Essential Skills and Child Care for Health Professions Act
This bill, titled the Essential Skills and Child Care for Health Professions Act, would require certain demonstration projects funded under the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program to provide foundational educational supports and guaranteed child care. Specifically, it adds provisions to the Social Security Act that compel HPOG demonstration projects to assess adult basic skills and English proficiency, offer or enable access to adult basic education or high school equivalency as needed to pursue health-occupational training, and support participants throughout their career pathway (including post-program coaching). It also requires that childcare be available and affordable for project participants, with options such as referrals to subsidized programs, direct payments to providers if subsidies aren’t available, or payment of co-pays and related fees. The changes take effect October 1, 2025. The bill was introduced in the House (sponsored by Rep. Judy Chu) and referred to the Ways and Means Committee.
Key Points
- 1Establishes a required set of supports for HPOG demonstration projects, specifically focusing on foundational educational training and child care.
- 2Requires assessment of adult basic skill competency and provision of education (including English language proficiency) to help lower-skilled eligible individuals enroll in and complete post-secondary training within health occupations.
- 3Creates a structure to build a network of partners for pre-training activities, provide ongoing resources to advance adult basic skills during the program, and embed skills maintenance in post-graduation career coaching and mentoring.
- 4Mandates a guaranteed child care support for project participants, including referral/enrollment assistance in subsidized programs, direct payments to providers if subsidies aren’t available, and coverage of co-pays or related fees.
- 5Allows demonstration projects to assist with accessing and completing high school equivalency or adult basic education as part of achieving success in the program.
- 6Changes are codified by redesignating certain subsections and inserting new language in Section 2008 of the Social Security Act; effective date is October 1, 2025.