(a) On or before January 1, 2023, the Department of Public Health shall establish and administer a child and adolescent psychiatrist grant program. The program shall provide incentive grants to employers of child and adolescent psychiatrists for recruiting and hiring new child and adolescent psychiatrists and retaining child and adolescent psychiatrists who are in their employ. The Commissioner of Public Health shall establish eligibility requirements, priority categories, funding limitations and the application process for the grant program. Such priority categories shall include, but need not be limited to, nonhospital employers. The commissioner, in consultation with the Office of Health Strategy, shall distribute incentive grant funds equitably with regard to the type of employer and location of such employer.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Public Health shall report, in accordance with the provisions of § 11-4a, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health regarding the number and demographics of the employers who applied for and received incentive grants from the child and adolescent psychiatrist grant program established under subsection (a) of this section, the use of incentive grant funds by such recipients and any other information deemed pertinent by the commissioner.