Physician Assistant Education Public Health Initiatives Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.3890 | Sponsor: Rep. Bass, Karen (D-CA)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Physician Assistant Education Public Health Initiatives Act of 2021
This bill establishes multiple grants within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) concerning clinical education and training of physician assistants.
First, HRSA must award grants to physician assistant education programs to expand training at underserved sites (e.g., federally qualified health centers). HRSA must allocate 50% of the grant funds for rural sites and give priority to programs that propose expanding clinical rotations in pediatrics, women's health, or behavioral health.
Second, HRSA must also award grants to physician assistant education programs for implementing telehealth curricula.
Last, HRSA must award grants to qualified nonprofits and institutions of higher education for research on the use of simulation to mitigate shortages of clinical training sites and other ways to improve education and training of physician assistants.

To amend the Public Health Service Act to address physician assistant 
                training needs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Physician Assistant Education Public 
Health Initiatives Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. EXPANDING CLINICAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.

    The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 
749A of such Act (42 U.S.C. 293l-1) the following:

``SEC. 749A-1. EXPANDING CLINICAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator 
of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall award grants 
to physician assistant education programs to establish or expand 
clinical education and training for physician assistants at underserved 
sites including Federally qualified health centers, critical access 
hospitals, and rural health clinics.
    ``(b) Allocation for Rural Sites.--Of the amount made available to 
carry out this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate 
50 percent of such amount for clinical education and training at 
underserved sites that are located in rural areas.
    ``(c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall give priority to physician assistant education programs 
proposing to establish or expand clinical rotations for physician 
assistants in pediatrics, women's health, or behavioral health.
    ``(d) Reporting to Congress.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(1) not later than March 1, 2024, submit an interim 
        report to the Congress on the implementation of this section; 
        and
            ``(2) not later than March 1, 2027, submit a final report 
        to the Congress on such implementation.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2026.''.

SEC. 3. PROMOTING TELEHEALTH EDUCATION FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT 
              STUDENTS.

    The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 
749A-1 of such Act, as added by section 2, the following:

``SEC. 749A-2. PROMOTING TELEHEALTH EDUCATION FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT 
              STUDENTS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator 
of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall award grants 
to physician assistant education programs to develop and implement 
telehealth curricula for students who are enrolled at such programs.
    ``(b) Use of Funds.--Recipients of grants under this section shall 
use the grants to develop and implement curricula that improve student 
knowledge on telehealth delivery, including--
            ``(1) effective patient communication principles;
            ``(2) legal requirements pertaining to privacy and 
        security;
            ``(3) social, cultural, physical, and linguistic barriers 
        to the use of telehealth services; and
            ``(4) patient safety and criteria for care escalation 
        during a telehealth encounter.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2026.''.

SEC. 4. RESEARCH TO ENHANCE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION.

    The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 
749A-2 of such Act, as added by section 3, the following:

``SEC. 749A-3. RESEARCH TO ENHANCE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator 
of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall award grants 
to eligible entities to fund research on physician assistant education 
enhancement and innovation.
    ``(b) Use of Funds.--Recipients of grants under this section shall 
use the grants to fund research on physician assistant education 
enhancement and innovation, including--
            ``(1) the use of simulation to mitigate clinical training 
        site shortages;
            ``(2) barriers to integrating physician assistant students 
        into the delivery of telehealth services; or
            ``(3) recruitment and retention strategies for faculty and 
        students underrepresented in physician assistant education 
        programs and the physician assistant profession.
    ``(c) Report Requirement.--Recipients of grants under this section 
shall provide to the Secretary with respect to each year covered by the 
grant a report on the activities conducted using such funds, 
including--
            ``(1) the number of researchers supported during such year 
        by such recipient using such funds;
            ``(2) a list of the researchers counted under paragraph 
        (1), organized by researcher, including--
                    ``(A) the research topic of each such researcher; 
                and
                    ``(B) citations to published clinical and 
                scientific research by each such researcher that is 
                attributable to support under this section;
            ``(3) an evaluation of the benefits of grants under this 
        section; and
            ``(4) any other information the Secretary may request.
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means an 
        organization that has demonstrated expertise in physician 
        assistant education and is--
                    ``(A) a nonprofit organization; or
                    ``(B) an institution of higher education.
            ``(2) Physician assistant education.--The term `physician 
        assistant education' means selecting, educating, and graduating 
        students in accredited graduate physician assistant education 
        programs.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2026.''.
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