42 USC 280 - Expanding access to unified care

Collapse to view only § 280g-4b. Expanding access to unified care

§ 280g. Children’s asthma treatment grants program
§ 280g-1. Early detection, diagnosis, and treatment regarding deaf and hard-of-hearing newborns, infants, and young children
§ 280g-2. Childhood malignancies
§ 280g-3. Prescription drug monitoring program
§ 280g-4. Grants to strengthen the healthcare system’s response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking
§ 280g-4a. Understanding sexual assault care in health systems
§ 280g-4b. Expanding access to unified care
§ 280g-4c. Expanding access to forensics for victims of interpersonal violence
§ 280g-5. Public and health care provider education and support services
§ 280g-6. Chronic kidney disease initiatives
§ 280g-7. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis registry
§ 280g-7a. Surveillance of neurological diseases
§ 280g-7b. HHS public-private partnership for rare neurodegenerative diseases
§ 280g-8. Support for patients receiving a positive diagnosis of Down syndrome or other prenatally or postnatally diagnosed conditions
§ 280g-9. Programs to improve quality of life for persons with paralysis and other physical disabilities
§ 280g-10. Community Preventive Services Task Force
§ 280g-11. Awards to support community health workers and community health
§ 280g-12. Primary Care Extension Program
§ 280g-13. National congenital heart disease research, surveillance, and awareness
§ 280g-14. National diabetes prevention program
§ 280g-15. State demonstration programs to evaluate alternatives to current medical tort litigation
§ 280g-16. Food Safety Integrated Centers of Excellence
§ 280g-17. Designation and investigation of potential cancer clusters
§ 280g-18. Maternal mental health hotline

§ 280g. Children’s asthma treatment grants program

(a) Authority to make grants

(1) In generalIn addition to any other payments made under this chapter or title V of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 701 et seq.], the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to carry out the following purposes:

(A) To provide access to quality medical care for children who live in areas that have a high prevalence of asthma and who lack access to medical care.

(B) To provide on-site education to parents, children, health care providers, and medical teams to recognize the signs and symptoms of asthma, and to train them in the use of medications to treat asthma and prevent its exacerbations.

(C) To decrease preventable trips to the emergency room by making medication available to individuals who have not previously had access to treatment or education in the management of asthma.

(D) To provide other services, such as smoking cessation programs, home modification, and other direct and support services that ameliorate conditions that exacerbate or induce asthma.

(2)1

1 So in original. Two pars. (2) have been enacted.

Certain projectsIn making grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary may make grants designed to develop and expand the following projects:

(A) Projects to provide comprehensive asthma services to children in accordance with the guidelines of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (through the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute), including access to care and treatment for asthma in a community-based setting.

(B) Projects to fully equip mobile health care clinics that provide preventive asthma care including diagnosis, physical examinations, pharmacological therapy, skin testing, peak flow meter testing, and other asthma-related health care services.

(C) Projects to conduct validated asthma management education programs for patients with asthma and their families, including patient education regarding asthma management, family education on asthma management, and the distribution of materials, including displays and videos, to reinforce concepts presented by medical teams.

(2)1 Award of grants

(A) Application

(i) In general

(ii) Required information

(B) Requirement

(3) Definition of eligible entity

(b) Coordination with other children’s programsAn eligible entity shall identify in the plan submitted as part of an application for a grant under this section how the entity will coordinate operations and activities under the grant with—

(1) other programs operated in the State that serve children with asthma, including any such programs operated under title V, XIX, or XXI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 701 et seq., 1396 et seq., 1397aa et seq.]; and

(2) one or more of the following—

(A) the child welfare and foster care and adoption assistance programs under parts B and E of title IV of such Act [42 U.S.C. 620 et seq., 670 et seq.];

(B) the head start program established under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.);

(C) the program of assistance under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children (WIC) under section 1786 of this title;

(D) local public and private elementary or secondary schools; or

(E) public housing agencies, as defined in section 1437a of this title.

(c) EvaluationAn eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an evaluation of the operations and activities carried out under the grant that includes—

(1) a description of the health status outcomes of children assisted under the grant;

(2) an assessment of the utilization of asthma-related health care services as a result of activities carried out under the grant;

(3) the collection, analysis, and reporting of asthma data according to guidelines prescribed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and

(4) such other information as the Secretary may require.

(d) Preference for States that allow students to self-administer medication to treat asthma and anaphylaxis

(1) PreferenceThe Secretary, in making any grant under this section or any other grant that is asthma-related (as determined by the Secretary) to a State, shall give preference to any State that satisfies the following:

(A) In generalThe State must require that each public elementary school and secondary school in that State will grant to any student in the school an authorization for the self-administration of medication to treat that student’s asthma or anaphylaxis, if—

(i) a health care practitioner prescribed the medication for use by the student during school hours and instructed the student in the correct and responsible use of the medication;

(ii) the student has demonstrated to the health care practitioner (or such practitioner’s designee) and the school nurse (if available) the skill level necessary to use the medication and any device that is necessary to administer such medication as prescribed;

(iii) the health care practitioner formulates a written treatment plan for managing asthma or anaphylaxis episodes of the student and for medication use by the student during school hours; and

(iv) the student’s parent or guardian has completed and submitted to the school any written documentation required by the school, including the treatment plan formulated under clause (iii) and other documents related to liability.

(B) ScopeAn authorization granted under subparagraph (A) must allow the student involved to possess and use his or her medication—

(i) while in school;

(ii) while at a school-sponsored activity, such as a sporting event; and

(iii) in transit to or from school or school-sponsored activities.

(i) must be effective only for the same school and school year for which it is granted; and

(ii) must be renewed by the parent or guardian each subsequent school year in accordance with this subsection.

(D) Backup medication

(E) Maintenance of information

(F) School personnel administration of epinephrine or school comprehensive allergies and asthma management program

(i) In general

(ii) Criteria for school personnel administration of epinephrineFor purposes of clause (i), the criteria described in this clause, with respect to each public elementary school and secondary school in the State, are that each such school—(I) permits trained personnel of the school to administer epinephrine to any student of the school reasonably believed to be having an anaphylactic reaction;(II) maintains a supply of epinephrine in a secure location that is easily accessible to trained personnel of the school for the purpose of administration to any student of the school reasonably believed to be having an anaphylactic reaction; and(III) has in place a plan for having on the premises of the school during all operating hours of the school one or more individuals who are trained personnel of the school.

(iii) Criteria for school comprehensive allergies and asthma management programFor purposes of clause (i), the criteria described in this clause, with respect to each public elementary school and secondary school in the State, are that each such school—(I) has in place a plan for having on the premises of the school during all operating hours of the school a school nurse or one or more other individuals who are designated by the principal (or other appropriate administrative staff) of the school to direct and apply the program described in subclause (II) on a voluntary basis outside their scope of employment; and(II) has in place, under the direction of a school nurse or other individual designated under subclause (I), a comprehensive school-based allergies and asthma management program that includes—(aa) a method to identify all students of such school with a diagnosis of allergies and asthma;(bb) an individual student allergies and asthma action plan for each student of such school with a diagnosis of allergies and asthma;(cc) allergies and asthma education for school staff who are directly responsible for students who have been identified as having allergies or asthma, such as education regarding basics, management, trigger management, and comprehensive emergency responses with respect to allergies and asthma;(dd) efforts to reduce the presence of environmental triggers of allergies and asthma; and(ee) a system to support students with a diagnosis of allergies or asthma through coordination with family members of such students, primary care providers of such students, primary asthma or allergy care providers of such students, and others as necessary.

(G) Civil liability protection law

(2) Rule of construction

(3) DefinitionsFor purposes of this subsection:

(A) The terms “elementary school” and “secondary school” have the meaning given to those terms in section 7801 of title 20.

(B) The term “health care practitioner” means a person authorized under law to prescribe drugs subject to section 353(b) of title 21.

(C) The term “medication” means a drug as that term is defined in section 321 of title 21 and includes inhaled bronchodilators and auto-injectable epinephrine.

(D) The term “self-administration” means a student’s discretionary use of his or her prescribed asthma or anaphylaxis medication, pursuant to a prescription or written direction from a health care practitioner.

(E) The term “trained personnel” means, with respect to an elementary or secondary school, an individual, such as the school nurse—

(i) who has been designated by the school nurse or principal (or other appropriate administrative staff) of the school to administer epinephrine on a voluntary basis outside their scope of employment;

(ii) who has received training in the administration of epinephrine; and

(iii) whose training in the administration of epinephrine meets appropriate medical standards and has been documented by appropriate administrative staff of the school.

(e) Authorization of appropriations

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399L, as added Pub. L. 106–310, div. A, title V, § 501, Oct. 17, 2000, 114 Stat. 1113

§ 280g–1. Early detection, diagnosis, and treatment regarding deaf and hard-of-hearing newborns, infants, and young children

(a) Statewide newborn, infant, and young child hearing screening, evaluation and intervention programs and systemsThe Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall make awards of grants or cooperative agreements to develop statewide newborn, infant, and young child hearing screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems, and to assist in the recruitment, retention, education, and training of qualified personnel and health care providers (including, as appropriate, education and training of family members), for the following purposes:

(1) To develop and monitor the efficacy of statewide programs and systems for hearing screening of newborns, infants, and young children (referred to in this section as “children”); prompt evaluation and diagnosis of children referred from screening programs; and appropriate educational, audiological, medical, and communication (or language acquisition) interventions (including family support), for children identified as deaf or hard-of-hearing, consistent with the following:

(A) Early intervention includes referral to, and delivery of, information and services by organizations such as schools and agencies (including community, consumer, and family-based agencies), in health care settings (including medical homes for children), and in programs mandated by part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.], which offer programs specifically designed to meet the unique language and communication needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

(B) Information provided to families should be accurate, comprehensive, up-to-date, and evidence-based, as appropriate, to allow families to make important decisions for their children in a timely manner, including decisions with respect to the full range of assistive hearing technologies and communications modalities, as appropriate.

