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atric medical subspecialty, the pediatric 
surgical specialty, the child and adolescent 
psychiatry subspecialty, or child and ado-
lescent mental and behavioral health, as 
applicable; and 
‘‘(2) the Secretary agrees to make payments on 
the principal and interest of undergraduate, grad-
uate, or graduate medical education loans of the 
qualified health professional of not more than 
$35,000 a year for each year of agreed upon service 
under paragraph (1) for a period of not more than 
3 years. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) PEDIATRIC MEDICAL SPECIALISTS AND PE-
DIATRIC SURGICAL SPECIALISTS.—For purposes of 
loan repayment agreements under this section with 
respect to pediatric medical subspecialty and pedi-
atric surgical specialty practitioners, the term ‘quali-
fied health professional’ means a licensed physician 
who— 
‘‘(A) is entering or receiving training in an 
accredited pediatric medical subspecialty or pe-
diatric surgical subspecialty residency or fellow-
ship; or 
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‘‘(B) has completed (but not prior to the 
end of the calendar year in which the Edu-
cating Medical Professionals and Optimizing 
Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health 
Act of 2019 is enacted) the training described 
in subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(2) CHILD
AND
ADOLESCENT
PSYCHIATRY 
AND MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.—For pur-
poses of loan repayment agreements under this sec-
tion with respect to child and adolescent mental and 
behavioral health care, the term ‘qualified health 
professional’ means a health care professional who— 
‘‘(A) has received specialized training or 
clinical experience in child and adolescent men-
tal health in psychiatry, psychology, school psy-
chology, or psychiatric nursing; 
‘‘(B) has a license or certification in a 
State to practice allopathic medicine, osteo-
pathic medicine, psychology, school psychology, 
or psychiatric nursing; or 
‘‘(C) is a mental health service professional 
who has completed (but not before the end of 
the calendar year in which the Educating Med-
ical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce 
Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act of 
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2019 is enacted) specialized training or clinical 
experience in child and adolescent mental health 
described in subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(3) 
ADDITIONAL
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIRE-
MENTS.—The Secretary may not enter into a loan 
repayment agreement under this section with a 
qualified health professional unless— 
‘‘(A) the professional agrees to work in, or 
for a provider serving, an area or community 
with a shortage of eligible qualified health pro-
fessionals (as defined in paragraphs (1) and 
(2)); 
‘‘(B) the professional is a United States 
citizen, a permanent legal United States resi-
dent, or lawfully present in the United States; 
and 
‘‘(C) if the professional is enrolled in a 
graduate program, the program is accredited, 
and the professional has an acceptable level of 
academic standing (as determined by the Sec-
retary). 
‘‘(c) PRIORITY.—In entering into loan repayment 
agreements under this section, the Secretary shall give pri-
ority to applicants who— 
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‘‘(1) have familiarity with evidence-based meth-
ods and cultural and linguistic competence in health 
care services; and 
‘‘(2) demonstrate financial need. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 
2020 through 2024— 
‘‘(1) $30,000,000 to carry out this section with 
respect to loan repayment agreements with qualified 
health professionals described in subsection (b)(1); 
and 
‘‘(2) $20,000,000 to carry out this section with 
respect to loan repayment agreements with respect 
to qualified health professionals described in sub-
section (b)(2).’’. 
SEC. 5. INCREASING WORKFORCE DIVERSITY IN THE PRO-
FESSIONS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY, OCCUPA-
TIONAL THERAPY, AUDIOLOGY, AND SPEECH- 
LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY. 
Title VII of the Public Health Service Act is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating part G (42 U.S.C. 295j et 
seq.) as part H; and 
(2) by inserting after part F (42 U.S.C. 294n 
et seq.) the following new part: 
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‘‘PART G—INCREASING WORKFORCE DIVERSITY 
IN THE PROFESSIONS OF PHYSICAL THER-
APY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, AUDIOLOGY, 
AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 
‘‘SEC. 783. SCHOLARSHIPS AND STIPENDS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award grants 
and contracts to eligible entities to increase educational 
opportunities in the professions of physical therapy, occu-
pational therapy, audiology, and speech-language pathol-
ogy for eligible individuals by— 
‘‘(1) providing student scholarships or stipends, 
including for— 
‘‘(A) completion of an accelerated degree 
program; 
‘‘(B) completion of an associate’s, bach-
elor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree program; 
and 
‘‘(C) entry by a diploma or associate’s de-
gree practitioner into a bridge or degree com-
pletion program; 
‘‘(2) providing assistance for completion of pre-
requisite courses or other preparation necessary for 
acceptance for enrollment in the eligible entity; and 
‘‘(3) carrying out activities to increase the re-
tention of students in one or more programs in the 
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professions of physical therapy, occupational ther-
apy, audiology, and speech-language pathology. 
‘‘(b) CONSIDERATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS.—In 
carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into 
consideration the recommendations of national organiza-
tions representing the professions of physical therapy, oc-
cupational therapy, audiology, and speech-language pa-
thology, including the American Physical Therapy Asso-
ciation, the American Occupational Therapy Association, 
the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the 
American Academy of Audiology, and the Academy of 
Doctors of Audiology. 
‘‘(c) REQUIRED INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS FOR 
AWARD RECIPIENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may require 
recipients of awards under this section to report to 
the Secretary concerning the annual admission, re-
tention, and graduation rates for eligible individuals 
in programs of the recipient leading to a degree in 
any of the professions of physical therapy, occupa-
tional therapy, audiology, and speech-language pa-
thology. 
‘‘(2) FALLING RATES.—If any of the rates re-
ported by a recipient under paragraph (1) fall below 
the average for such recipient over the two years 
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preceding the year covered by the report, the recipi-
ent shall provide the Secretary with plans for imme-
diately improving such rates. 
‘‘(3) INELIGIBILITY.—A recipient described in 
paragraph (2) shall be ineligible for continued fund-
ing under this section if the plan of the recipient 
fails to improve the rates within the 1-year period 
beginning on the date such plan is implemented. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The term ‘eligible 
entity’ means an education program that— 
‘‘(A) is accredited by— 
‘‘(i) the Council on Academic Accredi-
tation in Audiology and Speech-Language 
Pathology or the Accreditation Commission 
for Audiology Education; 
‘‘(ii) the Commission on Accreditation 
in Physical Therapy Education; or 
‘‘(iii) the Accreditation Council for 
Occupational Therapy Education; and 
‘‘(B) is carrying out a program for recruit-
ing and retaining students underrepresented in 
the professions of physical therapy, occupa-
tional therapy, audiology, and speech-language 
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pathology (including racial or ethnic minorities, 
or students from disadvantaged backgrounds). 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘eligible 
individual’ means an individual who— 
‘‘(A) is a member of a class of persons who 
are underrepresented in the professions of phys-
ical therapy, occupational therapy, audiology, 
and speech-language pathology (including indi-
viduals who are racial or ethnic minorities, or 
are from disadvantaged backgrounds); 
‘‘(B) has a financial need for a scholarship 
or stipend; and 
‘‘(C) is enrolled (or accepted for enroll-
ment) at an audiology, speech-language pathol-
ogy, physical therapy, or occupational therapy 
program as a full-time student at an eligible en-
tity. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024.’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives October 28, 
2019. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
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