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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1075 FILED ON: 1/18/2023 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 781 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Liz Miranda |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act relative to the primary care workforce development and loan repayment grant program at |
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| 13 | 13 | | community health centers. |
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| 14 | 14 | | _______________ |
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| 15 | 15 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 16 | 16 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Liz MirandaSecond SuffolkRebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex2/7/2023Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk2/7/2023Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex2/8/2023John J. CroninWorcester and Middlesex2/8/2023Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester2/8/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex2/8/2023John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth2/8/2023Jason M. LewisFifth Middlesex2/8/2023James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/8/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/13/2023Pavel M. PayanoFirst Essex2/21/2023Michael O. MooreSecond Worcester2/21/2023Michael J. BarrettThird Middlesex2/21/2023 1 of 2 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1075 FILED ON: 1/18/2023 |
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| 18 | 18 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 781 |
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| 19 | 19 | | By Ms. Miranda, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 781) of Liz Miranda, Rebecca L. |
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| 20 | 20 | | Rausch, Sal N. DiDomenico, Thomas M. Stanley and other members of the General Court for |
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| 21 | 21 | | legislation relative to the primary care workforce development and loan repayment grant |
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| 22 | 22 | | program at community health centers. Health Care Financing. |
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| 23 | 23 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 27 | 27 | | _______________ |
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| 28 | 28 | | An Act relative to the primary care workforce development and loan repayment grant program at |
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| 29 | 29 | | community health centers. |
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| 30 | 30 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 31 | 31 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 32 | 32 | | 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 6A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2is hereby amended by adding the following after Section 16CC |
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| 34 | 34 | | 3 Section 16DD (a) There shall be established a primary care workforce development and |
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| 35 | 35 | | 4loan forgiveness grant program at community health centers for the purpose of enhancing |
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| 36 | 36 | | 5recruitment and retention of primary care physicians, other clinicians, bachelor’s degree-level |
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| 37 | 37 | | 6mental health and primary care professionals including, but not limited to, community health |
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| 38 | 38 | | 7workers, recovery coaches and family partners, as well as all other non-clinician staff at |
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| 39 | 39 | | 8community health centers throughout the Commonwealth. Priority shall be given to clinicians |
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| 40 | 40 | | 9and bachelor’s degree-level mental health and primary care professionals. The grant program |
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| 41 | 41 | | 10shall be administered by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, provided, that the |
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| 42 | 42 | | 11office may contract with an organization to administer the grant program. This program shall 2 of 2 |
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| 43 | 43 | | 12ensure the continuation of state-level loan repayment for clinicians at community health centers |
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| 44 | 44 | | 13including but not limited to those programs established by Chapter 102 of the acts of 2021, |
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| 45 | 45 | | 14reserve 1599-2026. |
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| 46 | 46 | | 15 (b) the program shall prioritize the recruitment and retention of a culturally, ethnically |
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| 47 | 47 | | 16and linguistically diverse workforce; provided further, that to be eligible for loan repayment |
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| 48 | 48 | | 17assistance under this item, an individual shall: (a) work in a community health center (i) have |
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| 49 | 49 | | 18outstanding educational debt; (ii) not participate in any other loan repayment program; and (iii) |
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| 50 | 50 | | 19be required to enter into a contract with the commonwealth for not less than 4 years; provided |
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| 51 | 51 | | 20further, that the amounts of assistance per individual shall be pro-rated for individuals working |
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| 52 | 52 | | 21on a part-time basis; provided further, that the executive office shall promulgate regulations for |
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| 53 | 53 | | 22the administration and enforcement of the loan repayment assistance program under this item |
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| 54 | 54 | | 23which shall include penalties and repayment procedures if a participating individual fails to |
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| 55 | 55 | | 24comply with the program requirements; |
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| 56 | 56 | | 25 (c) The program shall be funded through expenditures from the Behavioral Health and |
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| 57 | 57 | | 26Community-Based Primary Care Reserve established in section 2a of chapter 102 of the Acts of |
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| 58 | 58 | | 272021. |
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