(C) Programs and systems under this paragraph shall offer mechanisms that foster family-to-family and deaf and hard-of-hearing consumer-to-family supports.

(2) To continue to provide technical support to States, through one or more technical resource centers, to assist in further developing and enhancing State early hearing detection and intervention programs.

(3) To identify or develop efficient models (educational and medical) to ensure that children who are identified as deaf or hard-of-hearing through screening receive follow-up by qualified early intervention providers or qualified health care providers (including those at medical homes for children), and referrals, as appropriate, including to early intervention services under part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.]. State agencies shall be encouraged to effectively increase the rate of such follow-up and referral.

(b) Technical assistance, data management, and applied research

(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(A) In generalThe Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall make awards of grants or cooperative agreements to provide technical assistance to State agencies or designated entities of States—

(i) to develop, maintain, and improve data collection systems related to newborn, infant, and young child hearing screening, evaluation (including audiologic, medical, and language acquisition evaluations), diagnosis, and intervention services;

(ii) to conduct applied research related to newborn, infant, and young child hearing screening, evaluation, and intervention programs and outcomes;

(iii) to ensure quality monitoring of hearing screening, evaluation, and intervention programs and systems for newborns, infants, and young children; and

(iv) to support newborn, infant, and young child hearing screening, evaluation, and intervention programs, and information systems.

(B) Use of awardsThe awards made under subparagraph (A) may be used—

(i) to provide technical assistance on data collection and management, including to coordinate and develop standardized procedures for data management;

(ii) to assess and report on the cost and program effectiveness of newborn, infant, and young child hearing screening, evaluation, and intervention programs and systems;

(iii) to collect data and report on newborn, infant, and young child hearing screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems for applied research, program evaluation, and policy improvement;

(iv) to identify the causes and risk factors for congenital hearing loss;

(v) to study the effectiveness of newborn, infant, and young child hearing screening, audiologic and medical evaluations and intervention programs and systems by assessing the health, intellectual and social developmental, cognitive, and hearing status of these children at school age; and

(vi) to promote the integration and interoperability of data regarding early hearing loss across multiple sources to increase the flow of information between clinical care and public health settings, including the ability of States and territories to exchange and share data.

(2) National Institutes of Health

(1) In generalIn carrying out programs under this section, the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Director of the National Institutes of Health shall collaborate and consult with—

(A) other Federal agencies;

(B) State and local agencies, including agencies responsible for early intervention services pursuant to title XIX of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.] (Medicaid Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Program); title XXI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.] (State Children’s Health Insurance Program); title V of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 701 et seq.] (Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Program); and part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.];

(D) appropriate national medical and other health and education specialty organizations;

(E) individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and their families;

(F) other qualified professional personnel who are proficient in deaf or hard-of-hearing children’s language and who possess the specialized knowledge, skills, and attributes needed to serve deaf and hard-of-hearing children, and their families;

(G) third-party payers and managed care organizations; and

(H) related commercial industries.

(2) Policy development

(3) State early detection, diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems; data collectionThe Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall coordinate and collaborate in assisting States—

(A) to establish newborn, infant, and young child hearing screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems under subsection (a); and

(B) to develop a data collection system under subsection (b).

(d) Rule of construction; religious accommodation

(e) DefinitionsFor purposes of this section:

(1) The term “audiologic”, when used in connection with evaluation, means procedures—

(A) to assess the status of the auditory system;

(B) to establish the site of the auditory disorder, the type and degree of hearing loss, and the potential effects of hearing loss on communication; and

(i) linkage to State coordinating agencies under part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.] or other appropriate agencies;

(ii) medical evaluation;

(iii) assessment for the full range of assistive hearing technologies appropriate for newborns, infants, and young children;

(iv) audiologic rehabilitation treatment; and

(v) referral to national and local consumer, self-help, parent, family, and education organizations, and other family-centered services.

(2) The term “early intervention” means—

(A) providing appropriate services for the child who is deaf or hard-of-hearing, including nonmedical services; and

(B) ensuring that the family of the child is—

(i) provided comprehensive, consumer-oriented information about the full range of family support, training, information services, and language acquisition in oral and visual modalities; and

(ii) given the opportunity to consider and obtain the full range of such appropriate services, educational and program placements, and other options for the child from highly qualified providers.

(3) The term “medical evaluation” means key components performed by a physician including history, examination, and medical decisionmaking focused on symptomatic and related body systems for the purpose of diagnosing the etiology of hearing loss and related physical conditions, and for identifying appropriate treatment and referral options.

(4) The term “medical intervention” means the process by which a physician provides medical diagnosis and direction for medical or surgical treatment options for hearing loss or other medical disorders associated with hearing loss.

(5) The term “newborn, infant, and young child hearing screening” means objective physiologic procedures to detect possible hearing loss and to identify newborns, infants, and young children under 3 years of age who require further audiologic and medical evaluations.

(f) Authorization of appropriations

(1) Statewide newborn and infant hearing screening, evaluation and intervention programs and systems

(2) Technical assistance, data management, and applied research; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(3) Technical assistance, data management, and applied research; National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399M, as added Pub. L. 106–310, div. A, title VII, § 702, Oct. 17, 2000, 114 Stat. 1121; amended Pub. L. 111–337, § 2, Dec. 22, 2010, 124 Stat. 3588; Pub. L. 115–71, § 2, Oct. 18, 2017, 131 Stat. 1218; Pub. L. 117–241, § 2, Dec. 20, 2022, 136 Stat. 2332.)

§ 280g–2. Childhood malignancies

(a) In general

(b) Certain activities

Activities under subsection (a) include—

(1) the expansion of current demographic data collection and population surveillance efforts to include childhood cancers nationally;

(2) the development of a uniform reporting system under which treating physicians, hospitals, clinics, and States report the diagnosis of childhood cancers, including relevant associated epidemiological data; and

(3) support for the National Limb Loss Information Center to address, in part, the primary and secondary needs of persons who experience childhood cancers in order to prevent or minimize the disabling nature of these cancers.

(d) Definition

(e) Authorization of appropriations

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399N, as added Pub. L. 106–310, div. A, title XI, § 1101, Oct. 17, 2000, 114 Stat. 1131.)

§ 280g–3. Prescription drug monitoring program

(a) Program

(1) In generalEach fiscal year, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in coordination with the heads of other departments and agencies as appropriate, shall support States or localities for the purpose of improving the efficiency and use of PDMPs, including—

(A) establishment and implementation of a PDMP;

(B) maintenance of a PDMP;

(i) enhancing functional components to work toward—(I) universal use of PDMPs among providers and their delegates, to the extent that State laws allow;(II) more timely inclusion of data within a PDMP;(III) active management of the PDMP, in part by sending proactive or unsolicited reports to providers to inform prescribing; and(IV) ensuring the highest level of ease in use of and access to PDMPs by providers and their delegates, to the extent that State laws allow;

(ii) in consultation with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, improving the intrastate interoperability of PDMPs by—(I) making PDMPs more actionable by integrating PDMPs within electronic health records and health information technology infrastructure; and(II) linking PDMP data to other data systems within the State, including—(aa) the data of pharmacy benefit managers, medical examiners and coroners, and the State’s Medicaid program;(bb) worker’s compensation data; and(cc) prescribing data of providers of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Indian Health Service within the State;

(iii) in consultation with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, improving the interstate interoperability of PDMPs through—(I) sharing of dispensing data in near-real time across State lines; and(II) integration of automated queries for multistate PDMP data and analytics into clinical workflow to improve the use of such data and analytics by practitioners and dispensers; or

(iv) improving the ability to include treatment availability resources and referral capabilities within the PDMP.

(2) LegislationAs a condition on the receipt of support under this section, the Secretary shall require a State or locality to demonstrate that it has enacted legislation or regulations—

(A) to provide for the implementation of the PDMP; and

(B) to permit the imposition of appropriate penalties for the unauthorized use and disclosure of information maintained by the PDMP.

(b) PDMP strategiesThe Secretary shall encourage a State or locality, in establishing, improving, or maintaining a PDMP, to implement strategies that improve—

(1) the reporting of dispensing in the State or locality of a controlled substance to an ultimate user so the reporting occurs not later than 24 hours after the dispensing event;

(2) the consultation of the PDMP by each prescribing practitioner, or their designee, in the State or locality before initiating treatment with a controlled substance, or any substance as required by the State to be reported to the PDMP, and over the course of ongoing treatment for each prescribing event;

(3) the consultation of the PDMP before dispensing a controlled substance, or any substance as required by the State to be reported to the PDMP;

(4) the proactive notification to a practitioner when patterns indicative of controlled substance misuse by a patient, including opioid misuse, are detected;

(5) the availability of data in the PDMP to other States, as allowable under State law; and

(6) the availability of nonidentifiable information to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for surveillance, epidemiology, statistical research, or educational purposes.

(c) Drug misuse and abuseIn consultation with practitioners, dispensers, and other relevant and interested stakeholders, a State receiving support under this section—

(1) shall establish a program to notify practitioners and dispensers of information that will help to identify and prevent the unlawful diversion or misuse of controlled substances;

(2) may, to the extent permitted under State law, notify the appropriate authorities responsible for carrying out drug diversion investigations if the State determines that information in the PDMP maintained by the State indicates an unlawful diversion or abuse of a controlled substance;

(3) may conduct analyses of controlled substance program data for purposes of providing appropriate State agencies with aggregate reports based on such analyses in as close to real-time as practicable, regarding prescription patterns flagged as potentially presenting a risk of misuse, abuse, addiction, overdose, and other aggregate information, as appropriate and in compliance with applicable Federal and State laws and provided that such reports shall not include protected health information; and

(4) may access information about prescriptions, such as claims data, to ensure that such prescribing and dispensing history is updated in as close to real-time as practicable, in compliance with applicable Federal and State laws and provided that such information shall not include protected health information.

