(a) Program authorized
The Secretary may award grants under this section to teaching health centers for the purpose of establishing new accredited or expanded primary care residency programs.
(b) Amount and duration
Grants awarded under this section shall be for a term of not more than 3 years and the maximum award may not be more than $500,000.
(c) Use of funds
Amounts provided under a grant under this section shall be used to cover the costs of—
(1) establishing or expanding a primary care residency training program described in subsection (a), including costs associated with—
(A) curriculum development;
(B) recruitment, training and retention of residents and faculty: 1
(C) accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the American Dental Association (ADA), or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA); and
(D) faculty salaries during the development phase; and
(2) technical assistance provided by an eligible entity.
(d) Application
A teaching health center seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
(e) Preference for certain applications
In selecting recipients for grants under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to any such application that documents an existing affiliation agreement with an area health education center program as defined in sections 294a and 295p of this title.
(f) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Eligible entity
The term "eligible entity" means an organization capable of providing technical assistance including an area health education center program as defined in sections 294a and 295p of this title.
(2) Primary care residency program
The term "primary care residency program" means an approved graduate medical residency training program (as defined in section 256h of this title) in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine-pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, and geriatrics.
(3) Teaching health center
(A) In general
The term "teaching health center" means an entity that—
(i) is a community based, ambulatory patient care center; and
(ii) operates a primary care residency program.
(B) Inclusion of certain entities
Such term includes the following:
(i) A Federally qualified health center (as defined in section 1396d(l)(2)(B) of this title).
(ii) A community mental health center (as defined in section 1395x(ff)(3)(B) of this title).
(iii) A rural health clinic, as defined in section 1395x(aa) of this title.
(iv) A health center operated by the Indian Health Service, an Indian tribe or tribal organization, or an urban Indian organization (as defined in section 1603 of title 25).
(v) An entity receiving funds under subchapter VIII.
(g) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated, $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, and such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year thereafter to carry out this section. Not to exceed $5,000,000 annually may be used for technical assistance program grants.