USC - Centers of excellence

View all text of Part B [§ 293 - § 293e]

§ 293. Centers of excellence

(a) In general

(b) Required use of fundsThe Secretary may not make a grant under subsection (a) unless the designated health professions school involved agrees, subject to subsection (c)(1)(C), to expend the grant—

(1) to develop a large competitive applicant pool through linkages with institutions of higher education, local school districts, and other community-based entities and establish an education pipeline for health professions careers;

(2) to establish, strengthen, or expand programs to enhance the academic performance of under-represented minority students attending the school;

(3) to improve the capacity of such school to train, recruit, and retain under-represented minority faculty including the payment of such stipends and fellowships as the Secretary may determine appropriate;

(4) to carry out activities to improve the information resources, clinical education, curricula and cultural competence of the graduates of the school, as it relates to minority health issues;

(5) to facilitate faculty and student research on health issues particularly affecting under-represented minority groups, including research on issues relating to the delivery of health care;

(6) to carry out a program to train students of the school in providing health services to a significant number of under-represented minority individuals through training provided to such students at community-based health facilities that—

(A) provide such health services; and

(B) are located at a site remote from the main site of the teaching facilities of the school; and

(7) to provide stipends as the Secretary determines appropriate, in amounts as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(1) Designated schools

(A) In generalThe designated health professions schools referred to in subsection (a) are such schools that meet each of the conditions specified in subparagraphs (B) and (C), and that—

(i) meet each of the conditions specified in paragraph (2)(A);

(ii) meet each of the conditions specified in paragraph (3);

(iii) meet each of the conditions specified in paragraph (4); or

(iv) meet each of the conditions specified in paragraph (5).

(B) General conditionsThe conditions specified in this subparagraph are that a designated health professions school—

(i) has a significant number of under-represented minority individuals enrolled in the school, including individuals accepted for enrollment in the school;

(ii) has been effective in assisting under-represented minority students of the school to complete the program of education and receive the degree involved;

(iii) has been effective in recruiting under-represented minority individuals to enroll in and graduate from the school, including providing scholarships and other financial assistance to such individuals and encouraging under-represented minority students from all levels of the educational pipeline to pursue health professions careers; and

(iv) has made significant recruitment efforts to increase the number of under-represented minority individuals serving in faculty or administrative positions at the school.

(D) Application of criteria to other programs

(2) Centers of excellence at certain historically black colleges and universities

(A) ConditionsThe conditions specified in this subparagraph are that a designated health professions school—

(i) is a school described in section 295p(1) of this title; and

(ii) received a contract under section 295g–8b of this title for fiscal year 1987, as such section was in effect for such fiscal year.

(B) Use of grantIn addition to the purposes described in subsection (b), a grant under subsection (a) to a designated health professions school meeting the conditions described in subparagraph (A) may be expended—

(i) to develop a plan to achieve institutional improvements, including financial independence, to enable the school to support programs of excellence in health professions education for under-represented minority individuals; and

(ii) to provide improved access to the library and informational resources of the school.

(3) Hispanic centers of excellenceThe conditions specified in this paragraph are that—

(A) with respect to Hispanic individuals, each of clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (1)(B) applies to the designated health professions school involved;

(B) the school agrees, as a condition of receiving a grant under subsection (a), that the school will, in carrying out the duties described in subsection (b), give priority to carrying out the duties with respect to Hispanic individuals; and

(i) the school will establish an arrangement with 1 or more public or nonprofit community based Hispanic serving organizations, or public or nonprofit private institutions of higher education, including schools of nursing, whose enrollment of students has traditionally included a significant number of Hispanic individuals, the purposes of which will be to carry out a program—(I) to identify Hispanic students who are interested in a career in the health profession involved; and(II) to facilitate the educational preparation of such students to enter the health professions school; and

(ii) the school will make efforts to recruit Hispanic students, including students who have participated in the undergraduate or other matriculation program carried out under arrangements established by the school pursuant to clause (i)(II) and will assist Hispanic students regarding the completion of the educational requirements for a degree from the school.