(d) Evaluation and reporting

(e) Evaluation and reportingA State receiving support under this section shall provide the Secretary with aggregate nonidentifiable information, as permitted by State law, to enable the Secretary—

(1) to evaluate the success of the State’s program in achieving the purpose described in subsection (a); or

(2) to prepare and submit to the Congress the report required by subsection (i)(2).

(f) Education and access to the monitoring systemA State receiving support under this section shall take steps to—

(1) facilitate prescribers and dispensers, and their delegates, as permitted by State law, to use the PDMP, to the extent practicable; and

(2) educate prescribers and dispensers, and their delegates on the benefits of the use of PDMPs.

(g) Electronic format

(h) Rules of construction

(1) Functions otherwise authorized by law

(2) Additional privacy protections

(3) Federal privacy requirements

(4) No Federal private cause of action

(i) Progress reportNot later than 3 years after October 24, 2018, the Secretary shall—

(1) complete a study that—

(A) determines the progress of grantees in establishing and implementing PDMPs consistent with this section;

(B) provides an analysis of the extent to which the operation of PDMPs has—

(i) reduced inappropriate use, abuse, diversion of, and overdose with, controlled substances;

(ii) established or strengthened initiatives to ensure linkages to substance use disorder treatment services; or

(iii) affected patient access to appropriate care in States operating PDMPs;

1 So in original. Probably should be “determines”.

the progress of grantees in achieving interstate interoperability and intrastate interoperability of PDMPs, including an assessment of technical, legal, and financial barriers to such progress and recommendations for addressing these barriers;

(D) determines the progress of grantees in implementing near real-time electronic PDMPs;

(E) provides an analysis of the privacy protections in place for the information reported to the PDMP in each State or locality receiving support under this section and any recommendations of the Secretary for additional Federal or State requirements for protection of this information;

(F) determines the progress of States or localities in implementing technological alternatives to centralized data storage, such as peer-to-peer file sharing or data pointer systems, in PDMPs and the potential for such alternatives to enhance the privacy and security of individually identifiable data; and

(G) evaluates the penalties that States or localities have enacted for the unauthorized use and disclosure of information maintained in PDMPs, and the criteria used by the Secretary to determine whether such penalties qualify as appropriate for purposes of subsection (a)(2); and

(2) submit a report to the Congress on the results of the study.

(j) Advisory Council

(1) Establishment

(2) Limitation

(3) Sense of Congress

(k) DefinitionsFor purposes of this section:

(1) The term “controlled substance” means a controlled substance (as defined in section 802 of title 21) in schedule II, III, or IV of section 812 of such title.

(2) The term “dispense” means to deliver a controlled substance to an ultimate user by, or pursuant to the lawful order of, a practitioner, irrespective of whether the dispenser uses the Internet or other means to effect such delivery.

(3) The term “dispenser” means a physician, pharmacist, or other person that dispenses a controlled substance to an ultimate user.

(4) The term “interstate interoperability” with respect to a PDMP means the ability of the PDMP to electronically share reported information with another State if the information concerns either the dispensing of a controlled substance to an ultimate user who resides in such other State, or the dispensing of a controlled substance prescribed by a practitioner whose principal place of business is located in such other State.

(5) The term “intrastate interoperability” with respect to a PDMP means the integration of PDMP data within electronic health records and health information technology infrastructure or linking of a PDMP to other data systems within the State, including the State’s Medicaid program, workers’ compensation programs, and medical examiners or coroners.

(6) The term “nonidentifiable information” means information that does not identify a practitioner, dispenser, or an ultimate user and with respect to which there is no reasonable basis to believe that the information can be used to identify a practitioner, dispenser, or an ultimate user.

(7) The term “PDMP” means a prescription drug monitoring program that is State-controlled.

(8) The term “practitioner” means a physician, dentist, veterinarian, scientific investigator, pharmacy, hospital, or other person licensed, registered, or otherwise permitted, by the United States or the jurisdiction in which the individual practices or does research, to distribute, dispense, conduct research with respect to, administer, or use in teaching or chemical analysis, a controlled substance in the course of professional practice or research.

(9) The term “State” means each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth or territory of the United States.

(10) The term “ultimate user” means a person who has obtained from a dispenser, and who possesses, a controlled substance for the person’s own use, for the use of a member of the person’s household, or for the use of an animal owned by the person or by a member of the person’s household.

(11) The term “clinical workflow” means the integration of automated queries for prescription drug monitoring programs data and analytics into health information technologies such as electronic health record systems, health information exchanges, and/or pharmacy dispensing software systems, thus streamlining provider access through automated queries.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399O, as added Pub. L. 109–60, § 3, Aug. 11, 2005, 119 Stat. 1979; amended Pub. L. 114–198, title I, § 109(b), July 22, 2016, 130 Stat. 706; Pub. L. 115–271, title VII, § 7162, Oct. 24, 2018, 132 Stat. 4062.)

§ 280g–4. Grants to strengthen the healthcare system’s response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking

(a) In generalThe Secretary shall award grants for—

(1) the development or enhancement and implementation of interdisciplinary training for health professionals, public health staff, community health workers, violence prevention advocates working with health providers, and allied health professionals;

(2) the development or enhancement and implementation of education programs for medical, psychology, dental, social work, nursing, and other health profession students, interns, residents, fellows, or current health care providers (including midwives and doulas);

(3) the development or enhancement and implementation of comprehensive statewide strategies to improve the capacity of clinics, public health facilities, hospitals, and other health settings (including behavioral and mental health programs) to prevent and respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;

(4) the development or enhancement and implementation of training programs to improve the capacity of early childhood programs to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking among families they serve; and

(5) the development or enhancement and implementation of comprehensive statewide strategies for health and violence prevention programs to work together to promote primary prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

(b) Use of funds

(1) Required usesAmounts provided under a grant under this section shall be used to—

(A) fund interdisciplinary training and education programs under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) that—

(i) are designed to train medical, psychology, dental, social work, nursing, and other health profession students, interns, residents, fellows, or current health care providers to provide universal education on healthy relationships and provide trauma-informed health care services (including mental or behavioral health care services and referrals to appropriate community services) to individuals who are or who have been victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking;

(ii) plan and develop training components that center the experiences of, and are developed in collaboration with, culturally specific individuals and American Indians and Alaska Natives, and include community-defined practices such as the use of doulas, midwives, and traditional healers, for integration into approved internship, residency, and fellowship training or continuing medical or other health education training that address physical, mental, and behavioral health issues, including protective factors, related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other forms of violence and abuse (including labor and sex trafficking), focus on reducing health inequities and preventing violence and abuse, and include the primacy of victim safety and confidentiality;

(iii) are designed to be inclusive of the experiences of all individuals, including LGBT individuals, and include training on improving equity and reducing disparities in access to health care services and prevention resources; and

(iv) include training on the use of a universal prevention education approach to both prevent and respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in health care settings;

(B) design and implement comprehensive strategies to improve the capacity of the health care system to prevent and respond to domestic or sexual violence in clinical and public health settings, hospitals, clinics, and other health settings (including behavioral and mental health), under subsection (a)(3) through—

(i) the implementation, dissemination, and evaluation of policies and procedures to guide health professionals and public health staff in identifying, responding to, and promoting prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking during in-person or virtual visits, including strategies to ensure that health information is maintained in a manner that protects the patient’s privacy and safety, and safely uses health information technology to improve documentation, identification, assessment, treatment, and follow-up care and to maximize victim choice on the use and sharing of their health information;

(ii) the development of services to address the safety, medical, and mental health needs of patients by—(I) increasing the capacity of existing health care professionals (including professionals who specialize in trauma or in substance use disorders) in behavioral and mental health care, community health workers, and public health staff to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and children exposed to violence;(II) contracting with or hiring advocates for victims of domestic violence or sexual assault to provide such services; or(III) providing funding to State domestic and sexual violence coalitions to improve the capacity of such coalitions to coordinate and support health advocates and other health system partnerships;

(iii) the development of measures and methods for the evaluation of the practice of prevention, intervention, and documentation regarding victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking during in-person or virtual visits, including the development and testing of quality improvement measurements, in accordance with the multi-stakeholder and quality measurement processes established under paragraphs (7) and (8) of section 1395aaa(b) of this title and section 1395aaa–1 of this title;

(iv) the provision of training and follow-up technical assistance to health care professionals, and public health staff, and allied health professionals to identify, assess, treat, and refer clients who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and promote prevention during in-person or virtual visits, including using tools and training materials already developed;

(v) the development, implementation, dissemination, and evaluation of best practices, tools, and training materials, including culturally relevant tools, for mental health, behavioral health, and substance use disorder professionals to identify and respond to domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, and dating violence; and

(vi) the development and provision of culturally relevant training and follow-up technical assistance to health care professionals, and public health staff, and allied health professionals to identify, assess, treat, and refer clients who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking from culturally specific communities and promote prevention, using tools and training materials, developed by and for culturally specific communities, with priority given to trainings provided by culturally specific organizations; and

(C) design and implement comprehensive strategies to prevent domestic or sexual violence including through the use of universal education in clinical and public health settings, hospitals, clinics and other health settings.

