
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC294a]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
                    CHAPTER 6A--PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
 
               SUBCHAPTER V--HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION
 
           Part D--Interdisciplinary, Community-Based Linkages
 
Sec. 294a. Area health education centers


(a) Authority for provision of financial assistance

     (1) Assistance for planning, development, and operation of 
                                  programs

        (A) In general

            The Secretary shall award grants to and enter into contracts 
        with schools of medicine and osteopathic medicine, and 
        incorporated consortia made up of such schools, or the parent 
        institutions of such schools, for projects for the planning, 
        development and operation of area health education center 
        programs that--
                (i) improve the recruitment, distribution, supply, 
            quality and efficiency of personnel providing health 
            services in underserved rural and urban areas and personnel 
            providing health services to populations having demonstrated 
            serious unmet health care needs;
                (ii) increase the number of primary care physicians and 
            other primary care providers who provide services in 
            underserved areas through the offering of an educational 
            continuum of health career recruitment through clinical 
            education concerning underserved areas in a comprehensive 
            health workforce strategy;
                (iii) carry out recruitment and health career awareness 
            programs to recruit individuals from underserved areas and 
            under-represented populations, including minority and other 
            elementary or secondary students, into the health 
            professions;
                (iv) prepare individuals to more effectively provide 
            health services to underserved areas or underserved 
            populations through field placements, preceptorships, the 
            conduct of or support of community-based primary care 
            residency programs, and agreements with community-based 
            organizations such as community health centers, migrant 
            health centers, Indian health centers, public health 
            departments and others;
                (v) conduct health professions education and training 
            activities for students of health professions schools and 
            medical residents;
                (vi) conduct at least 10 percent of medical student 
            required clinical education at sites remote to the primary 
            teaching facility of the contracting institution; and
                (vii) provide information dissemination and educational 
            support to reduce professional isolation, increase 
            retention, enhance the practice environment, and improve 
            health care through the timely dissemination of research 
            findings using relevant resources.

        (B) Other eligible entities

            With respect to a State in which no area health education 
        center program is in operation, the Secretary may award a grant 
        or contract under subparagraph (A) to a school of nursing.

        (C) Project terms

            (i) In general

                Except as provided in clause (ii), the period during 
            which payments may be made under an award under subparagraph 
            (A) may not exceed--
                    (I) in the case of a project, 12 years or
                    (II) in the case of a center within a project, 6 
                years.
            (ii) Exception

                The periods described in clause (i) shall not apply to 
            projects that have completed the initial period of Federal 
            funding under this section and that desire to compete for 
            model awards under paragraph (2)(A).

           (2) Assistance for operation of model programs

        (A) In general

            In the case of any entity described in paragraph (1)(A) 
        that--
                (i) has previously received funds under this section;
                (ii) is operating an area health education center 
            program; and
                (iii) is no longer receiving financial assistance under 
            paragraph (1);

        the Secretary may provide financial assistance to such entity to 
        pay the costs of operating and carrying out the requirements of 
        the program as described in paragraph (1).

        (B) Matching requirement

            With respect to the costs of operating a model program under 
        subparagraph (A), an entity, to be eligible for financial 
        assistance under subparagraph (A), shall make available 
        (directly or through contributions from State, county or 
        municipal governments, or the private sector) recurring non-
        Federal contributions in cash toward such costs in an amount 
        that is equal to not less than 50 percent of such costs.

        (C) Limitation

            The aggregate amount of awards provided under subparagraph 
        (A) to entities in a State for a fiscal year may not exceed the 
        lesser of--
                (i) $2,000,000; or
                (ii) an amount equal to the product of $250,000 and the 
            aggregate number of area health education centers operated 
            in the State by such entities.

(b) Requirements for centers

                       (1) General requirement

        Each area health education center that receives funds under this 
    section shall encourage the regionalization of health professions 
    schools through the establishment of partnerships with community-
    based organizations.

                          (2) Service area

        Each area health education center that receives funds under this 
    section shall specifically designate a geographic area or medically 
    underserved population to be served by the center. Such area or 
    population shall be in a location removed from the main location of 
    the teaching facilities of the schools participating in the program 
    with such center.

