42 U.S.C. § 254c-8
The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, shall under authority of this section continue in effect the Healthy Start Initiative and may carry out such program on a national basis.
For purposes of paragraph (1), the term "Healthy Start Initiative" is a reference to the program that, as an initiative to reduce the rate of infant mortality and improve perinatal outcomes, makes grants for project areas with high or increasing above the national average annual rates of infant mortality and that, prior to the effective date of this section, was a demonstration program carried out under section 241 of this title.
In making grants under subsection (a), the Secretary shall require that applicants (in addition to meeting all eligibility criteria established by the Secretary) establish, for project areas under such subsection, community-based consortia of individuals and organizations (including agencies responsible for administering block grant programs under title V of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 701 et seq.], participants and former participants of project services, public health departments, hospitals, health centers under section 254b of this title, State substance abuse agencies, and other significant sources of health care services) that are appropriate for participation in projects under subsection (a).
In making grants under subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into consideration the following:
Nothing in paragraph (2) shall be construed to prevent the Secretary from awarding grants under subsection (a) for special projects that are intended to address significant disparities in perinatal health indicators in communities along the United States-Mexico border or in Alaska or Hawaii.
Recipients of grants under subsection (a) shall coordinate their services and activities with the State agency or agencies that administer block grant programs under title V of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 701 et seq.] in order to promote cooperation, integration, and dissemination of information with Statewide systems and with other community services funded under the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant.
The Secretary shall ensure coordination of the program carried out pursuant to this section with other programs and activities related to the reduction of the rate of infant mortality and improved perinatal and infant health outcomes supported by the Department.
Except to the extent inconsistent with this section, this section may not be construed as affecting the authority of the Secretary to make modifications in the program carried out under subsection (a).
For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $125,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
Of the amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the Secretary may reserve up to 5 percent for coordination, dissemination, technical assistance, and data activities that are determined by the Secretary to be appropriate for carrying out the program under this section.
Of the amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the Secretary may reserve up to 1 percent for evaluations of projects carried out under subsection (a). Each such evaluation shall include a determination of whether such projects have been effective in reducing the disparity in health status between the general population and individuals who are members of racial or ethnic minority groups. Evaluations may also include, to the extent practicable, information related to-
Not later than 4 years after March 27, 2020, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an independent evaluation, and submit to the appropriate Committees of Congress a report, concerning the Healthy Start program under this section.
In conducting the evaluation under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall consider, as applicable and appropriate, information from the evaluations under subsection (e)(2)(B).
The report described in paragraph (1) shall review, assess, and provide recommendations, as appropriate, on the following:
42 U.S.C. § 254c-8
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTThe effective date of this section, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 106-310 which was approved Oct. 17, 2000.The Social Security Act, referred to in subsecs. (b)(1) and (c)(1), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620. Title V of the Act is classified generally to subchapter V (§701 et seq.) of chapter 7 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of this title and Tables.
AMENDMENTS2020-Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 116-136, §3225(1)(A), struck out ",during fiscal year 2001 and subsequent years," after "and may".Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 116-136, §3225(1)(B), inserted "or increasing above the national average" after "areas with high". Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116-136, §3225(2)(A), substituted "participants and former participants of project services, public health departments, hospitals, health centers under section 254b of this title, State substance abuse agencies" for "consumers of project services, public health departments, hospitals, health centers under section 254b of this title".Subsec. (b)(2)(A). Pub. L. 116-136, §3225(2)(B)(i), substituted "including poor birth outcomes (such as low birthweight and preterm birth) and social determinants of health" for "such as low birthweight".Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 116-136, §3225(2)(B)(iii), added subpar. (B). Former subpar. (B) redesignated (C).Subsec. (b)(2)(C). Pub. L. 116-136, §3225(2)(B)(iv), added cl. (i) and (iv) and redesignated former cls. (i) and (ii) as (ii) and (iii), respectively. Pub. L. 116-136, §3225(2)(B)(ii), redesignated subpar. (B) as (C). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116-136, §3225(3), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted heading, and added par. (2). Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 116-136, §3225(4)(A), substituted "appropriated $125,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025." for "appropriated-"(A) $120,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and"(B) for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013, the amount authorized for the preceding fiscal year increased by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for such year."Subsec. (e)(2)(B). Pub. L. 116-136, §3225(4)(B), inserted at end "Evaluations may also include, to the extent practicable, information related to-" and added cls. (i) to (iii).Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 116-136, §3225(5), added subsec. (f). 2008-Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 110-339, §2(b)(1), struck out par. (3). Text read as follows: "Effective upon increased funding beyond fiscal year 1999 for such Initiative, additional grants may be made to States to assist communities with technical assistance, replication of successful projects, and State policy formation to reduce infant and maternal mortality and morbidity."Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110-339, §2(a), substituted "Considerations in making grants" for "Requirements for making grants" in heading, designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted par. heading, and added pars. (2) and (3).Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 110-339, §2(b)(2), (c), added subsec. (e) and struck out former subsec. (e) which related to additional services for at-risk pregnant women and infants.Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 110-339, §2(b)(2), struck out subsec. (f) which related to funding of program and additional services for at-risk pregnant women and infants.2004-Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 108-271 substituted "Government Accountability Office" for "General Accounting Office" in heading.
- Administrator
- The term "Administrator" means the Administrator of General Services.
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.1See References in Text note below.
- project
- The terms "federally assisted housing" and "project" mean-(A) a public housing project (as such term is defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)] );(B) housing for which project-based assistance is provided under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437f] ;(C) housing that is assisted under section 1701q of title 12;(D) housing that is assisted under section 1701q of title 12, as such section existed before November 28, 1990;(E) housing financed by a loan or mortgage insured under section 1715l(d)(3) of title 12 that bears interest at a rate determined under the proviso of section 1715l(d)(5) of title 12;(F) housing insured, assisted, or held by the Secretary or a State or State agency under section 1715z-1 of title 12;(G) housing constructed or substantially rehabilitated pursuant to assistance provided under section 8(b)(2) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437f(b)(2)], as in effect before October 1, 1983, that is assisted under a contract for assistance under such section; and(H) housing that is assisted under section 80131 of this title.