(2) Permissible uses

(A) Child abuse and abuse in later life

(B) Rural areas

(i) the development of training modules and policies that address the overlap of child abuse, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and abuse in later life, as well as childhood exposure to domestic and sexual violence;

(ii) the development, expansion, and implementation of programs that promote the prevention of sexual assault as well as sexual assault forensic medical examination or sexual assault nurse examiner programs;

(iii) the inclusion of the health effects of lifetime exposure to violence and abuse and exposure to violence across generations as well as related protective factors and behavioral risk factors in health professional training schools including medical, dental, nursing, social work, and mental and behavioral health curricula, and allied health service training courses;

(iv) the integration of knowledge of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking into health care accreditation and professional licensing examinations, such as medical, dental, mental health, social work, and nursing boards, and where appropriate, other allied health exams and certifications;

(v) providing funding to culturally specific organizations to improve the capacity of such organizations to engage and partner with health care providers to support victims and meet increased referrals from health systems;

(vi) developing a State-level pilot program to—(I) improve the response of substance use disorder treatment programs, harm reduction programs for people who use substances, and systems to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;(II) improve the capacity of substance use disorder treatment programs, harm reduction programs for people who use substances, and systems to serve survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking dealing with substance use disorder; and(III) improve the capacity of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking programs to serve survivors who have substance use history; or

(vii) developing and utilizing existing technical assistance and training resources to improve the capacity of substance use disorder treatment programs and harm reduction programs for people who use substances to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking among patients the programs serve.

(1) Confidentiality and safety

(A) In general

(B) Advance notice of information disclosure

(2) Limitation on administrative expenses

(3) Application

(A) PreferenceIn selecting grant recipients under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to applicants based on the strength of their evaluation strategies, with priority given to—

(i) outcome based evaluations;

(ii) culturally specific and population specific organizations; and

(iii) programs developing and implementing community-driven solutions to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

(B) Subsection (a)(1) and (2) granteesApplications for grants under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) shall include—

(i) documentation that the applicant represents a team of entities working collaboratively to strengthen the response of the health care system to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and which includes at least one of each of—(I) an accredited school of allopathic or osteopathic medicine, psychology, nursing, dentistry, social work, or other health field;(II) a health care facility or system; or(III) a government or nonprofit entity, including a culturally specific organization or community-based organization working to address the social determinants of health, with a history of effective work in the fields of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking; and

(ii) strategies for the dissemination and sharing of curricula and other educational materials developed under the grant, if any, with other interested health professions schools and national resource repositories for materials on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

(C) Subsection (a)(3) granteesAn entity desiring a grant under subsection (a)(3) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such a manner, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary may require, including—

(i) documentation that all training, education, screening, assessment, services, treatment, and any other approach to patient care will be informed by an understanding of violence and abuse victimization and trauma-specific approaches that will be integrated into prevention, intervention, and treatment activities;

(ii) strategies—(I) for the development and implementation of policies to prevent and address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking over the lifespan and generations in health care settings; and(II) to address primary prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking over the lifespan and generations, including strategies that address related social determinants of health, economic justice, and equity issues, and that are inclusive of LGBT individuals;

(iii) a plan for consulting with State and tribal domestic violence or sexual assault coalitions, national nonprofit victim advocacy organizations, culturally specific organizations, and population specific organizations with demonstrated expertise in domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking;

(iv) with respect to an application for a grant under which the grantee will have contact with patients, a plan, developed in collaboration with local victim service providers (including culturally specific organizations), to respond appropriately to and make correct referrals for individuals who disclose that they are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other types of violence, and documentation provided by the grantee of an ongoing collaborative relationship with a local victim service provider; and

(v) with respect to an application for a grant proposing to fund a program described in subsection (b)(2)(C)(ii), a certification that any sexual assault forensic medical examination and sexual assault nurse examiner programs supported with such grant funds will adhere to the guidelines set forth by the Attorney General.

(d) Eligible entities

(1) In generalTo be eligible to receive funding under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a), an entity shall be—

(A) a nonprofit organization with a history of effective work in the field of training health professionals with an understanding of, and clinical skills pertinent to, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and lifetime exposure to violence and abuse;

(B) an accredited school of allopathic or osteopathic medicine, psychology, nursing, dentistry, social work, or allied health;

(D) a State, tribal, territorial, or local entity.

(2) Subsection (a)(3) granteesTo be eligible to receive funding under subsection (a)(3), an entity shall be—

(A) a State department (or other division) of health (including mental health or substance abuse agencies), a State, tribal, or territorial domestic violence or sexual assault coalition or victim service provider, or any other nonprofit, nongovernmental organization with a history of effective work in the fields of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and health care, including physical or behavioral health care and substance use disorder prevention and treatment; or

(B) a local victim service provider, a local department (or other division) of health, a local health clinic, hospital, behavioral health treatment system, or health system, a community-based organization with a history of effective work in the field of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking and health care, including physical or mental health care or substance use disorder prevention and treatment, or a community-based organization with a history of partnership with programs in the field of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking and health care, including physical or mental health care or substance use disorder prevention and treatment.

(e) Technical assistance

(1) In general

(2) Availability of materials

(3) ReportingThe Secretary shall publish a biennial report on—

(A) the distribution of funds under this section; and

(B) the programs and activities supported by such funds.

(f) Research and evaluation

(1) In generalOf the funds made available to carry out this section for any fiscal year, the Secretary may use not more than 20 percent to make a grant or enter into a contract for research and evaluation of—

(A) grants awarded under this section; and

(B) other training for health professionals and effective interventions in the health care setting that prevent domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault across the lifespan, prevent the health effects of such violence, and improve the safety and health of individuals who are currently being victimized.

(2) ResearchResearch authorized in paragraph (1) may include—

(A) research on the effects of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and childhood exposure to domestic, dating or sexual violence on health behaviors, health conditions, and health status of individuals, families, and populations, including underserved populations;

(B) research to determine effective health care interventions to respond to and prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;

(C) research on the impact of domestic, dating and sexual violence, childhood exposure to such violence, and stalking on the health care system, health care utilization, health care costs, and health status; and

(D) research on the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult experience with domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and adult health outcomes, including how to reduce or prevent the impact of adverse childhood experiences through the health care setting.

(g) Authorization of appropriations

(h) Definitions

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399P, formerly § 399O, as added Pub. L. 109–162, title V, § 504, Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3026; renumbered § 399P, Pub. L. 109–450, § 4(1), Dec. 22, 2006, 120 Stat. 3342; amended Pub. L. 113–4, title V, § 501(a), Mar. 7, 2013, 127 Stat. 96; Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title V, § 501, Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 869.)

§ 280g–4a. Understanding sexual assault care in health systems

(a) Purpose

(b) GrantsThe Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as “the Secretary”) shall award grants to States and Indian Tribes to develop and implement State and Tribal surveys to identify—

(1) the availability of, and patient access to, medical forensic examinations;

(2) the training level of the health care providers who perform medical forensic examinations;

(3) the hospitals or clinics that offer medical forensic examinations and whether each hospital or clinic has full-time, part-time, or on-call coverage;

(4) barriers to medical forensic examinations provided through sexual assault care and services;

(5) billing and reimbursement practices for medical forensic examinations;

(6) State and Tribal requirements, minimum standards, and protocols for training sexual assault examiners for sexual assault forensic examiners and for other personnel involved in medical forensic examinations;

(7) the availability of sexual assault forensic examiner training, the frequency of such training, the providers of such training, the State’s or Indian Tribe’s role in such training, and the processes or procedures in place for continuing education of such examiners; and

(8) the dedicated Federal and State funding available to support sexual assault forensic examiner training.

(d) Public dissemination and campaign

(1) Public availability

(2) CampaignsA State or Indian Tribe that receives a grant under this section shall carry out the following activities:

(A) Make the findings of the survey conducted using amounts received under the grant public, including a map showing health care providers who perform medical forensic examinations, based on the findings from the State and Tribal surveys under subsection (b)(3).

(B) Use the findings to develop a strategic action plan to increase the number of trained medical forensic examiners available in the State or Tribal community and create policies to increase survivor access to trained examiners.

(i) An online toolkit describing how and where sexual assault survivors can obtain assistance and care, including medical forensic examinations, in the State or Tribal community.

(ii) A model standard response protocol for health care providers to implement upon arrival of a patient seeking care for sexual assault.

(iii) A model sexual assault response team protocol incorporating interdisciplinary community coordination between hospitals, emergency departments, hospital administration, local rape crisis programs, law enforcement, prosecuting attorneys, and other health and human service agencies and stakeholders with respect to delivering survivor-centered sexual assault care and medical forensic examinations.

(iv) A notice of applicable laws prohibiting charging or billing survivors of sexual assault for care and services related to sexual assault.

(e) Authorization of appropriations

(Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title V, § 503, Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 874.)

§ 280g–4b. Expanding access to unified care

(a) Establishment of program

(b) Purpose

(d) Eligible entitiesTo be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall—

(1) be—

(A) a safety net clinic acting in partnership with a high-volume emergency services provider or a hospital currently providing sexual assault medical forensic examinations performed by sexual assault forensic examiners, that will use grant funds to—

(i) assign rural health care service providers to the high-volume hospitals for clinical practicum hours to qualify such providers as sexual assault forensic examiners; or

(ii) assign practitioners at high-volume hospitals to rural health care services providers to instruct, oversee, and approve clinical practicum hours in the community to be served;

(B) an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26 and exempt from taxation under 501(a) of such title, that provides legal training and technical assistance to Tribal communities and to organizations and agencies serving Indians; or

(2) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including a description of whether the applicant will provide services described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1).

(e) Grant amount

(f) Authorization of appropriations

(1) In general

(2) Set-aside

(Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title V, § 506, Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 878.)

