H.R. 9877

Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026

Sponsor: Raul Ruiz

26 cosponsors
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I Data collection and reporting

II Culturally and linguistically appropriate health and health care

III Health workforce diversity

A Diversifying the health care workplace

B Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Behavioral and Mental Health Workforce

C ACCESS in Mental Health Act

D Developing the Community Health Workforce Act

Sec. 3042. Community Health Center Workforce Pipeline Program

(a) Grants To recruit, train, and retain a community-Based health center workforce

(1) In general. Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) is amended—

(A) by redesignating subsection (r) as subsection (u); and

(B) by inserting after subsection (q) the following new subsection:

Text this section adds to the law

(r) Recruiting, training, and retaining a community-Based workforce. The Secretary may award grants to health centers for the purpose of assisting such centers in—

(1) recruiting and hiring staff with the skills and experience necessary to effectively serve health center patient populations in rural and underserved areas; and

(2) supporting career advancement and workforce development opportunities for such staff.

(b) FQHCs deemed eligible To register as apprenticeship program. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall revise the regulations under part 29 of title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, so that Federally qualified health centers (as defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa))) are eligible to register as apprenticeship programs under such part.

(c) Health centers career opportunities. Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b), as amended by subsection (a), is further amended by inserting after subsection (r) the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(s) Health centers career opportunities

(1) In general. The Secretary may award grants to institutions of higher education, including community colleges and minority-serving institutions, to establish partnerships with one or more health centers funded under this section for training students in health professions.

(2) Use of funds

(A) Costs. An institution of higher education receiving a grant under this subsection may use the grant to pay the costs of training, including the salary of the clinicians or other educators who provide the training.

(B) Training supported. The training supported pursuant to a grant under this subsection may include formal training and mentorships.

(C) Types of training. The types of training supported pursuant to a grant under this subsection may include clinical, information technology, operations, finance, or other training for students of health professions, as determined by the institution of higher education receiving the grant in partnership with the health center involved.

(3) Definitions. In this subsection:

(A) The term institution of higher education means an institution of higher education described in subsection (a) or (b) of section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

(B) The term minority-serving institution means an institution of higher education described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

(d) Behavioral health specialists. Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b), as amended by subsection (c), is further amended by inserting after subsection (s) the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(t) Behavioral health specialists

(1) In general. The Secretary may award grants to health centers to establish, operate, or expand training programs for behavioral health specialists.

(2) Use of funds. The training programs for behavioral health specialists supported pursuant to a grant under this subsection may include—

(A) stipends for personnel to operate the training programs;

(B) apprenticeship programs; and

(C) other recruitment and retention activities for behavioral health specialists.

IV Improving Health Care Access and Quality

A Reducing Barriers to Accessing Care

B Improvement of Coverage

C Expansion of Access

1 General Provisions

2 Rural

3 Indian Communities

4 Providers

5 Dental

D Advancing Health Equity Through Payment and Delivery Reform

E Health Empowerment Zones

F Equitable Health Care for All

G Investing in Equity

H Miscellaneous

I Territories Health Equity

1 Medicare

A Part A

B Part B

C Medicare Advantage (Part C)

D Part D

2 Miscellaneous

V Improving health outcomes for women, gender-diverse people, children, and families

A Underserved communities

B Pregnancy screening

C Pregnancy-Related care

D Federal agency coordination on maternal health

E Reproductive and Sexual Health

F Children’s Health

G Elder Care

H Miscellaneous provisions

VI Mental health and substance use disorders

A Access to care and funding streams

B Interprofessional care

C Workforce development

D Children’s mental health

E Community-Based care

F Reports

G Miscellaneous provisions

VII Addressing high-impact minority diseases

A Cancer

B Viral hepatitis and liver cancer control and prevention

C Acquired bone marrow failure diseases

D Cardiovascular disease, chronic disease, obesity, and other disease issues

E HIV/AIDS

F Diabetes

G Lung disease

H Tuberculosis

I Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases

J Sleep and circadian rhythm disorders

K Kidney disease research, surveillance, prevention, and treatment

L Diversity in clinical trials

M Additional provisions addressing high-impact minority diseases

N Health Equity and Rare Disease Act

O Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention

P New Era of Preventing End-Stage Kidney Disease

VIII Health Information Technology

A Reducing Health Disparities Through Health IT

B Modifications To Achieve Parity in Existing Programs

C Additional Research and Studies

D Closing Gaps in Funding To Adopt Certified EHRs

E Expanding Access to Telehealth Services

IX Accountability and Evaluation

X Addressing Social Determinants and Improving Environmental Justice

A In General

B Gun Violence

C Nutrition for women, children, families

1 Senior hunger prevention

2 Closing the meal gap

D Universal school meals

1 School breakfast program

2 School lunch program

3 Elementary and secondary education data

4 Amendments to other programs and laws

XI Protections to combat regulatory harm to health equity