42 U.S.C. § 296m — Workforce diversity grants

Page 1094 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 296m 1 So in original. No par. (2) has been enacted. 2 So in original. Probably should be preceded by ‘‘the’’. § 296m. Workforce diversity grants (a) In general (1) 1 Authority The Secretary may award grants to and enter into contracts with eligible entities to meet the costs of special projects to increase nursing education opportunities for individ- uals who are from disadvantaged backgrounds (including racial and ethnic minorities under- represented among registered nurses) by pro- viding student scholarships or stipends, sti- pends for diploma or associate degree nurses to enter a bridge or degree completion pro- gram, student scholarships or stipends for ac- celerated nursing degree programs, pre-entry preparation, advanced education preparation, and retention activities. (b) Guidance In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into consideration the recommenda- tions of the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice and consult with nurs- ing associations including the National Coali- tion of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations, American 2 Nurses Association, the National League for Nursing, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the National Black Nurses Association, the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, the Association of Asian Amer- ican and Pacific Islander Nurses, the Native American Indian and Alaskan Nurses Associa- tion, and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, and other organizations determined appropriate by the Secretary. (c) Required information and conditions for award recipients (1) In general Recipients of awards under this section may be required, where requested, to report to the Secretary concerning the annual admission, retention, and graduation rates for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and ethnic and racial minorities in the school or schools involved in the projects. (2) Falling rates If any of the rates reported under paragraph (1) fall below the average of the two previous years, the grant or contract recipient shall provide the Secretary with plans for imme- diately improving such rates. (3) Ineligibility A recipient described in paragraph (2) shall be ineligible for continued funding under this section if the plan of the recipient fails to im- prove the rates within the 1-year period begin- ning on the date such plan is implemented. (July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VIII, § 821, as added Pub. L. 105–392, title I, § 123(4), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3568; amended Pub. L. 111–148, title V, § 5404, Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 649.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 296m, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VIII, § 822, as added Pub. L. 94–63, title IX, § 931(a), July 29, 1975, 89 Stat. 361; amended Pub. L. 95–83, title III, § 307(o)(5)(A), Aug. 1, 1977, 91 Stat. 393; Pub. L. 96–76, title I, § 107, Sept. 29, 1979, 93 Stat. 579; Pub. L. 97–35, title XXVII, § 2755, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 930; Pub. L. 99–92, § 5, Aug. 16, 1985, 99 Stat. 394; Pub. L. 99–129, title II, § 227(c), Oct. 22, 1985, 99 Stat. 548; Pub. L. 100–607, title VII, § 703, Nov. 4, 1988, 102 Stat. 3157; Pub. L. 101–93, § 5(q), Aug. 16, 1989, 103 Stat. 614; Pub. L. 101–597, title IV, § 401(b)[(a)], Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3035; Pub. L. 102–408, title II, § 204, Oct. 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 2072, author- ized grants and contracts for nurse practitioner and nurse midwife programs, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–392, title I, § 123(1), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3562. A prior section 821 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 296l of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–392. AMENDMENTS 2010—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–148, § 5404(1), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted heading, and substituted ‘‘stipends for diploma or associate degree nurses to enter a bridge or degree completion program, student scholarships or stipends for accelerated nursing degree programs, pre-entry preparation, advanced edu- cation preparation, and retention activities’’ for ‘‘pre- entry preparation, and retention activities’’. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 111–148, § 5404(2), substituted ‘‘Na- tional Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Prac- tice and consult with nursing associations including the National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Asso- ciations,’’ for ‘‘First, Second and Third Invitational Congresses for Minority Nurse Leaders on ‘Caring for the Emerging Majority,’ in 1992, 1993 and 1997, and con- sult with nursing associations including the’’ and in- serted ‘‘, and other organizations determined appro- priate by the Secretary’’ before period at end. PART D—STRENGTHENING CAPACITY FOR BASIC NURSE EDUCATION AND PRACTICE Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior part D related to scholarship grants to schools of nursing and consisted of sections 298c to 298c–8, prior to the general amendment of this sub- chapter by Pub. L. 105–392. § 296p. Nurse education, practice, quality, and re- tention grants (a) Education priority areas The Secretary may award grants to or enter into contracts with eligible entities for— (1) expanding the enrollment in bacca- laureate nursing programs; or (2) providing education in new technologies, including distance learning methodologies. (b) Practice priority areas The Secretary may award grants to or enter into contracts with eligible entities for— (1) establishing or expanding nursing prac- tice arrangements in noninstitutional settings to demonstrate methods to improve access to primary health care in medically underserved communities; (2) providing care for underserved popu- lations and high risk groups, such as the elder- ly, individuals with HIV/AIDS, individuals with mental health or substance use disorders, individuals who are homeless, and survivors of domestic violence; (3) providing coordinated care, and other skills needed to practice in existing and emerging organized health care systems; or