§ 280g–4c. Expanding access to forensics for victims of interpersonal violence

(a) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Community health aide; community health practitioner

(2) Health care provider

(3) Indian tribe; Tribal organization

(4) Institution of higher education

(5) Interpersonal violence

(6) Native Hawaiian organization

(7) Secretary

(8) Trauma-informed care

(9) Urban Indian organization

(b) Demonstration grants for comprehensive forensic training

(1) Establishment of program

(2) Purpose

(3) Term

(4) Eligible entities

To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an entity shall—

(A) be an institute of higher education, including a minority serving institution as described in section 1067q of title 20; and

(B) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(5) Grant amount

(6) Authorization of appropriations

(A) In general

(B) Set-aside

(1) In general

(2) Authorization of appropriations

(d) National report

Not later than 1 year after March 15, 2022, and annually thereafter, the Office for Victims of Crime of the Department of Justice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Indian Health Service, the Office on Women’s Health of the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office on Violence Against Women of the Department of Justice shall jointly submit to the Secretary a report on the need for, throughout the States, Indian Tribes, and territories—

(1) access to generalist medical forensic services, evidence collection, and documentation that aids in meeting the needs of health care patients and improves future law enforcement investigation and prosecution; and

(2) data for research to support the response to and prevention of interpersonal violence, improved ability of health care providers to adequately respond to patients who exhibit signs of victimization, and address the unique needs of Tribal communities.

(Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title V, § 507, Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 879.)

§ 280g–5. Public and health care provider education and support services

(a) In general

(b) ActivitiesActivities to be carried out under subsection (a) may include the establishment of—

(1) programs, including those to test and evaluate strategies, which, in collaboration with States, localities, tribes, and community organizations, support the provision of information and education to health professionals, other health care providers, and the public concerning—

(A) the core risk factors for preterm labor and delivery;

(B) evidence-based strategies to prevent preterm birth and associated outcomes;

(C) medically indicated deliveries before full term, and the risks of non-medically indicated deliveries before full term;

(D) the importance of preconception and prenatal care, including—

(i) smoking cessation;

(ii) weight maintenance and good nutrition, including folic acid intake;

(iii) the screening for and the treatment of infections;

(iv) screening for and treatment of substance use disorders;

(v) screening for and treatment of maternal depression;

(vi) maternal immunization; and

(vii) stress management;

(E) treatments and outcomes for premature infants, including late preterm infants; and

(F) the informational needs of families during the stay of an infant in a neonatal intensive care unit.

(2) programs to increase the availability, awareness, and use of pregnancy and post-term information services that provide evidence-based, clinical information through counselors, community outreach efforts, electronic or telephonic communication, or other appropriate means regarding causes associated with prematurity, birth defects, or health risks to a post-term infant, as well as prevention of a future preterm birth;

(3) programs to respond to the informational needs of families during the stay of an infant in a neonatal intensive care unit, during the transition of the infant to the home, and in the event of a newborn death; and

(4) such other programs as the Secretary determines appropriate to achieve the purpose specified in subsection (a).

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399Q, as added Pub. L. 109–450, § 4(2), Dec. 22, 2006, 120 Stat. 3342; amended Pub. L. 113–55, title I, § 103(b), Nov. 27, 2013, 127 Stat. 642; Pub. L. 115–328, § 3, Dec. 18, 2018, 132 Stat. 4472.)

§ 280g–6. Chronic kidney disease initiatives

(a) In general

The Secretary shall establish pilot projects to—

(1) increase public and medical community awareness (particularly of those who treat patients with diabetes and hypertension) regarding chronic kidney disease, focusing on prevention;

(2) increase screening for chronic kidney disease, focusing on Medicare beneficiaries at risk of chronic kidney disease; and

(3) enhance surveillance systems to better assess the prevalence and incidence of chronic kidney disease.

(b) Scope and duration

(1) Scope

(2) Duration

(d) Authorization of appropriations

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399R, as added Pub. L. 110–275, title I, § 152(a), July 15, 2008, 122 Stat. 2551.)

§ 280g–7. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis registry

(a) Establishment

(1) In generalNot later than 1 year after the receipt of the report described in subsection (b)(2)(A), the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may, if scientifically advisable—

(A) develop a system to collect data on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (referred to in this section as “ALS”) and other motor neuron disorders that can be confused with ALS, misdiagnosed as ALS, and in some cases progress to ALS, including information with respect to the incidence and prevalence of the disease in the United States; and

(B) establish a national registry for the collection and storage of such data to develop a population-based registry of cases in the United States of ALS and other motor neuron disorders that can be confused with ALS, misdiagnosed as ALS, and in some cases progress to ALS.

(2) PurposeIt is the purpose of the registry established under paragraph (1)(B) to—

(A) better describe the incidence and prevalence of ALS in the United States;

(B) examine appropriate factors, such as environmental and occupational, that may be associated with the disease;

(C) better outline key demographic factors (such as age, race or ethnicity, gender, and family history of individuals who are diagnosed with the disease) associated with the disease;

(D) better examine the connection between ALS and other motor neuron disorders that can be confused with ALS, misdiagnosed as ALS, and in some cases progress to ALS; and

(E) other matters as recommended by the Advisory Committee established under subsection (b).

(b) Advisory Committee

(1) EstablishmentNot later than 180 days after October 8, 2008, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may establish a committee to be known as the Advisory Committee on the National ALS Registry (referred to in this section as the “Advisory Committee”). The Advisory Committee shall be composed of not more than 27 members to be appointed by the Secretary, acting through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of which—

(A) two-thirds of such members shall represent governmental agencies—

(i) including at least one member representing—(I) the National Institutes of Health, to include, upon the recommendation of the Director of the National Institutes of Health, representatives from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences;(II) the Department of Veterans Affairs;(III) the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; and(IV) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and

(ii) of which at least one such member shall be a clinician with expertise on ALS and related diseases, an epidemiologist with experience in data registries, a statistician, an ethicist, and a privacy expert (relating to the privacy regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996); and

(B) one-third of such members shall be public members, including at least one member representing—

(i) national and voluntary health associations; 1

1 So in original. Probably should be “national voluntary health associations;”.

(ii) patients with ALS or their family members;

(iii) clinicians with expertise on ALS and related diseases;

(iv) epidemiologists with experience in data registries;

(v) geneticists or experts in genetics who have experience with the genetics of ALS or other neurological diseases 2

2 So in original. Probably should be followed by a semicolon.

and

(vi) other individuals with an interest in developing and maintaining the National ALS Registry.

(2) DutiesThe Advisory Committee may review information and make recommendations to the Secretary concerning—

(A) the development and maintenance of the National ALS Registry;

(B) the type of information to be collected and stored in the Registry;

(D) the use and availability of such data including guidelines for such use; and

(E) the collection of information about diseases and disorders that primarily affect motor neurons that are considered essential to furthering the study and cure of ALS.

(3) Report

(d) Coordination with State, local, and Federal registries

(1)3

3 So in original. No par. (2) has been enacted.

In generalIn establishing the National ALS Registry under subsection (a), the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may—

(A) identify, build upon, expand, and coordinate among existing data and surveillance systems, surveys, registries, and other Federal public health and environmental infrastructure wherever possible, which may include—

(i) any registry pilot projects previously supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;

(ii) the Department of Veterans Affairs ALS Registry;

(iii) the DNA and Cell Line Repository of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Human Genetics Resource Center at the National Institutes of Health;

(iv) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry studies, including studies conducted in Illinois, Missouri, El Paso and San Antonio, Texas, and Massachusetts;

(v) State-based ALS registries;

(vi) the National Vital Statistics System; and

(vii) any other existing or relevant databases that collect or maintain information on those motor neuron diseases recommended by the Advisory Committee established in subsection (b); and

(B) provide for research access to ALS data as recommended by the Advisory Committee established in subsection (b) to the extent permitted by applicable statutes and regulations and in a manner that protects personal privacy consistent with applicable privacy statutes and regulations.

(C)Coordination with nih and department of veterans affairs.—Consistent with applicable privacy statutes and regulations, the Secretary may ensure that epidemiological and other types of information obtained under subsection (a) is made available to the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(e) Definition

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399S, formerly § 399R, as added Pub. L. 110–373, § 2, Oct. 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 4047; renumbered § 399S, Pub. L. 111–148, title IV, § 4003(b)(2)(A), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 544.)

§ 280g–7a. Surveillance of neurological diseases

(a) In generalThe Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in coordination with other agencies as the Secretary determines, shall, as appropriate—

(1) enhance and expand infrastructure and activities to track the epidemiology of neurological diseases; and

(2) incorporate information obtained through such activities into an integrated surveillance system, which may consist of or include a registry, to be known as the National Neurological Conditions Surveillance System.

(b) Research

(1) shall provide for the collection and storage of information on the incidence and prevalence of neurological diseases in the United States;

(2) to the extent practicable, shall provide for the collection and storage of other available information on neurological diseases, including information related to persons living with neurological diseases who choose to participate, such as—

(A) demographics, such as age, race, ethnicity, sex, geographic location, family history, and other information, as appropriate;

(B) risk factors that may be associated with neurological diseases, such as genetic and environmental risk factors and other information, as appropriate; and

(3) may provide for the collection and storage of information relevant to analysis on neurological diseases, such as information concerning—

(A) the natural history of the diseases;

(B) the prevention of the diseases;

(D) the development of outcomes measures;

(4) may address issues identified during the consultation process under subsection (d); and

(5) initially may address a limited number of neurological diseases.

(d) ConsultationIn carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consult with individuals with appropriate expertise, which may include—

(1) epidemiologists with experience in disease surveillance or registries;

(2) representatives of national voluntary health associations that—

(A) focus on neurological diseases; and

(B) have demonstrated experience in research, care, or patient services;

(3) health information technology experts or other information management specialists;

(4) clinicians with expertise in neurological diseases; and

(5) research scientists with experience conducting translational research or utilizing surveillance systems for scientific research purposes.

(e) Grants

(f) Coordination with other Federal, State, and local agenciesSubject to subsection (h), the Secretary shall—

(1) make information and analysis in the National Neurological Conditions Surveillance System available, as appropriate—

(A) to Federal departments and agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs; and

(B) to State and local agencies; and

(2) identify, build upon, leverage, and coordinate among existing data and surveillance systems, surveys, registries, and other Federal public health infrastructure, wherever practicable.

