apprenticeship, 
educational, or charitable institutions. 
‘‘(3) In the case of an application for a grant 
under this section for a demonstration project de-
scribed in subsection (c)(2)(B)(i)(I)— 
‘‘(A) a demonstration that the State in 
which the demonstration project is to be con-
ducted has in effect policies or laws that permit 
certain allied health and behavioral health care 
credentials to be awarded to people with certain 
arrest or conviction records (which policies or 
laws shall include appeals processes, waivers, 
certificates, and other opportunities to dem-
onstrate rehabilitation to obtain credentials, li-
censure, and approval to work in the proposed 
health careers), and a plan described in the ap-
plication that will use a career pathway to as-
sist participants with such a record in acquiring 
credentials, licensing, and employment in the 
specified careers; 
‘‘(B) a discussion of how the project or fu-
ture strategic hiring decisions will demonstrate 
the experience and expertise of the project in 
working with job seekers who have arrest or 
conviction records or employers with experience 
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working with people with arrest or conviction 
records; 
‘‘(C) an identification of promising innova-
tions or best practices that can be used to pro-
vide the training; 
‘‘(D) a proof of concept or demonstration 
that the applicant has done sufficient research 
on workforce shortage or in-demand jobs for 
which people with certain types of arrest or 
conviction records can be hired; 
‘‘(E) a plan for recruiting students who 
are eligible individuals into the project; and 
‘‘(F) a plan for providing post-employment 
support and ongoing training as part of a ca-
reer pathway under the project. 
‘‘(4) In the case of an application for a grant 
under this section for a demonstration project de-
scribed in subsection (c)(2)(B)(i)(II)— 
‘‘(A) a description of the partnerships, 
strategic staff hiring decisions, tailored program 
activities, or other programmatic elements of 
the project, such as training plans for doulas 
and other community health workers and train-
ing plans for midwives and other allied health 
professions, that are designed to support a ca-
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reer 
pathway 
in 
pregnancy, 
birth, 
or 
postpartum services; and 
‘‘(B) a demonstration that the State in 
which the demonstration project is to be con-
ducted recognizes doulas or midwives, as the 
case may be. 
‘‘(5) A demonstration that the applicant has ex-
perience working with low-income populations, or a 
description of the plan of the applicant to work with 
a partner organization that has the experience. 
‘‘(6) A plan for providing post-employment sup-
port and ongoing training as part of a career path-
way under the project. 
‘‘(7) A description of the support services that 
the applicant will provide under the project, includ-
ing a plan for how child care and transportation 
support services will be guaranteed and, if the appli-
cant will provide a cash stipend or wage supplement, 
how the stipend or supplement would be calculated 
and distributed. 
‘‘(8) A certification by the applicant that the 
project development included— 
‘‘(A) consultation with a local workforce 
development board established under section 
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107 of the Workforce Innovation and Oppor-
tunity Act; 
‘‘(B) consideration of apprenticeship and 
pre-apprenticeship models registered under the 
Act of August 16, 1937 (also known as the 
‘National Apprenticeship Act’); 
‘‘(C) consideration of career pathway pro-
grams in the State in which the project is to be 
conducted; and 
‘‘(D) a review of the State plan under sec-
tion 102 or 103 of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act. 
‘‘(9) A description of the availability and rel-
evance of recent labor market information and other 
pertinent evidence of in-demand jobs or worker 
shortages. 
‘‘(10) A certification that the applicant will di-
rectly provide or contract for the training services 
described in the application. 
‘‘(11) A commitment by the applicant that, if 
the grant is made to the applicant, the applicant 
will— 
‘‘(A) during the planning period for the 
project, provide the Secretary with any informa-
tion needed by the Secretary to establish ade-
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quate data reporting and administrative struc-
ture for the project; 
‘‘(B) hire staff to direct the project not 
later than the end of the planning period appli-
cable to the project; 
‘‘(C) accept all technical assistance offered 
by the Secretary with respect to the grant; 
‘‘(D) participate in peer technical assist-
ance conferences as are regularly scheduled by 
the Secretary; and 
‘‘(E) provide all data required by the Sec-
retary under subsection (g). 
