(110 ILCS 978/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Podiatric Scholarship and Residency Act. (Source: P.A. 87-1195.)

(110 ILCS 978/5) Sec. 5. Purposes. The purpose of this Act is to establish a program in the Illinois Department of Public Health to upgrade primary health care services for all citizens of the State by providing grants to podiatric medicine residency programs, scholarships to podiatry students, and a loan repayment program for podiatric physicians who will agree to practice in areas of the State demonstrating the greatest need for more professional medical care. The program shall encourage podiatric physicians to locate in areas where health manpower shortages exist and to increase the total number of podiatric physicians in the State. Minority students shall be given preference in selection for scholarships. (Source: P.A. 98-214, eff. 8-9-13.)

(110 ILCS 978/10) Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act: "Department" means the Illinois Department of Public Health. "Designated shortage area" means an area designated by the Director as a physician shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a critical health manpower shortage area as defined by the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare, or as further defined by the Department to enable it to effectively fulfill the purpose stated in Section 5 of this Act. These areas may include the following: (a) an urban or rural area; (b) a population group; or (c) a public or nonprofit private medical facility. "Director" means the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. "Eligible podiatry student" means a person who meets all of the following qualifications: (a) He or she is an Illinois resident at the time of application for a scholarship under the program established by this Act. (b) He or she is studying podiatric medicine in a podiatry school located in Illinois. (c) He or she exhibits financial need as determined by the Department. (d) He or she agrees to practice full-time in a designated shortage area as a primary care physician one year for each year he or she is a scholarship recipient. "Medical facility" means a facility for the delivery of health services and includes a hospital, State mental health institution, public health center, outpatient medical facility, rehabilitation facility, long term care facility, community mental health center, migrant health center, a community health center, or a State correctional institution. "Podiatric practice residency program" means a program accredited by the Council of Podiatric Medical Education. Residencies may be primary care or rotating. "Primary care physician" means a person licensed to practice podiatric medicine under the Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987. (Source: P.A. 87-1195.)

(110 ILCS 978/15) Sec. 15. Powers and duties. The Department shall have the following powers and duties: (a) To allocate funds to podiatric practice residency programs according to the following priorities: (1) to increase the number of podiatric physicians in

designated shortage areas;

(2) to increase the number of accredited podiatric

practice residencies within the State;

(3) to increase the percentage of podiatric practice

physicians establishing practice within the State upon completion of residency; and

(4) to provide funds for rental of office space,

purchase of equipment, and other uses necessary to enable podiatric physicians to locate their practices in communities located in designated shortage areas.

(b) To determine the procedures for the distribution of the funds to podiatric practice residency programs, including the establishment of eligibility criteria in accordance with the following guidelines: (1) preference for programs that are to be

established at locations which exhibit potential for extending podiatric practice physician availability to designated shortage areas;

(2) preference for programs that are located away

from communities in which medical schools are located; and

(3) preference for programs located in hospitals

having affiliation agreements with medical schools located within the State.

(c) To establish a program of podiatry student scholarships and to award scholarships to eligible podiatry students. (d) To determine criteria and standards of financial need in the awarding of scholarships under this Act. (e) To receive and disburse any federal funds available for carrying out the purpose of this Act. (f) To enter into contracts or agreements with any agency or department of the State of Illinois or the United States to carry out the provisions of this Act. (g) To coordinate the podiatry residency grants program established under this Act with the program administered by the Illinois Board of Higher Education under the Health Services Education Grants Act. (Source: P.A. 98-214, eff. 8-9-13.)

(110 ILCS 978/20) Sec. 20. Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. The Illinois Administrative Procedure Act is expressly adopted and incorporated as if all of the provisions of that Act were included in this Act. (Source: P.A. 87-1195.)

(110 ILCS 978/25) Sec. 25. Annual reports. The Department shall annually report to the General Assembly and the Governor the results and progress of the programs established by this Act on or before March 15th. The Department shall, no later than July 1, 1994, report to the General Assembly and the Governor concerning the impact of programs established under this Act on the ability of designated shortage areas to attract and retain podiatric physicians and other health care personnel. The report shall include recommendations to improve that ability. The requirement for reporting to the General Assembly shall be satisfied by filing copies of the report as required by Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act, and filing additional copies with the State Government Report Distribution Center for the General Assembly that are required under paragraph (t) of Section 7 of the State Library Act. (Source: P.A. 100-1148, eff. 12-10-18.)

(110 ILCS 978/30) Sec. 30. Penalties for failure to fulfill obligations. Scholarship recipients who fail to fulfill their obligation to practice in designated shortage areas shall pay to the Department a sum equal to 3 times the amount of the annual scholarship grant for each year the recipient fails to fulfill that obligation. The amounts paid to the Department under this Section shall be used by the Department to improve access to primary health care services as authorized by Section 2310-200 of the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law (20 ILCS 2310/2310-200). (Source: P.A. 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.)

(110 ILCS 978/35) Sec. 35. Program funding. Money for scholarships and residency programs under this Act shall come from the General Revenue Fund, as appropriated from time to time by the General Assembly, and from the Illinois State Podiatric Disciplinary Fund as provided in Section 19 of the Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987. (Source: P.A. 87-1195.)

(110 ILCS 978/45) Sec. 45. This Act takes effect upon becoming law. (Source: P.A. 87-1195.)