(g) Public access

(h) Privacy

(i) Reports

(1) Report on information and analyses

(2) Implementation reportNot later than 4 years after December 13, 2016, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress concerning the implementation of this section. Such report shall include information on—

(A) the development and maintenance of the National Neurological Conditions Surveillance System;

(B) the type of information collected and stored in the surveillance system;

(D) the use and coordination of databases that collect or maintain information on neurological diseases.

(j) Definition

(k) Authorization of appropriations

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399S–1, as added Pub. L. 114–255, div. A, title II, § 2061, Dec. 13, 2016, 130 Stat. 1076.)

§ 280g–7b. HHS public-private partnership for rare neurodegenerative diseases

(a) EstablishmentNot later than one year after December 23, 2021, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) shall establish and implement a Public-Private Partnership for Neurodegenerative Diseases between the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and one or more eligible entities (to be known and referred to in this section as the “Partnership”) through cooperative agreements, contracts, or other appropriate mechanisms with such eligible entities, for the purpose of advancing the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and fostering the development of treatments for amytrophic lateral sclerosis and other rare neurodegenerative diseases. The Partnership shall—

(1) establish partnerships and consortia with other public and private entities and individuals with expertise in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other rare neurodegenerative diseases for the purposes described in this subsection;

(2) focus on advancing regulatory science and scientific research that will support and accelerate the development and review of drugs for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other rare neurodegenerative diseases; and

(3) foster the development of effective drugs that improve the lives of people that suffer from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.

(b) Eligible entityIn this section, the term “eligible entity” means an entity that—

(1) is—

(A) an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 1001 1

1 See References in Text note below.

of title 20) or a consortium of such institutions; or

(B) an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26 and exempt from tax under subsection (a) of such section;

(2) has experienced personnel with clinical and other technical expertise in the field of biomedical sciences and demonstrated connection to the patient population;

(3) demonstrates to the Secretary’s satisfaction that the entity is capable of identifying and establishing collaborations between public and private entities and individuals with expertise in neurodegenerative diseases, including patients, in order to facilitate—

(A) development and critical evaluation of tools, methods, and processes—

(i) to characterize neurodegenerative diseases and their natural history;

(ii) to identify molecular targets for neurodegenerative diseases; and

(iii) to increase efficiency, predictability, and productivity of clinical development of therapies, including advancement of rational therapeutic development and establishment of clinical trial networks; and

(B) securing funding for the Partnership from Federal and non-Federal governmental sources, foundations, and private individuals; and

(4) provides an assurance that the entity will not accept funding for a Partnership project from any organization that manufactures or distributes products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration unless the entity provides assurances in its agreement with the Secretary that the results of the project will not be influenced by any source of funding.

(1) In general

(2) Use

(Pub. L. 117–79, § 3, Dec. 23, 2021, 135 Stat. 1535.)

§ 280g–8. Support for patients receiving a positive diagnosis of Down syndrome or other prenatally or postnatally diagnosed conditions

(a) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Down syndrome

(2) Health care provider

(3) Postnatally diagnosed condition

(4) Prenatally diagnosed condition

(5) Prenatal test

(b) Information and support services

(1) In generalThe Secretary, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, may authorize and oversee certain activities, including the awarding of grants, contracts or cooperative agreements to eligible entities, to—

(A) collect, synthesize, and disseminate current evidence-based information relating to Down syndrome or other prenatally or postnatally diagnosed conditions; and

(B) coordinate the provision of, and access to, new or existing supportive services for patients receiving a positive diagnosis for Down syndrome or other prenatally or postnatally diagnosed conditions, including—

(i) the establishment of a resource telephone hotline accessible to patients receiving a positive test result or to the parents of newly diagnosed infants with Down syndrome and other diagnosed conditions;

(ii) the expansion and further development of the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, so that such Center can more effectively conduct outreach to new and expecting parents and provide them with up-to-date information on the range of outcomes for individuals living with the diagnosed condition, including physical, developmental, educational, and psychosocial outcomes;

(iii) the expansion and further development of national and local peer-support programs, so that such programs can more effectively serve women who receive a positive diagnosis for Down syndrome or other prenatal conditions or parents of infants with a postnatally diagnosed condition;

(iv) the establishment of a national registry, or network of local registries, of families willing to adopt newborns with Down syndrome or other prenatally or postnatally diagnosed conditions, and links to adoption agencies willing to place babies with Down syndrome or other prenatally or postnatally diagnosed conditions, with families willing to adopt; and

(v) the establishment of awareness and education programs for health care providers who provide, interpret, or inform parents of the results of prenatal tests for Down syndrome or other prenatally or postnatally diagnosed conditions, to patients, consistent with the purpose described in section 2(b)(1) 1

1 See References in Text note below.

of the Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act.

(2) Eligible entityIn this subsection, the term “eligible entity” means—

(A) a State or a political subdivision of a State;

(B) a consortium of 2 or more States or political subdivisions of States;

(D) a health facility or program operated by or pursuant to a contract with or grant from the Indian Health Service; or

(E) any other entity with appropriate expertise in prenatally and postnatally diagnosed conditions (including nationally recognized disability groups), as determined by the Secretary.

(3) Distribution

(1) In generalA grantee under this section shall make available to health care providers of parents who receive a prenatal or postnatal diagnosis the following:

(A) Up-to-date, evidence-based, written information concerning the range of outcomes for individuals living with the diagnosed condition, including physical, developmental, educational, and psychosocial outcomes.

(B) Contact information regarding support services, including information hotlines specific to Down syndrome or other prenatally or postnatally diagnosed conditions, resource centers or clearinghouses, national and local peer support groups, and other education and support programs as described in subsection (b)(2).

(2) Informational requirementsInformation provided under this subsection shall be—

(A) culturally and linguistically appropriate as needed by women receiving a positive prenatal diagnosis or the family of infants receiving a postnatal diagnosis; and

(B) approved by the Secretary.

(d) Report

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399T, formerly § 399R, as added Pub. L. 110–374, § 3, Oct. 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 4051; renumbered § 399T, Pub. L. 111–148, title IV, § 4003(b)(2)(B), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 544.)

§ 280g–9. Programs to improve quality of life for persons with paralysis and other physical disabilities

(a) In general

(b) Certain activitiesActivities under subsection (a) may include—

(1) the development of a national paralysis and physical disability quality of life action plan, to promote health and wellness in order to enhance full participation, independent living, self-sufficiency, and equality of opportunity in partnership with voluntary health agencies focused on paralysis and other physical disabilities, to be carried out in coordination with the State-based Disability and Health Program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;

(2) support for programs to disseminate information involving care and rehabilitation options and quality of life grant programs supportive of community-based programs and support systems for persons with paralysis and other physical disabilities;

(3) in collaboration with other centers and national voluntary health agencies, the establishment of a population-based database that may be used for longitudinal and other research on paralysis and other disabling conditions; and

(4) the replication and translation of best practices and the sharing of information across States, as well as the development of comprehensive, unique, and innovative programs, services, and demonstrations within existing State-based disability and health programs of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which are designed to support and advance quality of life programs for persons living with paralysis and other physical disabilities focusing on—

(A) caregiver education;

(B) promoting proper nutrition, increasing physical activity, and reducing tobacco use;

(D) prevention of secondary complications;

(E) home- and community-based interventions;

(F) coordinating services and removing barriers that prevent full participation and integration into the community; and

(G) recognizing the unique needs of underserved populations.

(1) To State and local health and disability agencies for the purpose of—

(A) establishing a population-based database that may be used for longitudinal and other research on paralysis and other disabling conditions;

(B) developing comprehensive paralysis and other physical disability action plans and activities focused on the items listed in subsection (b)(4);

(C) assisting State-based programs in establishing and implementing partnerships and collaborations that maximize the input and support of people with paralysis and other physical disabilities and their constituent organizations;

(D) coordinating paralysis and physical disability activities with existing State-based disability and health programs;

(E) providing education and training opportunities and programs for health professionals and allied caregivers; and

(F) developing, testing, evaluating, and replicating effective intervention programs to maintain or improve health and quality of life.

(2) To private health and disability organizations for the purpose of—

(A) disseminating information to the public;

(B) improving access to services for persons living with paralysis and other physical disabilities and their caregivers;

(D) coordinating existing services with State-based disability and health programs.

(d) Coordination of activities

(e) Authorization of appropriations

(Pub. L. 111–11, title XIV, § 14301, Mar. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 1454.)

§ 280g–10. Community Preventive Services Task Force

(a) Establishment and purpose

(b) Duties

The duties of the Task Force shall include—

(1) the development of additional topic areas for new recommendations and interventions related to those topic areas, including those related to specific populations and age groups, as well as the social, economic and physical environments that can have broad effects on the health and disease of populations and health disparities among sub-populations and age groups;

(2) at least once during every 5-year period, review 1

1 So in original. Probably should be followed by “of”.

interventions and update 1 recommendations related to existing topic areas, including new or improved techniques to assess the health effects of interventions, including health impact assessment and population health modeling;

(3) improved integration with Federal Government health objectives and related target setting for health improvement;

(4) the enhanced dissemination of recommendations;

(5) the provision of technical assistance to those health care professionals, agencies, and organizations that request help in implementing the Guide recommendations; and

(6) providing yearly reports to Congress and related agencies identifying gaps in research and recommending priority areas that deserve further examination, including areas related to populations and age groups not adequately addressed by current recommendations.

(d) Coordination with Preventive Services Task Force

(e) Operation

(f) Authorization of appropriations

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399U, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title IV, § 4003(b)(1), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 543; amended Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(230), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4331.)

