Career support for skilled, internationally educated health professionals

(a) Grants to eligible entities (1) Authority to provide grants The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the Secretary), acting through the Bureau of Health Workforce within the Health Resources and Services Administration, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, or the Office of Minority Health, may award grants to eligible entities under paragraph (2) to carry out activities described in subsection (b). (2) Eligibility To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall— (A) be a clinical, public health, or health services organization, a community-based or nonprofit entity, an academic institution, a faith-based organization, a State, county, or local government, an area health education center, or another entity determined appropriate by the Secretary; and (B) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (b) Authorized activities A grant awarded under this section shall be used— (1) to provide services to assist unemployed and underemployed skilled immigrants, residing in the United States, who have legal, permanent work authorization and who are internationally educated health professionals, enter into the health workforce of the United States with employment matching their health professional skills and education, and advance in employment to positions that better match their health professional education and expertise; (2) to provide training opportunities to reduce barriers to entry and advancement in the health workforce for skilled, internationally educated immigrants; (3) to educate employers regarding the abilities and capacities of internationally educated health professionals; (4) to assist in the evaluation of foreign credentials; (5) to support preceptorships for international medical graduates in primary care training; and (6) to facilitate access to contextualized and accelerated courses on English as a second language.