Grow Our Own Directive: Physician Assistant Employment and Education Act of 2016

Bill: 114-hr-3974
Sponsor: Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2]
Introduced: 2015-11-05 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Department of Veterans Affairs
Employee hiring
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health personnel
Medical education
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2015-11-05
text: 

Grow Our Own Directive: Physician Assistant Employment and Education Act of 2015

 
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out the Grow Our Own Directive or G.O.O.D. pilot program to provide educational assistance to certain former members of the Armed Forces for education and training as VA physician assistants. 
 
An individual is eligible to participate in the program if the individual: 
 
 
has medical or military health experience gained while serving in the Armed Forces; 
 
has received a certificate, associate degree, baccalaureate degree, master's degree, or postbaccalaureate training in a science relating to health care; 
 
has participated in the delivery of health care services or related medical services; and 
 
does not have a degree of doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of dentistry. 
 
 
The VA shall: 
 
 
provide educational assistance to program participants for the costs of obtaining a master's degree in physician assistant studies or a similar master's degree, 
 
 ensure that mentors are available for program participants at each VA facility at which a participant is employed, and 
 
seek to partner with specified government programs and with appropriate educational institutions that offer degrees in physician assistant studies.
 
 
The VA shall: 
 
 
establish specified standards to improve the education and and hiring of VA physician assistants, and 
 
implement a national plan for the retention and recruitment of VA physician assistants that includes the adoption of competitive pay standards. 
 
 
VA physician assistant pay grades are established.

action_date: 2016-09-06
text: 

Grow Our Own Directive: Physician Assistant Employment and Education Act of 2016

 
(Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a five-year Grow Our Own Directive or G.O.O.D. pilot program to provide educational assistance to certain former members of the Armed Forces for education and training as VA physician assistants. 
 
 The VA shall provide eligible individuals with program information about application requirements and partner entities. 
 
An individual is eligible to participate in the pilot program who: 
 
 
has medical or military health experience; 
 
has received a certificate, associate degree, baccalaureate degree, master's degree, or postbaccalaureate training in a science relating to health care; 
 
has participated in the delivery of health care services or related medical services, including military training regarding identification, treatment, and prevention of diseases and disorders; and 
 
does not have a degree of doctor of medicine, osteopathy, or dentistry. 
 
 
 The VA shall select at least 250 pilot program participants and give priority to persons who: 
 
 
 participated in the Intermediate Care Technician Pilot Program between January 2011 and February 2015, and 
 
 agree to be employed as a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) physician assistant in a community designated as a medically underserved population located in a state with a per capita veterans population of more than 9%. 
 
 
 The VA shall: 
 
 
 provide educational assistance to pilot program participants for the costs of obtaining a master's degree in physician assistant studies or a similar master's degree, 
 
 use VA educational assistance programs to provide such assistance, and 
 
 provide at least 35 scholarships to pilot program participants each year.
 
 
 The VA shall enter into an agreement with each pilot program participant to serve a period of obligated service as a VHA physician assistant. An individual who breaches such agreement shall be liable to the United States for a prorated portion of the amount paid to such individual under the program. 
 
 The VA shall ensure that a physician assistant mentor is available at each VHA facility that employs a pilot program participant. 
 
 The VA shall seek to partner with: 
 
 
 at least 15 institutions of higher education that offer an accredited master's degree program in physician assistant studies or a similar area of study and agree to guarantee places for qualifying pilot program participants, 
 
 other accredited institutions of higher education that offer similar programs, 
 
 the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense,
 
 the Veterans' Employment and Training Service of the Department of Labor, and 
 
 pilot program marketing and advertising programs. 
 
 
 For purposes of carrying out the pilot program, the VA shall appoint or select within the VHA's Office of Physician Assistant Services: (1) a Deputy Director for Education and Career Development of Physician Assistants, (2) a Deputy Director of Recruitment and Retention, (3) a recruiter, and (4) an administrative assistant.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 549.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 114-710.
action_date: 2016-09-06
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 114-710.
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2016-04-29
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2016-04-29
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2016-04-20
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2015-12-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-11-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2015-11-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-11-05
text: Introduced in House