(4) Native American centers of excellenceSubject to subsection (e), the conditions specified in this paragraph are that—

(A) with respect to Native Americans, each of clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (1)(B) applies to the designated health professions school involved;

(i) the school will establish an arrangement with 1 or more public or nonprofit private institutions of higher education, including schools of nursing, whose enrollment of students has traditionally included a significant number of Native Americans, the purpose of which arrangement will be to carry out a program—(I) to identify Native American students, from the institutions of higher education referred to in clause (i), who are interested in health professions careers; and(II) to facilitate the educational preparation of such students to enter the designated health professions school; and

(ii) the designated health professions school will make efforts to recruit Native American students, including students who have participated in the undergraduate program carried out under arrangements established by the school pursuant to clause (i) and will assist Native American students regarding the completion of the educational requirements for a degree from the designated health professions school.

(5) Other centers of excellenceThe conditions specified in this paragraph are—

(A) with respect to other centers of excellence, the conditions described in clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (1)(B); and

(B) that the health professions school involved has an enrollment of under-represented minorities above the national average for such enrollments of health professions schools.

(d) Designation as center of excellence

(1) In general

(2) Hispanic centers of excellence

(3) Native American centers of excellence

(e) Authority regarding Native American centers of excellenceWith respect to meeting the conditions specified in subsection (c)(4), the Secretary may make a grant under subsection (a) to a designated health professions school that does not meet such conditions if—

(1) the school has formed a consortium in accordance with subsection (d)(1); and

(2) the schools of the consortium collectively meet such conditions, without regard to whether the schools individually meet such conditions.

(f) Duration of grant

(g) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Designated health professions school

(A) In general

(B) Exception

(2) Program of excellence

(3) Native Americans

(h) Formula for allocations

(1) AllocationsBased on the amount appropriated under subsection (i) for a fiscal year, the following subparagraphs shall apply as appropriate:

(A) In generalIf the amounts appropriated under subsection (i) for a fiscal year are $24,000,000 or less—

(i) the Secretary shall make available $12,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(2)(A); and

(ii) and 2

2 So in original. The word “and” probably should not appear.

available after grants are made with funds under clause (i), the Secretary shall make available—(I) 60 percent of such amount for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (c) (including meeting the conditions under subsection (e)); and(II) 40 percent of such amount for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(5).

(B) Funding in excess of $24,000,000If amounts appropriated under subsection (i) for a fiscal year exceed $24,000,000 but are less than $30,000,000—

(i) 80 percent of such excess amounts shall be made available for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the requirements described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (c) (including meeting conditions pursuant to subsection (e)); and

(ii) 20 percent of such excess amount shall be made available for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(5).

(C) Funding in excess of $30,000,000If amounts appropriated under subsection (i) for a fiscal year exceed $30,000,000 but are less than $40,000,000, the Secretary shall make available—

(i) not less than $12,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(2)(A);

(ii) not less than $12,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (c) (including meeting conditions pursuant to subsection (e));

(iii) not less than $6,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(5); and

(iv) after grants are made with funds under clauses (i) through (iii), any remaining excess amount for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (2)(A), (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (c).

(D) Funding in excess of $40,000,000If amounts appropriated under subsection (i) for a fiscal year are $40,000,000 or more, the Secretary shall make available—

(i) not less than $16,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(2)(A);

(ii) not less than $16,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (c) (including meeting conditions pursuant to subsection (e));

(iii) not less than $8,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(5); and

(iv) after grants are made with funds under clauses (i) through (iii), any remaining funds for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (2)(A), (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (c).

(2) No limitation

(3) Maintenance of effort

(A) In general

(B) Use of Federal funds

(i) Authorization of appropriations

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, § 736, as added Pub. L. 105–392, title I, § 101(a), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3525; amended Pub. L. 111–148, title V, § 5401, Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 642; Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title III, § 3401(1), Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 385.)