§ 280g–11. Awards to support community health workers and community health

(a) In general

(b) Use of fundsSubject to any requirements for the scope of licensure, registration, or certification of a community health worker under applicable State law, grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements awarded under subsection (a) shall be used to—

(1) recruit, hire, train, and retain community health workers that reflect the needs of the community;

(2) support community health workers in providing education and outreach, in a community setting, regarding—

(A) health conditions prevalent in—

(i) medically underserved communities (as defined in section 295p of this title), particularly racial and ethnic minority populations; and

(ii) other such at-risk populations or geographic areas that may require additional support during public health emergencies, which may include counties identified by the Secretary using applicable measures developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or other Federal agencies; and

(B) addressing health disparities, including by—

(i) promoting awareness of services and resources to increase access to health care, mental health and substance use disorder services, child services, technology, housing services, educational services, nutrition services, employment services, and other services; and

(ii) assisting in conducting individual and community needs assessments;

(3) educate community members, including regarding effective strategies to promote healthy behaviors;

(4) educate and provide outreach regarding enrollment in health insurance including the Children’s Health Insurance Program under title XXI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.], Medicare under title XVIII of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.] and Medicaid under title XIX of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.];

(5) identify and refer underserved populations to appropriate health care agencies and community-based programs and organizations in order to increase access to quality health care services and to streamline care, including serving as a liaison between communities and health care agencies; and

(6) support community health workers in educating, guiding, or providing home visitation services regarding chronic diseases, maternal health, prenatal, and postpartum care in order to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

(d) PriorityIn making awards under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to applicants that—

(1) propose to serve—

(A) areas with populations that have a high rate of chronic disease, infant mortality, or maternal morbidity and mortality;

(B) low-income populations, including medically underserved populations (as defined in section 254b(b)(3) of this title);

(D) populations residing in maternity care health professional target areas identified under section 254e(k) of this title; or

(E) rural or traditionally underserved populations, including racial and ethnic minority populations or low-income populations;

(2) have experience in providing health or health-related social services to individuals who are underserved with respect to such services, including rural populations and racial and ethnic minority populations;

(3) have documented community activity and experience and established relationships with community health workers in the communities expected to be served by the program;

(4) develop a plan for providing services to the extent practicable, in the language and cultural context most appropriate to individuals expected to be served by the program; and

(5) propose to use evidence-informed or evidence-based practices, as applicable and appropriate.

(e) Collaboration with academic institutions and the one-stop delivery system

(f) Technical assistance

(g) Dissemination of best practices

(h) Report to Congress

(i) Authorization of appropriations

(j) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Eligible entity

(2) Indian Tribe; Tribal organization

(3) Urban Indian organization

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399V, as added and amended Pub. L. 111–148, title V, § 5313(a), title X, § 10501(c), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 633, 994; Pub. L. 113–128, title V, § 512(z)(1), July 22, 2014, 128 Stat. 1716; Pub. L. 117–328, div. FF, title II, § 2222(a), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5744.)

§ 280g–12. Primary Care Extension Program

(a) Establishment, purpose and definition

(1) In general

(2) Purpose

(3) Definitions

In this section:

(A) Health Extension Agent

(B) Primary care provider

(b) Grants to establish State Hubs and local Primary Care Extension Agencies

(1) Grants

(2) Composition of Hubs

A Hub established by a State pursuant to paragraph (1)—

(A) shall consist of, at a minimum, the State health department, the entity responsible for administering the State Medicaid program (if other than the State health department), the State-level entity administering the Medicare program, and the departments that train providers in primary care in 1 or more health professions schools in the State; and

(B) may include entities such as hospital associations, primary care practice-based research networks, health professional societies, State primary care associations, State licensing boards, organizations with a contract with the Secretary under section 1320c–2 of this title, consumer groups, and other appropriate entities.

(1) Hub activities

Hubs established under a grant under subsection (b) shall—

(A) submit to the Secretary a plan to coordinate functions with quality improvement organizations and area health education centers if such entities are members of the Hub not described in subsection (b)(2)(A);

(B) contract with a county- or local-level entity that shall serve as the Primary Care Extension Agency to administer the services described in paragraph (2);

(C) organize and administer grant funds to county- or local-level Primary Care Extension Agencies that serve a catchment area, as determined by the State; and

(D) organize State-wide or multistate networks of local-level Primary Care Extension Agencies to share and disseminate information and practices.

(2) Local Primary Care Extension Agency activities

(A) Required activities

Primary Care Extension Agencies established by a Hub under paragraph (1) shall—

(i) assist primary care providers to implement a patient-centered medical home to improve the accessibility, quality, and efficiency of primary care services, including health homes;

(ii) develop and support primary care learning communities to enhance the dissemination of research findings for evidence-based practice, assess implementation of practice improvement, share best practices, and involve community clinicians in the generation of new knowledge and identification of important questions for research;

(iii) participate in a national network of Primary Care Extension Hubs and propose how the Primary Care Extension Agency will share and disseminate lessons learned and best practices; and

(iv) develop a plan for financial sustainability involving State, local, and private contributions, to provide for the reduction in Federal funds that is expected after an initial 6-year period of program establishment, infrastructure development, and planning.

(B) Discretionary activities

Primary Care Extension Agencies established by a Hub under paragraph (1) may—

(i) provide technical assistance, training, and organizational support for community health teams established under section 256a–1 1

1 See References in Text note below.

of this title;

(ii) collect data and provision of primary care provider feedback from standardized measurements of processes and outcomes to aid in continuous performance improvement;

(iii) collaborate with local health departments, community health centers, tribes and tribal entities, and other community agencies to identify community health priorities and local health workforce needs, and participate in community-based efforts to address the social and primary determinants of health, strengthen the local primary care workforce, and eliminate health disparities;

(iv) develop measures to monitor the impact of the proposed program on the health of practice enrollees and of the wider community served; and

(v) participate in other activities, as determined appropriate by the Secretary.

(d) Federal program administration

(1) Grants; types

Grants awarded under subsection (b) shall be—

(A) program grants, that are awarded to State or multistate entities that submit fully-developed plans for the implementation of a Hub, for a period of 6 years; or

(B) planning grants, that are awarded to State or multistate entities with the goal of developing a plan for a Hub, for a period of 2 years.

(2) Applications

(3) Evaluation

(4) Continuing support

(5) Limitation

(e) Requirements on the Secretary

(f) Authorization of appropriations

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399V–1, formerly § 399W, as added, amended, and renumbered § 399V–1, Pub. L. 111–148, title V, § 5405, title X, § 10501(f)(1), (2), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 649, 996.)

§ 280g–13. National congenital heart disease research, surveillance, and awareness

(a) In general

The Secretary shall, as appropriate—

(1) enhance and expand research and data collection efforts related to congenital heart disease, including to study and track the epidemiology of congenital heart disease to understand health outcomes for individuals with congenital heart disease across all ages;

(2) conduct activities to improve public awareness of, and education related to, congenital heart disease, including care of individuals with such disease; and

(3) award grants to entities to undertake the activities described in this section.

(b) Activities

(1) In general

The Secretary shall carry out activities, including, as appropriate, through a national cohort study and a nationally-representative, population-based surveillance system, to improve the understanding of the epidemiology of congenital heart disease in all age groups, with particular attention to—

(A) the incidence and prevalence of congenital heart disease in the United States;

(B) causation and risk factors associated with, and natural history of, congenital heart disease;

(D) demographic factors associated with congenital heart disease, such as age, race, ethnicity, sex, and family history of individuals who are diagnosed with the disease; and

(E) evidence-based practices related to care and treatment for individuals with congenital heart disease.

(2) Permissible considerations

In carrying out the activities under this section, the Secretary may, as appropriate—

(A) collect data on the health outcomes, including behavioral and mental health outcomes, of a diverse population of individuals of all ages with congenital heart disease, such that analysis of the outcomes will inform evidence-based practices for individuals with congenital heart disease; and

(B) consider health disparities among individuals with congenital heart disease, which may include the consideration of prenatal exposures.

(d) Public access

(e) Patient privacy

(f) Eligibility for grants

To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a)(3), an entity shall—

(1) be a public or private nonprofit entity with specialized experience in congenital heart disease; and

(2) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(g) Authorization of appropriations

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399V–2, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title X, § 10411(b)(1), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 988; amended Pub. L. 115–342, § 2, Dec. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 5040.)

§ 280g–14. National diabetes prevention program

(a) In general

(b) Program activities

The program described in subsection (a) shall include—

(1) a grant program for community-based diabetes prevention program model sites;

(2) a program within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine eligibility of entities to deliver community-based diabetes prevention services;

(3) a training and outreach program for lifestyle intervention instructors; and

(4) evaluation, monitoring and technical assistance, and applied research carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(d) Authorization of appropriations

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399V–3, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title X, § 10501(g), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 996.)

§ 280g–15. State demonstration programs to evaluate alternatives to current medical tort litigation

(a) In general

(b) Duration

(1) RequirementsEach State desiring a grant under subsection (a) shall develop an alternative to current tort litigation that—

(A) allows for the resolution of disputes over injuries allegedly caused by health care providers or health care organizations; and

(B) promotes a reduction of health care errors by encouraging the collection and analysis of patient safety data related to disputes resolved under subparagraph (A) by organizations that engage in efforts to improve patient safety and the quality of health care.

(2) Alternative to current tort litigationEach State desiring a grant under subsection (a) shall demonstrate how the proposed alternative described in paragraph (1)(A)—

(A) makes the medical liability system more reliable by increasing the availability of prompt and fair resolution of disputes;

(B) encourages the efficient resolution of disputes;

(D) enhances patient safety by detecting, analyzing, and helping to reduce medical errors and adverse events;

(E) improves access to liability insurance;

(F) fully informs patients about the differences in the alternative and current tort litigation;

(G) provides patients the ability to opt out of or voluntarily withdraw from participating in the alternative at any time and to pursue other options, including litigation, outside the alternative;

(H) would not conflict with State law at the time of the application in a way that would prohibit the adoption of an alternative to current tort litigation; and

(I) would not limit or curtail a patient’s existing legal rights, ability to file a claim in or access a State’s legal system, or otherwise abrogate a patient’s ability to file a medical malpractice claim.

