§ 293. Centers of excellence

(a) In general

The Secretary shall make grants to, and enter into contracts with, designated health professions schools described in subsection (c) of this section, and other public and nonprofit health or educational entities, for the purpose of assisting the schools in supporting programs of excellence in health professions education for under-represented minority individuals.

(b) Required use of funds

The Secretary may not make a grant under subsection (a) of this section unless the designated health professions school involved agrees, subject to subsection (c)(1)(C) of this section, to expend the grant—

(1) to develop a large competitive applicant pool through linkages with institutions of higher education, local school districts, and other community-based entities and establish an education pipeline for health professions careers;

(2) to establish, strengthen, or expand programs to enhance the academic performance of under-represented minority students attending the school;

(3) to improve the capacity of such school to train, recruit, and retain under-represented minority faculty including the payment of such stipends and fellowships as the Secretary may determine appropriate;

(4) to carry out activities to improve the information resources, clinical education, curricula and cultural competence of the graduates of the school, as it relates to minority health issues;

(5) to facilitate faculty and student research on health issues particularly affecting under-represented minority groups, including research on issues relating to the delivery of health care;

(6) to carry out a program to train students of the school in providing health services to a significant number of under-represented minority individuals through training provided to such students at community-based health facilities that—

(A) provide such health services; and

(B) are located at a site remote from the main site of the teaching facilities of the school; and

(7) to provide stipends as the Secretary determines appropriate, in amounts as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(1) Designated schools

(A) In general

The designated health professions schools referred to in subsection (a) of this section are such schools that meet each of the conditions specified in subparagraphs (B) and (C), and that—

(i) meet each of the conditions specified in paragraph (2)(A);

(ii) meet each of the conditions specified in paragraph (3);

(iii) meet each of the conditions specified in paragraph (4); or

(iv) meet each of the conditions specified in paragraph (5).

(B) General conditions

The conditions specified in this subparagraph are that a designated health professions school—

(i) has a significant number of under-represented minority individuals enrolled in the school, including individuals accepted for enrollment in the school;

(ii) has been effective in assisting under-represented minority students of the school to complete the program of education and receive the degree involved;

(iii) has been effective in recruiting under-represented minority individuals to enroll in and graduate from the school, including providing scholarships and other financial assistance to such individuals and encouraging under-represented minority students from all levels of the educational pipeline to pursue health professions careers; and

(iv) has made significant recruitment efforts to increase the number of under-represented minority individuals serving in faculty or administrative positions at the school.

The condition specified in this subparagraph is that, in accordance with subsection (e)(1) of this section, the designated health profession school involved has with other health profession schools (designated or otherwise) formed a consortium to carry out the purposes described in subsection (b) of this section at the schools of the consortium.

(D) Application of criteria to other programs

In the case of any criteria established by the Secretary for purposes of determining whether schools meet the conditions described in subparagraph (B), this section may not, with respect to racial and ethnic minorities, be construed to authorize, require, or prohibit the use of such criteria in any program other than the program established in this section.

(2) Centers of excellence at certain historically black colleges and universities

(A) Conditions

The conditions specified in this subparagraph are that a designated health professions school—

(i) is a school described in section 295p (1) of this title; and

(ii) received a contract under section 295g–8b of this title for fiscal year 1987, as such section was in effect for such fiscal year.

(B) Use of grant

In addition to the purposes described in subsection (b) of this section, a grant under subsection (a) of this section to a designated health professions school meeting the conditions described in subparagraph (A) may be expended—

(i) to develop a plan to achieve institutional improvements, including financial independence, to enable the school to support programs of excellence in health professions education for under-represented minority individuals; and

(ii) to provide improved access to the library and informational resources of the school.

The requirements of paragraph (1)(C) shall not apply to a historically black college or university that receives funding under paragraphs ^[1] (2) or (5).

(3) Hispanic centers of excellence

The conditions specified in this paragraph are that—

(A) with respect to Hispanic individuals, each of clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (1)(B) applies to the designated health professions school involved;

(B) the school agrees, as a condition of receiving a grant under subsection (a) of this section, that the school will, in carrying out the duties described in subsection (b) of this section, give priority to carrying out the duties with respect to Hispanic individuals; and

(i) the school will establish an arrangement with 1 or more public or nonprofit community based Hispanic serving organizations, or public or nonprofit private institutions of higher education, including schools of nursing, whose enrollment of students has traditionally included a significant number of Hispanic individuals, the purposes of which will be to carry out a program—

(I) to identify Hispanic students who are interested in a career in the health profession involved; and

(II) to facilitate the educational preparation of such students to enter the health professions school; and

(ii) the school will make efforts to recruit Hispanic students, including students who have participated in the undergraduate or other matriculation program carried out under arrangements established by the school pursuant to clause (i)(II) and will assist Hispanic students regarding the completion of the educational requirements for a degree from the school.

(4) Native American centers of excellence

Subject to subsection (e) of this section, the conditions specified in this paragraph are that—

(A) with respect to Native Americans, each of clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (1)(B) applies to the designated health professions school involved;

(i) the school will establish an arrangement with 1 or more public or nonprofit private institutions of higher education, including schools of nursing, whose enrollment of students has traditionally included a significant number of Native Americans, the purpose of which arrangement will be to carry out a program—

(I) to identify Native American students, from the institutions of higher education referred to in clause (i), who are interested in health professions careers; and

(II) to facilitate the educational preparation of such students to enter the designated health professions school; and

(ii) the designated health professions school will make efforts to recruit Native American students, including students who have participated in the undergraduate program carried out under arrangements established by the school pursuant to clause (i) and will assist Native American students regarding the completion of the educational requirements for a degree from the designated health professions school.

