Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Mr. REED. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joining Senator Blunt in introducing the Ensuring Children's Access to Specialty Care Act.

According to the American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, there are currently only 8,300 child and adolescent psychiatrists, CAPs, in the United States--many of whom are not practicing full time--far short of the estimated need of over 30,000 CAPs. On average, patients wait almost 2 months to see a CAP, a startling concern given that the incidence rates of mental illness and behavioral disorders among children in the United States continue to grow. Fifty percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin at age 14; 75 percent by age 24.

The National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, NHSCLRP, was created by Congress 40 years ago to help recruit and place trained individuals in underserved communities to provide needed health care services. Licensed health care providers may earn up to $50,000 toward student loans in exchange for a 2-year commitment at an NHSC-approved site, within 2 years of completing their residency. Accepted participants may serve as primary care medical, dental, or mental- behavioral health clinicians.

NHSCLRP provides critical relief to physicians who have completed pediatrics or psychiatry residency training programs; however, pediatric subspecialists, such as child and adolescent psychiatrists are effectively barred from participating due to the extra training these physicians are required to take after completing their residency. This extra training, which often results in increased student debt, typically consisting of a fellowship, takes place in the 2-year window of eligibility for NHSCLRP. The creation of NHSCLRP preceded the expansion of many pediatric subspecialties, not taking into account the extra years of training required for these physicians.

The Ensuring Children's Access to Specialty Care Act would correct this loophole and allow pediatric subspecialists practicing in underserved areas to benefit from the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. This bill would increase access to specialty care for children and improve mental health parity for children served by NHSCLRP. Every child with a physical, mental, or behavioral health condition should have access to pediatric health services.

Providers across the spectrum of care support this bipartisan legislation including the American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Arthritis Foundation, Children's Hospital Association, March of Dimes, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. I look forward to working with these and other stakeholders as well as Senator Blunt and our colleagues to pass the Ensuring Children's Access to Specialty Care Act in order to help ensure children have access to the health care they need. ______

By Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Mr. Peters, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Markey, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Booker, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Merkley, and Ms. Mikulski):

S. 2784. A bill to ensure that Federal science agencies and institutions of higher education receiving Federal research and development funding are fully engaging the entire national talent pool, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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