(ll) development and imple-
mentation of evaluation measures 
and processes to assess patient 
outcomes; 
(mm) integration of primary 
care and mental health services; 
and 
(nn) carrying out other ac-
tivities that may be appropriate 
to a community and that would 
increase access by the uninsured 
to health care, such as access ini-
tiatives for which private entities 
provide non-Federal contributions 
to supplement the Federal funds 
provided through the grants for 
the initiatives; and 
(ii) an assessment of— 
(I) challenges, including barriers 
to Federal programs, encountered by 
such entities in providing care to 
medically underserved and uninsured 
populations; and 
(II) advantages and disadvan-
tages of such models compared to other
models of care delivery for medically 
underserved 
and 
uninsured 
popu-
lations, including— 
(aa) 
quality 
measurement 
and quality outcomes; 
(bb) 
administrative 
effi-
ciencies; and 
(cc) geographic distribution 
of federally-supported clinics com-
pared to geographic distribution 
of integrated health systems. 
(5) GAO 
STUDY
ON
VOLUNTEER
ENHANCE-
MENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a study, and submit a report to Con-
gress, concerning the implications of extending 
Federal Tort Claims Act (chapter 171 of title 28, 
United States Code) coverage to health care pro-
fessionals who volunteer to furnish care to pa-
tients of health centers. 
(B) CONTENT.—In conducting the study 
under subparagraph (A), the Comptroller Gen-
eral of the United States shall analyze—
(i) the potential financial implications 
for the Federal Government of such an ex-
tension, including any increased funding 
needed for current health center Federal 
Tort Claims Act coverage; 
(ii) an estimate of the increase in the 
number of health care professionals at 
health centers, and what types of such pro-
fessionals would most likely volunteer given 
the extension of Federal Tort Claims Act 
coverage; 
(iii) the increase in services provided 
by health centers as a result of such an in-
crease in health care professionals, and in 
particular the effect of such action on the 
ability of health centers to secure specialty 
and diagnostic services needed by their un-
insured and other patients; 
(iv) the volume of patient workload at 
health centers and how volunteer health care 
professionals may help address the patient 
volume; 
(v) the most appropriate manner of ex-
tending such coverage to volunteer health 
care professionals at health centers, includ-
ing any potential difference from the mech-
anism currently used for health care profes-
sional volunteers at free clinics; 
(vi) State laws that have been shown to 
encourage physicians and other health care 
providers to provide charity care as an 
agent of the State; and 
(vii) other policies, including legisla-
tive or regulatory changes, that have the po-
tential to increase the number of volunteer 
health care staff at health centers and the fi-
nancial implications of such policies, in-
cluding the cost savings associated with the 
ability to provide more services in health 
centers rather than more expensive sites of 
care. 
(c) RECOGNITION OF HIGH POVERTY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 330(c) of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(c)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) RECOGNITION OF HIGH POVERTY.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—In making grants 
under this subsection, the Secretary may recog-
nize the unique needs of high poverty areas.