I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5520 

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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia (for herself, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Ms. MOORE of 

Wisconsin, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. SEWELL, 

and Ms. CLARKE of New York) introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

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 2023’’. 


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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, who 

12 work with faith- or community-based organiza13 tions as trusted messengers with lived experi14 ences to support access and connection to care; 

15 ‘‘(4) expanding the capacity of the eligible enti16 ty; and 

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

18 social determinants of health. 

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

20 under this section, an entity shall be a faith- or commu21 nity-based organization that— 

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

23 chronic health disparities and health conditions in 

24 communities disproportionately affected by such dis25 parities and conditions; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) is located in a medically underserved com2 munity or a designated health professional shortage 

3 area. 

4 ‘‘(c) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec5 tion, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities 

6 that created or operated one or more health workforce or 

7 health care access programs during the COVID–19 pan8 demic. 

9 ‘‘(d) COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION DE10 FINED.—In this section, the term ‘community-based orga11 nization’ has the meaning given the term in section 8101 

12 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. 

13 ‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

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

15 appropriated to carry out this section— 

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

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

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

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

20 and 

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

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

23 appropriated to carry out this section, not more than 


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1 5 percent may be used by the Secretary for the ad2 ministrative costs of carrying out this section.’’. 

Æ 


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