This bill, titled the Reproductive Health Care Training Act of 2026, establishes a new education program aimed at expanding training and access to abortion care across the United States. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, is authorized to award grants or contracts to eligible entities. These awards will support and expand education for students, residents, and advanced practice clinicians in states where comprehensive abortion care training is permitted, with the goal of preparing them to become abortion providers. Eligible entities include accredited health professions schools, academic health centers, and other public or private nonprofit health care providers, including sexual and reproductive health providers. Priority will be given to entities in states that permit comprehensive abortion care training, those supporting trainees from states with limited access, and minority-serving institutions. Funds can be used for various activities, such as developing and operating training programs, integrating abortion training into health care education, and promoting interprofessional training that includes non-obstetrician-gynecologist providers. The program specifically focuses on addressing challenges to accessing abortion care for racial and ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, Tribal, and medically underserved communities , and supports the use of telehealth technologies. Funds will also facilitate strategic partnerships, improve recruitment and retention of health care professionals in underserved areas, and provide scholarships or stipends for trainees pursuing abortion care. The bill authorizes an appropriation of $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out these provisions, with reporting requirements for grant recipients and the Secretary to Congress.
This bill, titled the Reproductive Health Care Training Act of 2026, establishes a new education program aimed at expanding training and access to abortion care across the United States. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, is authorized to award grants or contracts to eligible entities. These awards will support and expand education for students, residents, and advanced practice clinicians in states where comprehensive abortion care training is permitted, with the goal of preparing them to become abortion providers. Eligible entities include accredited health professions schools, academic health centers, and other public or private nonprofit health care providers, including sexual and reproductive health providers. Priority will be given to entities in states that permit comprehensive abortion care training, those supporting trainees from states with limited access, and minority-serving institutions. Funds can be used for various activities, such as developing and operating training programs, integrating abortion training into health care education, and promoting interprofessional training that includes non-obstetrician-gynecologist providers. The program specifically focuses on addressing challenges to accessing abortion care for racial and ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, Tribal, and medically underserved communities , and supports the use of telehealth technologies. Funds will also facilitate strategic partnerships, improve recruitment and retention of health care professionals in underserved areas, and provide scholarships or stipends for trainees pursuing abortion care. The bill authorizes an appropriation of $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out these provisions, with reporting requirements for grant recipients and the Secretary to Congress.