§ 295a — Public Health Training Centers

(a) The Secretary may make grants or contracts for the operation of public health training centers. (1) A public health training center shall be an accredited school of public health, or another public or nonprofit private institution accredited for the provision of graduate or specialized training in public health, that plans, develops, operates, and evaluates projects to improve preventive medicine, health promotion and disease prevention, or access to and quality of health care services in rural or medically underserved communities. (2) In awarding grants or contracts under this section the Secretary shall give preference to accredited schools of public health. (c) With respect to a public health training center, an award may not be made under subsection (a) unless the program agrees that it— (1) will establish or strengthen field placements for students in public or nonprofit private health agencies or organizations; (2) will involve faculty members and students in collaborative projects to enhance public health services to medically underserved communities; (3) will specifically designate a geographic area or medically underserved population to be served by the center that shall be in a location removed from the main location of the teaching facility of the school that is participating in the program with such center; and (4) will 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.