‘‘(b) PREFERENCES
IN
CONSIDERING
APPLICA-
TIONS.—In considering applications for a grant under this 
section, the Secretary shall give preference to— 
‘‘(1) applications submitted by applicants to 
whom a grant was made under this section or any 
predecessor to this section; 
‘‘(2) applications submitted by applicants who 
have business and community partners in each of 
the following categories: 
‘‘(A) State and local government agencies 
and social service providers, including a State 
or local entity that administers a State program 
funded under part A of this title; 
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‘‘(B) institutions of higher education, ap-
prenticeship programs, and local workforce de-
velopment boards established under section 107 
of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
Act; and 
‘‘(C) health care employers, health care in-
dustry or sector partnerships, labor unions, and 
labor-management partnerships; 
‘‘(3) applications that include opportunities for 
mentoring or peer support, and make career coach-
ing available, as part of the case management plan; 
‘‘(4) applications which describe a project that 
will serve a rural area in which— 
‘‘(A) the community in which the individ-
uals to be enrolled in the project reside is lo-
cated; 
‘‘(B) the project will be conducted; or 
‘‘(C) an employer partnership that has 
committed to hiring individuals who successfully 
complete all activities under the project is lo-
cated; 
‘‘(5) applications that include a commitment to 
providing project participants with a cash stipend or 
wage supplement; and 
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‘‘(6) applications which have an emergency cash 
fund to assist project participants financially in 
emergency situations. 
‘‘(c) GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) COMPETITIVE GRANTS.— 
‘‘(A) GRANT AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Labor 
and the Secretary of Education, shall make 
a grant in accordance with this paragraph 
to an eligible entity whose application for 
the grant meets the applicable require-
ments of subsection (a) and is approved by 
the Secretary, to conduct a project de-
signed to train low-income individuals for 
allied health professions, health informa-
tion 
technology, 
physicians 
assistants, 
nursing assistants, registered nurse, ad-
vanced practice nurse, emergency medical 
technicians, paramedics, and other profes-
sions considered part of a health care ca-
reer pathway model. 
‘‘(ii) GUARANTEE
OF
GRANTEES
IN 
EACH STATE AND THE DISTRICT OF CO-
LUMBIA.—For each grant cycle, the Sec-
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retary shall award a grant under this para-
graph to at least 2 eligible entities in each 
State that is not a territory, to the extent 
there are a sufficient number of applica-
tions submitted by the entities that meet 
the requirements applicable with respect to 
such a grant. If, for a grant cycle, there 
are fewer than 2 such eligible entities in a 
State, the Secretary shall include that in-
formation in the report required by sub-
section (g)(2) that covers the fiscal year. 
‘‘(B) GUARANTEE OF GRANTS FOR INDIAN 
POPULATIONS.—From the amount reserved 
under subsection (i)(2)(B) for each fiscal year, 
the Secretary shall award a grant under this 
paragraph to at least 10 eligible entities that 
are an Indian tribe, a tribal organization, or a 
tribal college or university, to the extent there 
are a sufficient number of applications sub-
mitted by the entities that meet the require-
ments applicable with respect to such a grant. 
‘‘(C) GUARANTEE OF GRANTEES IN THE 
TERRITORIES.—From 
the 
amount 
reserved 
under subsection (i)(2)(C) for each fiscal year, 
the Secretary shall award a grant under this 
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paragraph to at least 2 eligible entities that are 
located in a territory, to the extent there are a 
sufficient number of applications submitted by 
the entities that meet the requirements applica-
ble with respect to such a grant. 
