42 U.S. Code § 254c–1 - Grants for health services for Pacific Islanders

(a) Grants

The Secretary of Health and Human Services (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Secretary”) shall provide grants to, or enter into contracts with, public or private nonprofit agencies that have demonstrated experience in serving the health needs of Pacific Islanders living in the Territory of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, the Territory of Guam, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia.

(b) Use of grants or contracts

Grants or contracts made or entered into under subsection (a) shall be used, among other items—

(1) to continue, as a priority, the medical officer training program in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia;

(2) to improve the quality and availability of health and mental health services and systems, with an emphasis therein on preventive health services and health promotion programs and projects, including improved health data systems;

(3) to improve the quality and availability of health manpower, including programs and projects to train new and upgrade the skills of existing health professionals by—

(A) establishing dental officer, dental assistant, nurse practitioner, or nurse clinical specialist training programs;

(B) providing technical training of new auxiliary health workers;

(C) upgrading the training of currently employed health personnel in special areas of need;

(D) developing long-term plans for meeting health profession needs;

(E) developing or improving programs for faculty enhancement or post-doctoral training; and

(F) providing innovative health professions training initiatives (including scholarships) targeted toward ensuring that residents of the Pacific Basin attend and graduate from recognized health professional programs;

(4) to improve the quality of health services, including laboratory, x-ray, and pharmacy, provided in ambulatory and inpatient settings through quality assurance, standard setting, and other culturally appropriate means;

(5) to improve facility and equipment repair and maintenance systems;

(6) to improve alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health prevention and treatment services and systems;

(7) to improve local and regional health planning systems; and

(8) to improve basic local public health systems, with particular attention to primary care and services to those most in need.

No funds under subsection (b) shall be used for capital construction.

(c) Advisory Council

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish a “Pacific Health Advisory Council” which shall consist of 12 members and shall include—

(1) the Directors of the Health Departments for the entities identified in subsection (a); and

(2) 6 members, including a representative of the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific, representing organizations in the State of Hawaii actively involved in the provision of health services or technical assistance to the entities identified in subsection (a). The Secretary shall solicit the advice of the Governor of the State of Hawaii in appointing the 5 Council members in addition to the representative of the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific from the State of Hawaii.

The Secretary shall be responsible for providing sufficient staff support to the Council.

(d) Advisory Council functions

The Council shall meet at least annually to—

(1) recommend priority areas of need for funding by the Public Health Service under this section; and

(2) review progress in addressing priority areas and make recommendations to the Secretary for needed program modifications.

(e) Omitted

(f) Authorization of appropriation

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1991 through 1993.

(Pub. L. 101–527, § 10, Nov. 6, 1990, 104 Stat. 2333.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Disadvantaged Minority Health Improvement Act of 1990, and not as part of the Public Health Service Act which comprises this chapter.

Subsec. (e) of this section, which required the Secretary, in consultation with the Council, to annually prepare and submit to appropriate committees of Congress a report describing the expenditure of funds authorized to be appropriated under this section, with any recommendations of the Secretary, terminated, effective May 15, 2000, pursuant to section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance. See, also, page 95 of House Document No. 103–7.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Termination of Advisory Councils

Advisory councils established after Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of their establishment, unless, in the case of a council established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such council is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a council established by Congress, its duration is otherwise provided by law. See sections 3(2) and 14 of Pub. L. 92–463, Oct. 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 770, 776, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.