42 USC 254 - Rural health care services outreach, rural health network development, and small health care provider quality improvement grant programs

View all text of Subparti [§ 254b - § 254c-22]

§ 254c. Rural health care services outreach, rural health network development, and small health care provider quality improvement grant programs

(a) Purpose

(b) Definitions

(1) Director

(2) Federally qualified health center; rural health clinic

(3) Health professional shortage area

(4) Medically underserved community

(5) Medically underserved population

(d) Administration

(1) Programs

(2) Grants

(A) In general

(B) Types of grantsThe Director may award the grants to—

(i) promote expanded delivery of health care services in rural areas under subsection (e);

(ii) provide for the planning and implementation of integrated health care networks in rural areas under subsection (f); and

(iii) provide for the planning and implementation of small health care provider quality improvement activities under subsection (g).

(e) Rural health care services outreach grants

(1) Grants

(2) EligibilityTo be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection for a project, an entity shall—

(A) be an entity with demonstrated experience serving, or the capacity to serve, rural underserved populations;

(B) represent a consortium composed of members that—

(i) include 3 or more health care providers; and

(ii) may be nonprofit or for-profit entities; and

(C) not previously have received a grant under this subsection for the same or a similar project, unless the entity is proposing to expand the scope of the project or the area that will be served through the project.

(3) ApplicationsTo be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity, in consultation with the appropriate State office of rural health or another appropriate State entity, shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an application, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including—

(A) a description of the project that the eligible entity will carry out using the funds provided under the grant;

(B) a description of the manner in which the project funded under the grant will meet the health care needs of rural underserved populations in the local community or region to be served;

(C) a description of how the rural underserved populations in the local community or region to be served will be involved in the development and ongoing operations of the project;

(D) a plan for sustaining the project after Federal support for the project has ended;

(E) a description of how the project will be evaluated; and

(F) other such information as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

(f) Rural health network development grants

(1) Grants

(A) In generalThe Director may award rural health network development grants to eligible entities to plan, develop, and implement integrated health care networks that collaborate in order to—

(i) achieve efficiencies;

(ii) expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of basic health care services and associated health outcomes; and

(iii) strengthen the rural health care system as a whole.

(B) Grant periods

(2) EligibilityTo be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an entity shall—

(A) be an entity with demonstrated experience serving, or the capacity to serve, rural underserved populations;

(B) represent a network composed of participants that—

(i) include 3 or more health care providers; and

(ii) may be nonprofit or for-profit entities; and

(C) not previously have received a grant under this subsection (other than a grant for planning activities) for the same or a similar project.

(A) a description of the project that the eligible entity will carry out using the funds provided under the grant;

(B) an explanation of the reasons why Federal assistance is required to carry out the project;

(i) the history of collaborative activities carried out by the participants in the network;

(ii) the degree to which the participants are ready to integrate their functions; and

(iii) how the rural underserved populations in the local community or region to be served will benefit from and be involved in the development and ongoing operations of the network;

(D) a description of how the rural underserved populations in the local community or region to be served will experience increased access to quality health care services across the continuum of care as a result of the integration activities carried out by the network;

(E) a plan for sustaining the project after Federal support for the project has ended;

(F) a description of how the project will be evaluated; and

(G) other such information as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

(g) Small health care provider quality improvement grants

(1) Grants

(2) EligibilityTo be eligible for a grant under this subsection, an entity shall—

(A)

(i) be a rural public or rural nonprofit private health care provider or provider of health care services, such as a critical access hospital or a rural health clinic; or

(ii) be another rural provider or network of small rural providers identified by the Secretary as a key source of local or regional care; and

(B) not previously have received a grant under this subsection for the same or a similar project.

(3) ApplicationsTo be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity, in consultation with the appropriate State office of rural health or another appropriate State entity shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an application, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including—

(A) a description of the project that the eligible entity will carry out using the funds provided under the grant;

(B) an explanation of the reasons why Federal assistance is required to carry out the project;

(C) a description of the manner in which the project funded under the grant will assure continuous quality improvement in the provision of services by the entity;

(E) a plan for sustaining the project after Federal support for the project has ended;

(F) a description of how the project will be evaluated; and

(G) other such information as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

(4) Expenditures for small health care provider quality improvement grants

(h) General requirements

(1) Prohibited uses of fundsAn entity that receives a grant under this section may not use funds provided through the grant—

(A) to build or acquire real property; or

(B) for construction.

(2) Coordination with other agencies

(3) PreferenceIn awarding grants under this section, the Secretary, as appropriate, shall give preference to entities that—

(A) are located in health professional shortage areas or medically underserved communities, or serve medically underserved populations; or

(B) propose to develop projects with a focus on primary care, and wellness and prevention strategies.

(i) Report

(j) Authorization of appropriations

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 330A, as added Pub. L. 104–299, § 3(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3642; amended Pub. L. 107–251, title II, § 201, Oct. 26, 2002, 116 Stat. 1628; Pub. L. 108–163, § 2(b), Dec. 6, 2003, 117 Stat. 2021; Pub. L. 110–355, § 4, Oct. 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 3994; Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title III, § 3213, Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 370.)