(1) PURPOSE AND INTENT.—The Training, Education, and Clinicals in Health (TEACH) Funding Program is created to provide a high-quality educational experience while supporting participating federally qualified health centers, community mental health centers, rural health clinics, and certified community behavioral health clinics by offsetting administrative costs and loss of revenue associated with training residents and students to become licensed health care practitioners. Further, it is the intent of the Legislature to use the program to support the state Medicaid program and underserved populations by expanding the available health care workforce.
(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:(a) “Agency” means the Agency for Health Care Administration.
(b) “Preceptor” means a Florida-licensed health care practitioner who directs, teaches, supervises, and evaluates the learning experience of a resident or student during a clinical rotation.
(c) “Primary care specialty” means general internal medicine, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, general pediatrics, psychiatry, geriatric medicine, or any other specialty the agency identifies as primary care.
(d) “Qualified facility” means a federally qualified health center, a community mental health center, rural health clinic, or a certified community behavioral health clinic.
(3) APPLICATION FOR REIMBURSEMENT; AGREEMENTS; PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS.—The agency shall develop an application process for qualified facilities to apply for funds to offset the administrative costs and loss of revenue associated with establishing, maintaining, or expanding a clinical training program. Upon approving an application, the agency shall enter into an agreement with the qualified facility which, at minimum, must require the qualified facility to do all of the following:(a) Agree to provide appropriate supervision or precepting for one or more of the following categories of residents or students:1. Allopathic or osteopathic residents pursuing a primary care specialty.
2. Dental residents.
3. Advanced practice registered nursing students pursuing a primary care specialty.
4. Nursing students.
5. Allopathic or osteopathic medical students.
6. Dental students.
7. Dental hygiene students.
8. Physician assistant students.
9. Behavioral health students, including students studying psychology, clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, or mental health counseling.
(b) Meet and maintain all requirements to operate an accredited residency program if the qualified facility operates a residency program.
(c) Obtain and maintain accreditation from an accreditation body approved by the agency if the qualified facility provides clinical rotations.
(d) Ensure that clinical preceptors meet agency standards for precepting students, including the completion of any training required by the agency.
(e) Submit quarterly reports to the agency by the first day of the second month following the end of a quarter to obtain reimbursement. At a minimum, the report must include all of the following:1. The type of residency or clinical rotation offered by the qualified facility, the number of residents or students participating in each type of clinical rotation or residency, and the number of hours worked by each resident or student each month.
2. Evaluations by the residents and student participants of the clinical experience on an evaluation form developed by the agency.
3. An itemized list of administrative costs associated with the operation of the clinical training program, including accreditation costs and other costs relating to the creation, implementation, and maintenance of the program.
4. A calculation of lost revenue associated with operating the clinical training program.
(4) TRAINING.—The agency, in consultation with the Department of Health, shall develop, or contract for the development of, training for preceptors and make such training available in either a live or electronic format. The agency shall also provide technical support for preceptors.
(5) REIMBURSEMENT.—Qualified facilities may be reimbursed under this section only to offset the administrative costs or lost revenue associated with training students, allopathic residents, osteopathic residents, or dental residents who are enrolled in an accredited educational or residency program based in this state.(a) Subject to an appropriation, the agency may reimburse a qualified facility based on the number of clinical training hours reported under subparagraph (3)(e)1. The allowed reimbursement per student is as follows:1. A medical or dental resident at a rate of $50 per hour.
2. A first-year medical student at a rate of $27 per hour.
3. A second-year medical student at a rate of $27 per hour.
4. A third-year medical student at a rate of $29 per hour.
5. A fourth-year medical student at a rate of $29 per hour.
6. A dental student at a rate of $22 per hour.
7. An advanced practice registered nursing student at a rate of $22 per hour.
8. A physician assistant student at a rate of $22 per hour.
9. A behavioral health student at a rate of $15 per hour.
10. A dental hygiene student at a rate of $15 per hour.
(b) A qualified facility may not be reimbursed more than $75,000 per fiscal year; however, if it operates a residency program, it may be reimbursed up to $100,000 each fiscal year.
(6) DATA.—A qualified facility that receives payment under the program shall furnish information requested by the agency for the purpose of the agency’s duties under subsections (7) and (8).
(7) REPORTS.—By December 1, 2025, and each December 1 thereafter, the agency shall submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report detailing the effects of the program for the prior fiscal year, including, but not limited to, all of the following:(a) The number of students trained in the program, by school, area of study, and clinical hours earned.
(b) The number of students trained and the amount of program funds received by each participating qualified facility.
(c) The number of program participants found to be employed by a participating qualified facility or in a federally designated health professional shortage area upon completion of their education and training.
(d) Any other data the agency deems useful for determining the effectiveness of the program.
(8) EVALUATION.—The agency shall contract with an independent third party to develop and conduct a design study to evaluate the impact of the TEACH funding program, including, but not limited to, the program’s effectiveness in both of the following areas:(a) Enabling qualified facilities to provide clinical rotations and residency opportunities to students and medical school graduates, as applicable.
(b) Enabling the recruitment and retention of health care professionals in geographic and practice areas experiencing shortages.
The agency shall begin collecting data for the study by January 1, 2025, and shall submit the results of the study to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1, 2030.
(9) RULES.—The agency may adopt rules to implement this section.
(10) FEDERAL FUNDING.—The agency shall seek federal approval to use Title XIX matching funds for the program.
(11) SUNSET.—This section is repealed on July 1, 2034.
