II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4592 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health 

and Human Services, acting through the Deputy Assistant Secretary 

for Minority Health, to award grants to faith- or community-based organizations to address persistent health inequities and chronic disease challenges. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 18, 2024 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND (for herself, Ms. BUTLER, and Mr. BOOKER) introduced the 

following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the 

Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 

the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, to 

award grants to faith- or community-based organizations 

to address persistent health inequities and chronic disease challenges. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Health Equity Innova5 tion Act of 2024’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. HEALTH EQUITY INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM. 

2 Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act 

3 (42 U.S.C. 280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

4 the following: 

5 ‘‘SEC. 399V–8. HEALTH EQUITY INNOVATION GRANT PRO6 GRAM. 

7 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 

8 the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health (in 

9 this section referred to as the ‘Secretary’), may award 

10 grants to eligible entities to expand access to culturally 

11 and linguistically appropriate care, encourage innovation, 

12 and address persistent health inequities and chronic dis13 ease challenges, including by— 

14 ‘‘(1) paying the costs of necessary medical serv15 ices, health screenings, tests, and other preventive 

16 services; 

17 ‘‘(2) expanding access to care, such as by— 

18 ‘‘(A) expanding access to health care and 

19 public health services; 

20 ‘‘(B) expanding the diversity of types of 

21 health workers; 

22 ‘‘(C) expanding the availability of cul23 turally and linguistically appropriate services; 

24 and 


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1 ‘‘(D) addressing other social determinants 

2 of health and barriers to receiving timely and 

3 quality care; 

4 ‘‘(3) supporting— 

5 ‘‘(A) community health navigators; 

6 ‘‘(B) community health workers (also 

7 known as ‘promotores de salud’); 

8 ‘‘(C) peer support specialists; 

9 ‘‘(D) community health representatives; 

10 and 

11 ‘‘(E) other health care professionals, in12 cluding those who work with faith- or commu13 nity-based organizations as trusted messengers 

14 with lived experiences to support access and 

15 connection to care; 

16 ‘‘(4) expanding the capacity of the eligible enti17 ty; and 

18 ‘‘(5) carrying out other programs that address 

19 social determinants of health. 

20 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible for a grant 

21 under this section, an entity shall be a faith- or commu22 nity-based organization that— 

23 ‘‘(1) has demonstrated an ability to address 

24 chronic health disparities and health conditions in 


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•S 4592 IS

1 communities disproportionately affected by such dis2 parities and conditions; and 

3 ‘‘(2) is located in a medically underserved com4 munity or a designated health professional shortage 

5 area. 

6 ‘‘(c) COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION DE7 FINED.—In this section, the term ‘community-based orga8 nization’ has the meaning given the term in section 8101 

9 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. 

10 ‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

11 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 

12 appropriated to carry out this section— 

13 ‘‘(A) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; 

14 ‘‘(B) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; 

15 ‘‘(C) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2026; 

16 ‘‘(D) $65,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; 

17 and 

18 ‘‘(E) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2028. 

19 ‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Of the funds 

20 appropriated to carry out this section, not more than 

21 5 percent may be used by the Secretary for the ad22 ministrative costs of carrying out this section.’’. 

Æ 


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