Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1761
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
Introduced: 2015-04-13
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care coverage and access

Health personnel

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Mental health

Student aid and college costs
Latest action: action_date: 2015-04-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-04-13
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Act of 2015</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to include occupational therapists as behavioral and mental health professionals for purposes of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), thereby making occupational therapists eligible for the NHSC fellowship program for the delivery of primary health services in health professional shortage areas, the NHSC Scholarship Program, and the NHSC Loan Repayment Program.</p> <p>This amendment applies only in fiscal years when funding for NHSC programs is greater than FY2015 funding.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1761 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 13, 2015 Mr. Tonko (for himself and Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the inclusion of occupational therapists in the National Health Service Corps Program, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Act of 2015 . 2. Inclusion of occupational therapists in National Health Service Corps Program (a) Inclusion of occupational therapists Section 331(a)(3)(E)(i) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254d(a)(3)(E)(i) ) is amended by inserting subject to section 2(b)(2) of the Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Act of 2015 , occupational therapists, after psychiatric nurse specialists, . (b) Effective date; contingent implementation (1) Effective date Subject to paragraph (2), the amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply beginning on October 1, 2015. (2) Contingent implementation The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to obligations entered into for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2015 only if the total amount made available for the purpose of carrying out subparts II and III of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254d et seq. ) for such fiscal year is greater than the total amount made available for such purpose for fiscal year 2015.