Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Grants for Resources in Occupational and Workforce Training for Healthcare Act of 2023” or the “GROWTH Act of 2023”.
Grants for Resources in Occupational and Workforce Training for Healthcare Act of 2023
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Acts to make community colleges eligible to participate in the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention–Pathway to Registered Nurse Program, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Participation of community colleges in the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention–Pathway to Registered Nurse Program
Eligibility To participate— Section 831(f) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296p(f)) is amended to read as follows:
“(f) Definitions—For purposes of this section:
“(1) The term eligible entity includes—
“(A) a school of nursing;
“(B) a junior or community college;
“(C) a health care facility, such as a Federally qualified health center or nurse-managed health clinic; and
“(D) a partnership of such a school or college and such a facility.
“(2) The term junior or community college means—
“(A) a public institution of higher education, including additional locations, at which the highest awarded degree, or the predominantly awarded degree, is an associate degree; or
“(B) any Tribal College or University (as defined in section 316 of the Higher Education Act of 1965).”
Allocation of funds— Section 831 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296p), as amended, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
“(g) Allocation of funds—Of the total amount awarded to eligible entities under this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall, with respect to a portion of such total amount to be determined by the Secretary, not to exceed 50 percent of such total amount, give priority to eligible entities that are—
“(1) a junior or community college with an existing nursing program; or
“(2) a partnership referred to in subsection (f)(1)(D).”