Amendments to Healthy Start Initiative

(a)

Considerations in Making Grants

Section 330H(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–8(b)) is amended— (1)by striking (b) Requirements and all that follows through In making grants under subsection (a) and inserting the following:

(b)

Considerations in making grants

(1)

Requirements

In making grants under subsection (a)

; and

(2)by adding at the end the following paragraphs:

(2)

Other considerations

In making grants under subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into consideration the following: (A)Factors that contribute to infant mortality, such as low birthweight. (B)The extent to which applicants for such grants facilitate— (i)a community-based approach to the delivery of services; and (ii)a comprehensive approach to women’s health care to improve perinatal outcomes. (3)

Special projects

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.

(b)

Other grants

Section 330H of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–8) is amended— (1)in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (3); and (2)by striking subsections (e) and (f). (c)

Funding

Section 330H of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by subsection (b) of this section, is amended by adding at the end the following subsection:

(e)

Funding

(1)

Authorization of appropriations

For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be 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. (2)

Allocation

(A)

Program administration

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. (B)

Evaluation

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.