(3) Sources of compensation

(4) Scope

(A) In general

(B) Notification of patients

(5) Preference in awarding demonstration grantsIn awarding grants under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give preference to States—

(A) that have developed the proposed alternative through substantive consultation with relevant stakeholders, including patient advocates, health care providers and health care organizations, attorneys with expertise in representing patients and health care providers, medical malpractice insurers, and patient safety experts;

(B) that make proposals that are likely to enhance patient safety by detecting, analyzing, and helping to reduce medical errors and adverse events; and

(d) Application

(1) In general

(2) Review panel

(A) In general

(B) Composition

(i) Nominations

(ii) Appointment(I) Patient advocates.(II) Health care providers and health care organizations.(III) Attorneys with expertise in representing patients and health care providers.(IV) Medical malpractice insurers.(V) State officials.(VI) Patient safety experts.

(D) Availability of information

(E) Information from agencies

(e) Reports

(1) By State

(2) By Secretary

(f) Technical assistance

(1) In general

(2) RequirementsTechnical assistance under paragraph (1) shall include—

(A) guidance on non-economic damages, including the consideration of individual facts and circumstances in determining appropriate payment, guidance on identifying avoidable injuries, and guidance on disclosure to patients of health care errors and adverse events; and

(B) the development, in consultation with States, of common definitions, formats, and data collection infrastructure for States receiving grants under this section to use in reporting to facilitate aggregation and analysis of data both within and between States.

(3) Use of common definitions, formats, and data collection infrastructure

(g) Evaluation

(1) In general

(2) ContentsThe evaluation under paragraph (1) shall include—

(A) an analysis of the effects of the grants awarded under subsection (a) with regard to the measures described in paragraph (3);

(B) for each State, an analysis of the extent to which the alternative developed under subsection (c)(1) is effective in meeting the elements described in subsection (c)(2);

(C) a comparison among the States receiving grants under subsection (a) of the effectiveness of the various alternatives developed by such States under subsection (c)(1);

(D) a comparison, considering the measures described in paragraph (3), of States receiving grants approved under subsection (a) and similar States not receiving such grants; and

(E) a comparison, with regard to the measures described in paragraph (3), of—

(i) States receiving grants under subsection (a);

(ii) States that enacted, prior to March 23, 2010, any cap on non-economic damages; and

(iii) States that have enacted, prior to March 23, 2010, a requirement that the complainant obtain an opinion regarding the merit of the claim, although the substance of such opinion may have no bearing on whether the complainant may proceed with a case.

(3) MeasuresThe evaluations under paragraph (2) shall analyze and make comparisons on the basis of—

(A) the nature and number of disputes over injuries allegedly caused by health care providers or health care organizations;

(B) the nature and number of claims in which tort litigation was pursued despite the existence of an alternative under subsection (a);

(D) the medical liability environment;

(E) health care quality;

(F) patient safety in terms of detecting, analyzing, and helping to reduce medical errors and adverse events;

(G) patient and health care provider and organization satisfaction with the alternative under subsection (a) and with the medical liability environment; and

(H) impact on utilization of medical services, appropriately adjusted for risk.

(4) Funding

(h) MedPAC and MACPAC reports

(1) MedPAC

(2) MACPAC

(3) Reports

(i) Option to provide for initial planning grants

(j) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Health care servicesThe term “health care services” means any services provided by a health care provider, or by any individual working under the supervision of a health care provider, that relate to—

(A) the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of any human disease or impairment; or

(B) the assessment of the health of human beings.

(2) Health care organization

(3) Health care providerThe term “health care provider” means any individual or entity—

(A) licensed, registered, or certified under Federal or State laws or regulations to provide health care services; or

(B) required to be so licensed, registered, or certified but that is exempted by other statute or regulation.

(k) Authorization of appropriations

(l) Current State efforts to establish alternative to tort litigation

(m) Rule of construction

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399V–4, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title X, § 10607, Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 1009; amended Pub. L. 114–301, § 3(d), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1515.)

§ 280g–16. Food Safety Integrated Centers of Excellence

(a) In general

(b) Selection of Centers of Excellence

(1) Eligible entities

To be eligible to be designated as a Center of Excellence under subsection (a), an entity shall—

(A) be a State health department;

(B) partner with 1 or more institutions of higher education that have demonstrated knowledge, expertise, and meaningful experience with regional or national food production, processing, and distribution, as well as leadership in the laboratory, epidemiological, and environmental detection and investigation of foodborne illness; and

(2) Working group

(3) Additional Centers of Excellence

Under the leadership of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each Center of Excellence shall be based out of a selected State health department, which shall provide assistance to other regional, State, and local departments of health through activities that include—

(1) providing resources, including timely information concerning symptoms and tests, for frontline health professionals interviewing individuals as part of routine surveillance and outbreak investigations;

(2) providing analysis of the timeliness and effectiveness of foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak response activities;

(3) providing training for epidemiological and environmental investigation of foodborne illness, including suggestions for streamlining and standardizing the investigation process;

(4) establishing fellowships, stipends, and scholarships to train future epidemiological and food-safety leaders and to address critical workforce shortages;

(5) training and coordinating State and local personnel;

(6) strengthening capacity to participate in existing or new foodborne illness surveillance and environmental assessment information systems; and

(7) conducting research and outreach activities focused on increasing prevention, communication, and education regarding food safety.

(d) Report to Congress

Not later than 2 years after January 4, 2011, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that—

(1) describes the effectiveness of the Centers of Excellence; and

(2) provides legislative recommendations or describes additional resources required by the Centers of Excellence.

(e) Authorization of appropriations

(f) No duplication of effort

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399V–5, as added Pub. L. 111–353, title II, § 210(b), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3950.)

§ 280g–17. Designation and investigation of potential cancer clusters

(a) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Cancer cluster

(2) Particular cancer

(3) Population group

(b) Criteria for designation of potential cancer clusters

(1) Development of criteria

(2) RequirementsThe criteria developed under paragraph (1) shall consider, as appropriate—

(A) a standard for cancer cluster identification and reporting protocols used to determine when cancer incidence is greater than would be typically observed;

(B) scientific screening standards that ensure that a cluster of a particular cancer involves the same type of cancer, or types of cancers;

(C) the population in which the cluster of a particular cancer occurs by factors such as race, ethnicity, age, and gender, for purposes of calculating cancer rates;

(D) the boundaries of a geographic area in which a cluster of a particular cancer occurs so as not to create or obscure a potential cluster by selection of a specific area; and

(E) the time period over which the number of cases of a particular cancer, or the calculation of an expected number of cases, occurs.

(c) Guidelines for investigation of potential cancer clustersThe Secretary, in consultation with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and representatives of State and local health departments, shall develop, publish, and periodically update guidelines for investigating potential cancer clusters. The guidelines shall—

(1) recommend that investigations of cancer clusters—

(A) use the criteria developed under subsection (b);

(B) use the best available science; and

(2) provide standardized methods of reviewing and categorizing data, including from health surveillance systems and reports of potential cancer clusters; and

(3) provide guidance for using appropriate epidemiological and other approaches for investigations.

(d) Investigation of cancer clusters

(1) Secretary discretionThe Secretary—

(A) in consultation with representatives of the relevant State and local health departments, shall consider whether it is appropriate to conduct an investigation of a potential cancer cluster; and

(B) in conducting investigations shall have the discretion to prioritize certain potential cancer clusters, based on the availability of resources.

(2) Coordination

(3) Biomonitoring

(e) DutiesThe Secretary shall—

(1) ensure that appropriate staff of agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services are prepared to provide timely assistance, to the extent practicable, upon receiving a request to investigate a potential cancer cluster from a State or local health authority;

(2) maintain staff expertise in epidemiology, toxicology, data analysis, environmental health and cancer surveillance, exposure assessment, pediatric health, pollution control, community outreach, health education, laboratory sampling and analysis, spatial mapping, and informatics;

(3) consult with community members as investigations into potential cancer clusters are conducted, as the Secretary determines appropriate;

(4) collect, store, and disseminate reports on investigations of potential cancer clusters, the possible causes of such clusters, and the actions taken to address such clusters; and

(5) provide technical assistance for investigating cancer clusters to State and local health departments through existing programs, such as the Epi-Aids program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Assessments of Chemical Exposures Program of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399V–6, as added Pub. L. 114–182, title I, § 21(b), June 22, 2016, 130 Stat. 510.)

§ 280g–18. Maternal mental health hotline

(a) In general

(b) Requirements for hotlineThe hotline under subsection (a) shall—

(1) be a 24/7 real-time hotline;

(2) provide voice and text support;

(3) be staffed by certified peer specialists, licensed health care professionals, or licensed mental health professionals who are trained on—

(A) maternal mental health and substance use disorder prevention, identification, and intervention; and

(B) providing culturally and linguistically appropriate support; and

(4) provide maternal mental health and substance use disorder assistance and referral services to meet the needs of underserved populations, individuals with disabilities, and family and household members of pregnant or postpartum women at risk of experiencing maternal mental health and substance use disorders.

(1) consult with the Domestic Violence Hotline, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and Veterans Crisis Line to ensure that pregnant and postpartum women are connected in real-time to the appropriate specialized hotline service, when applicable;

(2) conduct a public awareness campaign for the hotline;

(3) consult with Federal departments and agencies, including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs, to increase awareness regarding the hotline; and

(4) consult with appropriate State, local, and Tribal public health officials, including officials who administer programs that serve low-income pregnant and postpartum individuals.

(d) Annual reportThe Secretary shall submit an annual report to the Congress on the hotline under subsection (a) and implementation of this section, including—

(1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of activities conducted or supported under subsection (a);

(2) a directory of entities or organizations to which staff maintaining the hotline funded under this section may make referrals; and

(3) such additional information as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(e) Authorization of appropriations

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399V–7, as added Pub. L. 117–328, div. FF, title I, § 1112, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5643.)