Rep. Chu Introduces Essential Skills and Child Care for Health Professions Act to Remove Barriers to Participation in Health Care Job Training Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep Judy Chu (CA-28), a Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, introduced H.R. 5375, the Essential Skills and Child Care for Health Professions Act, to ensure that participants in the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program have access, when needed, to affordable child care as well as foundational educational training such as English language proficiency and adult basic education. The HPOG program provides education and training to low-income individuals for in-demand occupations in health care fields. This program both creates good jobs and helps fill vital jobs in the health care sector.

"At a time when this country is experiencing a shortage of qualified health care professionals, we should be doing everything we can to remove barriers to these important occupations. The Health Profession Opportunity Grants program is proven to help close the gaps by providing dedicated job training for individuals to fill the specific health care jobs most in demand," said Rep. Chu. "My bill would expand access to this program by ensuring that challenges like limited English proficiency or lack of access to child care do not prevent hardworking people from being able to participate in the program."

To read the full bill text, click here.