# Plain Language Summary: Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act of 2021

This bill creates a federal funding program to help more people from underrepresented groups become physical therapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, audiologists, and speech-language pathologists. The government would give grants and contracts to accredited education programs that are actively working to recruit and support students from racial and ethnic minorities, students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and students with disabilities. The money can be used to provide scholarships, stipends, help with prerequisite courses, and support services to help these students stay in and complete their programs.

The bill recognizes that these five healthcare professions don't have enough diversity in their workforces. By funding schools that commit to recruiting and retaining underrepresented students, the program aims to gradually change that. If you're a student from a minority background, come from a low-income family, or have a disability and want to enter one of these healthcare fields, your school might be able to offer you financial aid through this program. The bill sets aside $8 million per year for five years to fund these efforts.

Schools that receive this money have to track how many underrepresented students they admit, keep in their programs, and graduate each year. If a school's numbers drop below their own average, they have to explain what they'll do to improve. If they don't show improvement within a year, they lose their funding. This accountability measure ensures the money actually leads to more diverse healthcare professionals rather than just disappearing into school budgets without results.

Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act of 2021

Rush, Bobby L.

Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act of 2021 This bill allows the Department of Health and Human Services to provide grants to accredited education programs to increase diversity in the physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, audiology, and speech-language pathology professions. Grants may be used to provide scholarships or to support recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented groups.