                       (3) Other requirements

        Each area health education center that receives funds under this 
    section shall--
            (A) assess the health personnel needs of the area to be 
        served by the center and assist in the planning and development 
        of training programs to meet such needs;
            (B) arrange and support rotations for students and residents 
        in family medicine, general internal medicine or general 
        pediatrics, with at least one center in each program being 
        affiliated with or conducting a rotating osteopathic internship 
        or medical residency training program in family medicine 
        (including geriatrics), general internal medicine (including 
        geriatrics), or general pediatrics in which no fewer than 4 
        individuals are enrolled in first-year positions;
            (C) conduct and participate in interdisciplinary training 
        that involves physicians and other health personnel including, 
        where practicable, public health professionals, physician 
        assistants, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and behavioral 
        and mental health providers; and
            (D) have an advisory board, at least 75 percent of the 
        members of which shall be individuals, including both health 
        service providers and consumers, from the area served by the 
        center.

(c) Certain provisions regarding funding

                      (1) Allocation to center

        Not less than 75 percent of the total amount of Federal funds 
    provided to an entity under this section shall be allocated by an 
    area health education center program to the area health education 
    center. Such entity shall enter into an agreement with each center 
    for purposes of specifying the allocation of such 75 percent of 
    funds.

                         (2) Operating costs

        With respect to the operating costs of the area health education 
    center program of an entity receiving funds under this section, the 
    entity shall make available (directly or through contributions from 
    State, county or municipal governments, or the private sector) non-
    Federal contributions in cash toward such costs in an amount that is 
    equal to not less than 50 percent of such costs, except that the 
    Secretary may grant a waiver for up to 75 percent of the amount of 
    the required non-Federal match in the first 3 years in which an 
    entity receives funds under this section.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, Sec. 751, as added Pub. L. 105-392, 
title I, Sec. 103, Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3541.)


                            Prior Provisions

    A prior section 294a, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, 
Sec. 762, as added Pub. L. 102-408, title I, Sec. 102, Oct. 13, 1992, 
106 Stat. 2046, authorized grants and contracts for public health 
special projects, prior to the general amendment of this part by Pub. L. 
105-392.
    Another prior section 294a, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, 
Sec. 728, as added Oct. 12, 1976, Pub. L. 94-484, title IV, 
Sec. 401(b)(3), 90 Stat. 2257; amended Dec. 19, 1977, Pub. L. 95-215, 
Sec. 4(e)(2)-(4), 91 Stat. 1506; Dec. 17, 1980, Pub. L. 96-538, title 
IV, Sec. 401, 94 Stat. 3192; Aug. 13, 1981, Pub. L. 97-35, title XXVII, 
Sec. 2726, 95 Stat. 916; Oct. 22, 1985, Pub. L. 99-129, title I, 
Sec. 101, title II, Sec. 208(h), 99 Stat. 523, 532; Nov. 4, 1988, Pub. 
L. 100-607, title VI, Secs. 602(a)-(d), 636, title VII, Sec. 707, 102 
Stat. 3122, 3149, 3159; Nov. 18, 1988, Pub. L. 100-690, title II, 
Sec. 2615(b), 102 Stat. 4239; Aug. 16, 1989, Pub. L. 101-93, 
Sec. 5(g)(1), 103 Stat. 612, related to Federal student loan insurance 
program, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 
102-408. See section 292a of this title.
    Another prior section 294a, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, 
Sec. 741, as added Sept. 24, 1963, Pub. L. 88-129, Sec. 2(b), 77 Stat. 
171; amended Oct. 13, 1964, Pub. L. 88-654, Sec. 1(c), (d), 78 Stat. 
1086; Oct. 22, 1965, Pub. L. 89-290, Sec. 4(b), (f)(3), (4), (g)(1), 79 
Stat. 1057, 1058; Nov. 2, 1966, Pub. L. 89-709, Sec. 3(c), (d), 80 Stat. 
1103; Nov. 3, 1966, Pub. L. 89-751, Sec. 4, 80 Stat. 1230; Aug. 16, 
1968, Pub. L. 90-490, title I, Sec. 121(a)(3), (4), (5)(A), 82 Stat. 
777; Nov. 18, 1971, Pub. L. 92-157, title I, Sec. 105(b)-(d), (e)(4), 
(f)(2), 85 Stat. 449-451; Oct. 27, 1972, Pub. L. 92-585, Sec. 4, 86 
Stat. 1293; Oct. 12, 1976, Pub. L. 94-484, title IV, Secs. 403(a), (b), 
(d), 407(d)(1), 90 Stat. 2266, 2279, which related to loan provisions, 
was transferred to section 294n of this title.
    A prior section 751 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 
293o of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105-392.
    Another prior section 751 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to 
section 294r of this title prior to the general amendment of this 
subchapter by Pub. L. 102-408.
    Another prior section 751 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to 
section 294t of this title prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 97-35.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 294b, 294f, 294g of this 
title; title 20 section 1092a.