(5) Other centers of excellence

The conditions specified in this paragraph are—

(A) with respect to other centers of excellence, the conditions described in clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (1)(B); and

(B) that the health professions school involved has an enrollment of under-represented minorities above the national average for such enrollments of health professions schools.

(d) Designation as center of excellence

(1) In general

Any designated health professions school receiving a grant under subsection (a) of this section and meeting the conditions described in paragraph (2) or (5) of subsection (c) of this section shall, for purposes of this section, be designated by the Secretary as a Center of Excellence in Under-Represented Minority Health Professions Education.

(2) Hispanic centers of excellence

Any designated health professions school receiving a grant under subsection (a) of this section and meeting the conditions described in subsection (c)(3) of this section shall, for purposes of this section, be designated by the Secretary as a Hispanic Center of Excellence in Health Professions Education.

(3) Native American centers of excellence

Any designated health professions school receiving a grant under subsection (a) of this section and meeting the conditions described in subsection (c)(4) of this section shall, for purposes of this section, be designated by the Secretary as a Native American Center of Excellence in Health Professions Education. Any consortium receiving such a grant pursuant to subsection (e) of this section shall, for purposes of this section, be so designated.

(e) Authority regarding Native American centers of excellence

With respect to meeting the conditions specified in subsection (c)(4) of this section, the Secretary may make a grant under subsection (a) of this section to a designated health professions school that does not meet such conditions if—

(1) the school has formed a consortium in accordance with subsection (d)(1) of this section; and

(2) the schools of the consortium collectively meet such conditions, without regard to whether the schools individually meet such conditions.

(f) Duration of grant

The period during which payments are made under a grant under subsection (a) of this section may not exceed 5 years. Such payments shall be subject to annual approval by the Secretary and to the availability of appropriations for the fiscal year involved to make the payments.

(g) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Designated health professions school

(A) In general

The term “health professions school” means, except as provided in subparagraph (B), a school of medicine, a school of osteopathic medicine, a school of dentistry, a school of pharmacy, or a graduate program in behavioral or mental health.

(B) Exception

The definition established in subparagraph (A) shall not apply to the use of the term “designated health professions school” for purposes of subsection (c)(2) of this section.

(2) Program of excellence

The term “program of excellence” means any program carried out by a designated health professions school with a grant made under subsection (a) of this section, if the program is for purposes for which the school involved is authorized in subsection (b) or (c) of this section to expend the grant.

(3) Native Americans

The term “Native Americans” means American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Aleuts, and Native Hawaiians.

(h) Funding

(1) Authorization of appropriations

For the purpose of making grants under subsection (a) of this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $26,000,000 for fiscal year 1998, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1999 through 2002.

(2) Allocations

Based on the amount appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, one of the following subparagraphs shall apply:

(A) In general

If the amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year are $24,000,000 or less—

(i) the Secretary shall make available $12,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) of this section to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(2)(A) of this section; and

(ii) and available after grants are made with funds under clause (i), the Secretary shall make available—

(I) 60 percent of such amount for grants under subsection (a) of this section to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (c) of this section (including meeting the conditions under subsection (e) of this section); and

(II) 40 percent of such amount for grants under subsection (a) of this section to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(5) of this section.

(B) Funding in excess of $24,000,000

If amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year exceed $24,000,000 but are less than $30,000,000—

(i) 80 percent of such excess amounts shall be made available for grants under subsection (a) of this section to health professions schools that meet the requirements described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (c) of this section (including meeting conditions pursuant to subsection (e) of this section); and

(ii) 20 percent of such excess amount shall be made available for grants under subsection (a) of this section to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(5) of this section.

If amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year are $30,000,000 or more, the Secretary shall make available—

(i) not less than $12,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) of this section to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(2)(A) of this section;

(ii) not less than $12,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) of this section to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (c) of this section (including meeting conditions pursuant to subsection (e) of this section);

(iii) not less than $6,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) of this section to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(5) of this section; and

(iv) after grants are made with funds under clauses (i) through (iii), any remaining funds for grants under subsection (a) of this section to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (2)(A), (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (c) of this section.

(3) No limitation

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as limiting the centers of excellence referred to in this section to the designated amount, or to preclude such entities from competing for other grants under this section.

(4) Maintenance of effort

(A) In general

With respect to activities for which a grant made under this part are authorized to be expended, the Secretary may not make such a grant to a center of excellence for any fiscal year unless the center agrees to maintain expenditures of non-Federal amounts for such activities at a level that is not less than the level of such expenditures maintained by the center for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the school receives such a grant.

(B) Use of Federal funds

With respect to any Federal amounts received by a center of excellence and available for carrying out activities for which a grant under this part is authorized to be expended, the Secretary may not make such a grant to the center for any fiscal year unless the center agrees that the center will, before expending the grant, expend the Federal amounts obtained from sources other than the grant.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “paragraph”.

U.S. Code

§ 293. Centers of excellence