Ensuring Children’s Access to Specialty Care Act of 2019
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3112-3113)
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 23, 2019
Ensuring Children's Access to Specialty Care Act of 2019
This bill expands the scope of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) to include pediatric subspecialists, including psychiatrists. Currently, the NHSC provides scholarships and student loan repayment awards to primary care, dental care, and mental health care providers who agree to work in areas that face a shortage of these types of providers.
In addition, the bill provides that an underserved population of children and adolescents may be designated as a health professional shortage area. (This designation confers eligibility for, and priority preferences with respect to, NHSC placements, grants, and other activities to address shortages of health care professionals.)
Source last updated: Apr 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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