‘‘(2) 
GRANTS
FOR
DEMONSTRATION 
PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(A) GRANT AUTHORITY.—The Secretary, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and 
the Secretary of Education (and, with respect 
to demonstration projects of the type described 
in subparagraph (B)(i)(I), the Attorney Gen-
eral) shall make a grant in accordance with this 
subsection to an eligible entity whose applica-
tion for the grant is approved by the Secretary, 
to conduct a demonstration project that meets 
the requirements of subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENTS.—The requirements 
of this subparagraph are the following: 
‘‘(i) TYPE
OF
PROJECT.—The dem-
onstration project shall be of 1 of the fol-
lowing types: 
‘‘(I) INDIVIDUALS WITH ARREST 
OR
CONVICTION
RECORDS
DEM-
ONSTRATION.—The 
demonstration 
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project shall be of a type designed to 
provide education and training for eli-
gible individuals with arrest or convic-
tion records to enter and follow a ca-
reer pathway in the health professions 
through occupations that pay well and 
are expected to experience a labor 
shortage or be in high demand. 
‘‘(II) MATERNAL MORTALITY CA-
REER
PATHWAY
DEMONSTRATION.— 
The demonstration project shall be of 
a type designed to provide education 
and training for eligible individuals to 
enter and follow a career pathway in 
the field of pregnancy, childbirth, and 
postpartum, in a State that recognizes 
doulas or midwives and that provides 
payment for services provided by 
doulas or midwives, as the case may 
be, under private or public health in-
surance plans. 
‘‘(ii) DURATION.—The demonstration 
project shall be conducted for not less than 
5 years. 
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‘‘(C) MINIMUM
ALLOCATION
OF
FUNDS 
FOR
EACH
TYPE
OF
DEMONSTRATION 
PROJECT.— 
‘‘(i) INDIVIDUALS
WITH
ARREST
OR 
CONVICTION
RECORDS
DEMONSTRA-
TIONS.—Not less than 25 percent of the 
amounts made available for grants under 
this paragraph shall be used to make 
grants for demonstration projects of the 
type described in subparagraph (B)(i)(I). 
‘‘(ii) MATERNAL MORTALITY CAREER 
PATHWAY
DEMONSTRATIONS.—Not 
less 
than 25 percent of the amounts made 
available for grants under this paragraph 
shall be used to make grants for dem-
onstration projects of the type described in 
subparagraph (B)(i)(II). 
‘‘(3) GRANT
CYCLE.—The grant cycle under 
this section shall be not less than 5 years, with a 
planning period of not more than the 1st 12 months 
of the grant cycle. During the planning period, the 
amount of the grant shall be in such lesser amount 
as the Secretary determines appropriate. 
‘‘(d) USE OF GRANT.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An entity to which a grant 
is made under this section shall use the grant in ac-
cordance with the approved application for the 
grant. 
‘‘(2) SUPPORT TO BE PROVIDED.— 
‘‘(A) REQUIRED SUPPORT.—A project for 
which a grant is made under this section shall 
include the following: 
‘‘(i) An assessment for adult basic 
skill competency, and provision of adult 
basic skills education if necessary for 
lower-skilled eligible individuals to enroll in 
the project and go on to enter and com-
plete 
post-secondary 
training, 
through 
means including the following: 
‘‘(I) Establishing a network of 
partners that offer pre-training activi-
ties for project participants who need 
to improve basic academic skills or 
English language proficiency before 
entering a health occupational train-
ing career pathway program. 
‘‘(II) Offering resources to enable 
project participants to continue ad-
vancing adult basic skill proficiency 
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while enrolled in a career pathway 
program. 
‘‘(III) Embedding adult basic 
skill maintenance as part of ongoing 
post-graduation career coaching and 
mentoring. 
‘‘(ii) A guarantee that child care is an 
available and affordable support service for 
project participants through means such as 
the following: 
‘‘(I) Referral to, and assistance 
with, enrollment in a subsidized child 
care program. 
‘‘(II) Direct payment to a child 
care provider if a slot in a subsidized 
child care program is not available or 
reasonably accessible. 
‘‘(III) Payment of co-payments 
or associated fees for child care. 
‘‘(iii) Case management plans that in-
clude career coaching (with the option to 
offer appropriate peer support and men-
toring opportunities to help develop soft 
skills and social capital), which may be of-
fered on an ongoing basis before, during, 
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