In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Fund” means the Abortion Care Clinical Training Program Fund. “Program” means the Abortion Care Clinical Training Program.

There is an Abortion Care Clinical Training Program in the Department.

The purpose of the Program is to protect access to abortion care by ensuring that there are a sufficient number of health professionals to provide abortion care.

The Department shall contract with a coordinating organization to administer the Program. The Department shall use funds appropriated in the budget for the Program to contract with the coordinating organization under paragraph (1) of this subsection. The coordinating organization shall: Have demonstrated experience in coordinating abortion care training programs at community–based and hospital–based provider sites; Be a nonprofit entity; Be in good standing in any state or jurisdiction in which the organization is registered or incorporated; Submit an annual report to the Department on the performance of the Program; Meet any other requirements established by the Department if the requirements are not inconsistent with Title 20, Subtitle 2 of this article; and Perform the following functions: Administer grants to develop and sustain abortion care training programs at a minimum of two community–based provider sites; Administer grants if funding is available to: Other community–based sites; Hospital–based provider sites; Continuing education programs for qualified providers through professional associations or other clinical education programs; and Establish training program requirements that: Are consistent with evidence–based training standards; Comply with any applicable State law and regulations; and Focus on the provision of culturally congruent care and include implicit bias training; Support abortion care clinical training to qualified providers as defined in § 20–103 of this article and to the clinical care teams of the qualified providers to: Expand the number of health care professionals with abortion care training; and Increase the racial and ethnic diversity among health care professionals with abortion care training; and Support the identification, screening, and placement of qualified providers at training sites. The Department shall release the name of the coordinating organization that the Department contracts with under subsection (a) of this section and any entity receiving funds through the coordinating organization. The Department may not release the name of any individual or person administering services through or participating in the Program.

For each fiscal year, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $3,500,000 to the Program.

There is an Abortion Care Clinical Training Program Fund. The purpose of the Fund is to support the Program. The Department shall administer the Fund. The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article. The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund. The Fund consists of: Any money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund; Interest earnings; and Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund. The Fund may be used only for the Program. The State Treasurer shall invest and reinvest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested. Any investment earnings of the Fund shall be paid into the Fund. The Comptroller shall pay out money from the Fund as directed by the Secretary. No part of the Fund may revert or be credited to: The General Fund of the State; or Any other special fund of the State. Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget.

On or before July 1 each year, the Department shall submit an annual report on the Program to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly.