Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act of 2021
Bill: S.1679 | Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. (D-PA)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act of 2021
This bill allows the Department of Health and Human Services to provide grants to accredited education programs to increase diversity in the physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, audiology, and speech-language pathology professions. Grants may be used to provide scholarships or to support recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented groups.

To amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to authorize 
  assistance for increasing workforce diversity in the professions of 
physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, audiology, 
         and speech-language pathology, 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 ``Allied Health Workforce Diversity 
Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. INCREASING WORKFORCE DIVERSITY IN THE PROFESSIONS OF PHYSICAL 
              THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, RESPIRATORY THERAPY, 
              AUDIOLOGY, AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY.

    Title VII of the Public Health Service Act is amended--
            (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:

``PART G--INCREASING WORKFORCE DIVERSITY IN THE PROFESSIONS OF PHYSICAL 
  THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, RESPIRATORY 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, occupational therapy, respiratory 
therapy, audiology, and speech-language pathology 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, bachelor's, 
                master's, or doctoral degree program; and
                    ``(C) entry by a diploma or associate's degree 
                practitioner into a bridge or degree completion 
                program;
            ``(2) providing assistance for completion of prerequisite 
        courses or other preparation necessary for acceptance for 
        enrollment in the eligible entity; and
            ``(3) carrying out activities to increase the retention of 
        students in one or more programs in the professions of physical 
        therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, audiology, 
        and speech-language pathology.
    ``(b) Consideration of Recommendations.--In carrying out subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall take into consideration the recommendations of 
national organizations representing the professions of physical 
therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, audiology, and 
speech-language pathology, including the American Physical Therapy 
Association, the American Occupational Therapy Association, the 
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the American Association 
for Respiratory Care, 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, retention, and graduation rates for 
        eligible individuals in programs of the recipient leading to a 
        degree in any of the professions of physical therapy, 
        occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, audiology, and 
        speech-language pathology.
            ``(2) Falling rates.--If any of the rates reported by a 
        recipient under paragraph (1) fall below the average for such 
        recipient over the 2 years preceding the year covered by the 
        report, the recipient shall provide the Secretary with plans 
        for immediately improving such rates.
            ``(3) Ineligibility.--A recipient described in paragraph 
        (2) shall be ineligible for continued funding 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 Accreditation 
                        in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology or 
                        the Accreditation Commission for Audiology 
                        Education;
                            ``(ii) the Commission on Accreditation in 
                        Physical Therapy Education;
                            ``(iii) the Accreditation Council for 
                        Occupational Therapy Education; or
                            ``(iv) the Commission on Accreditation for 
                        Respiratory Care; and
                    ``(B) is carrying out a program for recruiting and 
                retaining students underrepresented in the professions 
                of physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory 
                therapy, audiology, and speech-language 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 physical 
                therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, 
                audiology, speech-language pathology (including 
                individuals who are racial or ethnic minorities, or are 
                from disadvantaged backgrounds or individuals with a 
                disability (as defined in section 3(1) of the Americans 
                with Disabilities Act of 1990, or who have an 
                individualized education program, as defined in section 
                602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 
                are covered under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 
                of 1973, or have other documentation establishing the 
                student's disability (as such term is defined in 
                section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 
                1990)));
                    ``(B) has a financial need for a scholarship or 
                stipend; and
                    ``(C) is enrolled (or accepted for enrollment) at 
                an audiology, speech-language pathology, respiratory 
                therapy, physical therapy, or occupational therapy 
                program as a full-time student at an eligible entity.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $8,000,000 for the first fiscal 
year commencing after the date of enactment of the Allied Health 
Workforce Diversity Act of 2021 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal 
years.''.
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