Improving recruitment and retention of Federal qualified health center staff

(a) Priority to FQHCs and rural health clinics Section 333(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254f(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (4) In approving applications for assignment of members of the Corps, the Secretary shall, notwithstanding paragraph (3), give priority to applications with respect to health professional shortage areas that are Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics, as defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act.. (b) Loan repayment program (1) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall award grants to Federally qualified health centers (as defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa))) for the purpose of addressing health professional workforce shortages by making loan repayments on behalf of health care professionals serving at such centers. (2) Applications To seek a grant under paragraph (1), a Federally qualified health center shall submit an application to the Secretary of Health and Human Services at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. At a minimum, such an application shall include— (A) a description of the center’s capacity to address specific regional workforce shortages, supported by data; (B) a plan for making loan repayments as described in paragraph (1); and (C) a description of the center’s use of an interdisciplinary approach to care (such as through the use of teams to provide care that include physicians, nurses, social workers, community health workers, pharmacists, and other health care professionals).