Access to AEDs Act

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to a local educational agency or private elementary or secondary school, partnered with a public or nonprofit private health care entity, to develop and implement a comprehensive program to promote student access to defibrillation in elementary schools and secondary schools. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Access to AEDs Act 2. Findings; purpose The Congress makes the following findings: (1) Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. (2) Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a life-threatening emergency that is caused by a malfunction in the heart’s electrical system or structure, which is caused by an abnormality from birth or one that develops over time. (3) Studies show that 1 in 300 youth has an undetected heart condition that puts them at risk. (4) SCA is the leading cause of death for student athletes. (5) Sports-related SCA accounted for 39 percent of SCAs among children 18 years old or younger. (6) In 2018, there were nearly 394,000 sudden cardiac arrests that occurred in the United States, with 9 out of 10 being fatal. Only 1 in 10 victims survive a sudden cardiac arrest. (7) An estimated 7,000 to 23,000 young people are stricken by SCA annually. (8) The American Heart Association estimates that 5 in 10 victims of SCA could survive if bystanders gave CPR and used an AED immediately. (9) The chain of survival includes prompt notification of emergency services and early CPR, defibrillation, and advanced cardiac life support. (10) Health education should include basic emergency lifesaving skills. Incorporating these lifesaving training programs into the health curriculum of elementary and secondary schools will give school children these skills. 3. Promoting student access to defibrillation (a) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall award grants to local educational agencies and private elementary and secondary schools, in partnership with a public or nonprofit private health care entity, to develop and implement a comprehensive program to promote student access to defibrillation in elementary schools and secondary schools by— (1) developing and providing comprehensive materials to establish AED and CPR programs in such schools; (2) providing support for CPR and AED training programs in such schools for students, staff, and related sports volunteers; (3) providing support for developing a cardiac emergency action plan within such schools; (4) purchasing AEDs that have been approved, or cleared for marketing, by the Food and Drug Administration; (5) purchasing necessary AED batteries and performing necessary AED maintenance according to AED manufacturers; (6) replacing old and outdated AED and CPR equipment, machinery, and educational materials; (7) fostering new and existing community partnerships with and among local educational agencies, private schools, nonprofit organizations, public health organizations, emergency medical service providers, fire and police departments, and parent-teacher associations to promote the importance of defibrillation in elementary and secondary schools; (8) aiding school athletic departments seeking to develop programs to screen student athletes for risk of sudden cardiac arrest; and (9) further developing strategies to improve access to AEDs in elementary and secondary schools. (b) Application To be eligible for a grant under subsection (a), a local educational agency or a private elementary or secondary school shall submit an application to the Secretary— (1) at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require; and (2) in partnership with a public or private nonprofit health care entity that— (A) demonstrates an ability to develop, train, and implement a comprehensive program to promote student access to defibrillation in elementary and secondary schools; and (B) is qualified in providing technical assistance in AED and CPR training. (c) Clearinghouse Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a clearinghouse database— (1) to collect and make available information, including through voluntary reporting by local educational agencies, schools, and manufacturers, relating to student access to defibrillation in elementary schools and secondary schools, including with respect to the costs of providing AEDs and CPR training; and (2) to gather information in a central location to facilitate research regarding sudden cardiac arrest in the pediatric population. (d) Reports (1) By grantee Not later than 4 years after receipt of a grant under this section, the recipient of the grant shall submit to the Secretary a report that describes the activities carried out with funds received through the grant. (2) By Secretary Not later than one year after receiving the reports required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a consolidated evaluation of the activities carried out pursuant to grants under this section. (e) Definitions In this section: (1) The term AED (2) The term CPR (3) The terms elementary school local educational agency secondary school 20 U.S.C. 7801 (4) The term Secretary (f) Authorization of appropriations To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $1,800,000 for the period of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

Summary: Access to AEDs Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to local educational agencies and private elementary and secondary schools, in partnership with a health care entity, to promote student access to defibrillation in elementary and secondary schools.