House File 624 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  HEATON


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the recruitment and retention of psychiatrists
  2    in the state, and providing an appropriation.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 1423HH 82
  5 pf/je/5

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  PRIMECARRE == PSYCHIATRIST RECRUITMENT AND
  1  2 RETENTION.
  1  3    1.  Notwithstanding any provision of section 135.107 to the
  1  4 contrary, for the period beginning July 1, 2007, and ending
  1  5 June 30, 2012, the center for rural health and primary care
  1  6 shall utilize the PRIMECARRE community grant program, primary
  1  7 care provider loan repayment program, and the primary care
  1  8 provider community scholarship program, to increase the
  1  9 recruitment and retention of psychiatrists in the state, with
  1 10 the goal of increasing the number of counties with psychiatric
  1 11 provider coverage.
  1 12    2.  Additionally, during the five=year period, the center
  1 13 shall pursue other options to address the shortage of mental
  1 14 health professionals in the state, including but not limited
  1 15 to:
  1 16    a.  Utilizing telemedicine and other psychiatric
  1 17 consultation models for primary care providers and other
  1 18 clinicians that are financially sustainable.
  1 19    b.  Developing new educational programs for health
  1 20 professionals, such as nurse practitioners and physician
  1 21 assistants with competencies in mental health care.
  1 22    Sec. 2.  INCREASE IN PSYCHIATRY RESIDENT ADMISSIONS.  There
  1 23 is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the
  1 24 state board of regents for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
  1 25 2007, and ending June 30, 2008, the following amount, or so
  1 26 much thereof as is necessary, for the purpose designated:
  1 27    For allocation to the university of Iowa hospitals and
  1 28 clinics to increase the number of psychiatry residency
  1 29 positions by ten based upon the most recent residency
  1 30 admissions period:
  1 31 .................................................. $    600,000
  1 32    At a minimum, as a condition of any payments relating to a
  1 33 residency position, upon completion of the residency program,
  1 34 the psychiatrist shall practice in an Iowa community mental
  1 35 health center or in another location which serves a federally
  2  1 designated health professional shortage area of the state.
  2  2                           EXPLANATION
  2  3    This bill provides that for the period beginning July 1,
  2  4 2007, and ending June 30, 2012, the center for rural health
  2  5 and primary care, established within the department of public
  2  6 health, shall utilize the PRIMECARRE community grant program,
  2  7 primary care provider loan repayment program, and the primary
  2  8 care provider community scholarship program, to prioritize the
  2  9 recruitment and retention of psychiatrists in the state, with
  2 10 the goal of increasing the number of counties with psychiatric
  2 11 coverage.  Additionally, the bill requires that during the
  2 12 five=year period, the center pursues other options to address
  2 13 the shortage of mental health professionals in the state,
  2 14 including but not limited to utilizing telemedicine and other
  2 15 psychiatric consultation models for primary care providers and
  2 16 other clinicians, and developing new educational programs for
  2 17 health professionals, such as nurse practitioners and
  2 18 physician assistants, with competencies in mental health care.
  2 19    The bill also appropriates funds from the general fund of
  2 20 the state to the board of regents for FY 2007=2008 for
  2 21 allocation to the university of Iowa hospitals and clinics to
  2 22 increase the number of psychiatry residency positions by 10
  2 23 based upon the most recent residency admissions period.  At a
  2 24 minimum, as a condition of payment for the residency position,
  2 25 upon completion of the residency program, the psychiatrist is
  2 26 required to practice in an Iowa community mental health center
  2 27 or in another location which serves a federally designated
  2 28 health professional shortage area of the state.
  2 29 LSB 1423HH 82
  2 30 pf:rj/je/5