§ 293 — Centers Of Excellence

(a) The Secretary shall make grants to, and enter into contracts with, designated health professions schools described in subsection (c), 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) The Secretary may not make a grant under subsection (a) unless the designated health professions school involved agrees, subject to subsection (c)(1)(C), 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. (A) The designated health professions schools referred to in subsection (a) 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) 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. (C) The condition specified in this subparagraph is that, in accordance with subsection (e)(1), 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) at the schools of the consortium. (D) 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. (A) 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) In addition to the purposes described in subsection (b), a grant under subsection (a) 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. (C) (2) or (5). (3) 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), that the school will, in carrying out the duties described in subsection (b), give priority to carrying out the duties with respect to Hispanic individuals; and (C) the school agrees, as a condition of receiving a grant under subsection (a), that— (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) Subject to subsection (e), 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; (B) the school agrees, as a condition of receiving a grant under subsection (a), that the school will, in carrying out the duties described in subsection (b), give priority to carrying out the duties with respect to Native Americans; and (C) the school agrees, as a condition of receiving a grant under subsection (a), that— (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) 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. (1) Any designated health professions school receiving a grant under subsection (a) and meeting the conditions described in paragraph (2) or (5) of subsection (c) shall, for purposes of this section, be designated by the Secretary as a Center of Excellence in Under-Represented Minority Health Professions Education. (2) Any designated health professions school receiving a grant under subsection (a) and meeting the conditions described in subsection (c)(3) shall, for purposes of this section, be designated by the Secretary as a Hispanic Center of Excellence in Health Professions Education. (3) Any designated health professions school receiving a grant under subsection (a) and meeting the conditions described in subsection (c)(4) 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) shall, for purposes of this section, be so designated. (e) With respect to meeting the conditions specified in subsection (c)(4), the Secretary may make a grant under subsection (a) 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); and (2) the schools of the consortium collectively meet such conditions, without regard to whether the schools individually meet such conditions. (f) The period during which payments are made under a grant under subsection (a) 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) In this section: (A) 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) 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). (2) The term “program of excellence” means any program carried out by a designated health professions school with a grant made under subsection (a), if the program is for purposes for which the school involved is authorized in subsection (b) or (c) to expend the grant. (3) The term “Native Americans” means American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Aleuts, and Native Hawaiians. (1) Based on the amount appropriated under subsection (i) for a fiscal year, the following subparagraphs shall apply as appropriate: (A) If the amounts appropriated under subsection (i) for a fiscal year are $24,000,000 or less— (i) the Secretary shall make available $12,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(2)(A); and (ii) 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) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (c) (including meeting the conditions under subsection (e)); and (II) 40 percent of such amount for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(5). (B) If amounts appropriated under subsection (i) 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) to health professions schools that meet the requirements described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (c) (including meeting conditions pursuant to subsection (e)); and (ii) 20 percent of such excess amount shall be made available for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(5). (C) If amounts appropriated under subsection (i) for a fiscal year exceed $30,000,000 but are less than $40,000,000, the Secretary shall make available— (i) not less than $12,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(2)(A); (ii) not less than $12,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (c) (including meeting conditions pursuant to subsection (e)); (iii) not less than $6,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(5); and (iv) after grants are made with funds under clauses (i) through (iii), any remaining excess amount for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (2)(A), (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (c). (D) If amounts appropriated under subsection (i) for a fiscal year are $40,000,000 or more, the Secretary shall make available— (i) not less than $16,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(2)(A); (ii) not less than $16,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (c) (including meeting conditions pursuant to subsection (e)); (iii) not less than $8,000,000 for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in subsection (c)(5); and (iv) after grants are made with funds under clauses (i) through (iii), any remaining funds for grants under subsection (a) to health professions schools that meet the conditions described in paragraph (2)(A), (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (c). (2) 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 grants under this section. (A) 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) 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 center shall, before expending the grant, expend the Federal amounts obtained from sources other than the grant, unless given prior approval from the Secretary. (i) To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $23,711,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.