42 U.S.C. § 254c : US Code - Section 254C: Rural health care services outreach, rural health network development, and small health care provider quality improvement grant programs

Search 42 U.S.C. § 254c : US Code - Section 254C: Rural health care services outreach, rural health network development, and small health care provider quality improvement grant programs

(a) Purpose
The purpose of this section is to provide grants for expanded
delivery of health care services in rural areas, for the planning
and implementation of integrated health care networks in rural
areas, and for the planning and implementation of small health care
provider quality improvement activities.
(b) Definitions
(1) Director
The term "Director" means the Director specified in subsection
(d) of this section.
(2) Federally qualified health center; rural health clinic
The terms "Federally qualified health center" and "rural health
clinic" have the meanings given the terms in section 1395x(aa) of
this title.
(3) Health professional shortage area
The term "health professional shortage area" means a health
professional shortage area designated under section 254e of this
title.
(4) Medically underserved community
The term "medically underserved community" has the meaning
given the term in section 295p(6) of this title.
(5) Medically underserved population
The term "medically underserved population" has the meaning
given the term in section 254b(b)(3) of this title.
(c) Program
The Secretary shall establish, under section 241 of this title, a
small health care provider quality improvement grant program.
(d) Administration
(1) Programs
The rural health care services outreach, rural health network
development, and small health care provider quality improvement
grant programs established under section 241 of this title shall
be administered by the Director of the Office of Rural Health
Policy of the Health Resources and Services Administration, in
consultation with State offices of rural health or other
appropriate State government entities.
(2) Grants
(A) In general
In carrying out the programs described in paragraph (1), the
Director may award grants under subsections (e), (f), and (g)
of this section to expand access to, coordinate, and improve
the quality of essential health care services, and enhance the
delivery of health care, in rural areas.
(B) Types of grants
The Director may award the grants -
(i) to promote expanded delivery of health care services in
rural areas under subsection (e) of this section;
(ii) to provide for the planning and implementation of
integrated health care networks in rural areas under
subsection (f) of this section; and
(iii) to provide for the planning and implementation of
small health care provider quality improvement activities
under subsection (g) of this section.
(e) Rural health care services outreach grants
(1) Grants
The Director may award grants to eligible entities to promote
rural health care services outreach by expanding the delivery of
health care services to include new and enhanced services in
rural areas. The Director may award the grants for periods of not
more than 3 years.
(2) Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection for a
project, an entity -
(A) shall be a rural public or rural nonprofit private
entity;
(B) shall represent a consortium composed of members -
(i) that include 3 or more health care providers; and
(ii) that may be nonprofit or for-profit entities; and
(C) shall 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) Applications
To 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 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 general
The Director may award rural health network development
grants to eligible entities to promote, through planning and
implementation, the development of integrated health care
networks that have combined the functions of the entities
participating in the networks in order to -
(i) achieve efficiencies;
(ii) expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality
of essential health care services; and
(iii) strengthen the rural health care system as a whole.
(B) Grant periods
The Director may award such a rural health network
development grant for implementation activities for a period of
3 years. The Director may also award such a rural health
network development grant for planning activities for a period
of 1 year, to assist in the development of an integrated health
care network, if the proposed participants in the network do
not have a history of collaborative efforts and a 3-year grant
would be inappropriate.
(2) Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an
entity -
(A) shall be a rural public or rural nonprofit private
entity;
(B) shall represent a network composed of participants -
(i) that include 3 or more health care providers; and
(ii) that may be nonprofit or for-profit entities; and
(C) shall not previously have received a grant under this
subsection (other than a grant for planning activities) for the
same or a similar project.
(3) Applications
To 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 -
(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 local community or region to be served will
benefit from and be involved in the activities carried out by
the network;
(D) a description of how 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
The Director may award grants to provide for the planning and
implementation of small health care provider quality improvement
activities. The Director may award the grants for periods of 1 to
3 years.
(2) Eligibility
To be eligible for a grant under this subsection, an entity -
(A)(i) shall 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) shall be another rural provider or network of small
rural providers identified by the Secretary as a key source of
local care; and
(B) shall not previously have received a grant under this
subsection for the same or a similar project.
(3) Applications
To 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;
(D) a description of how 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
activities carried out 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
In awarding a grant under this subsection, the Director shall
ensure that the funds made available through the grant will be
used to provide services to residents of rural areas. The
Director shall award not less than 50 percent of the funds made
available under this subsection to providers located in and
serving rural areas.
(h) General requirements
(1) Prohibited uses of funds
An 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
The Secretary shall coordinate activities carried out under
grant programs described in this section, to the extent
practicable, with Federal and State agencies and nonprofit
organizations that are operating similar grant programs, to
maximize the effect of public dollars in funding meritorious
proposals.
(3) Preference
In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 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
Not later than September 30, 2005, the Secretary shall prepare
and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on
the progress and accomplishments of the grant programs described in
subsections (e), (f), and (g) of this section.
(j) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$40,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary
for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2006.