(13) While research has identified many effec-
tive interventions against arthritis, such interven-
tions are broadly underutilized. That underutiliza-
tion leads to unnecessary loss of life, health, and 
quality of life, as well as avoidable or unnecessarily 
high health care costs. Increasing physical activity, 
losing excess weight, and participating in self-man-
agement education classes have been shown to re-
duce pain, improve functional limitations and mental 
health, and reduce disability among persons with ar-
thritis. Some self-management programs have been 
proven to reduce arthritis pain by 20 percent and 
physician visits by 40 percent. Despite this fact, less 
than 1 percent of the people in the United States 
with arthritis participate in such programs, and self- 
management courses are not offered in all areas of 
the United States. 
(14) Rheumatologists are internists or pediatric 
sub-specialists who are uniquely qualified by an ad-
ditional 2 to 4 years of training and experience in 
the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic conditions. 
Typically, rheumatologists act as consultants, but 
also often act as managers, relying on the help of 
many skilled professionals, including nurses, physical 
and occupational therapists, psychologists, and social 
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workers. Many rheumatologists conduct research to 
determine the cause and effective treatment of dis-
abling and sometimes fatal rheumatic diseases. 
(15) Recognizing that the Nation requires a 
public health approach to arthritis, the Department 
of Health and Human Services established impor-
tant national goals related to arthritis in its Healthy 
People 2010 initiative. Moreover, various Federal 
and non-Federal stakeholders have worked coopera-
tively to develop a comprehensive National Arthritis 
Action Plan: A Public Health Strategy. 
(16) Greater efforts and commitments are need-
ed from Congress, the States, providers, and pa-
tients to achieve the goals of Healthy People 2010, 
implement a national public health strategy con-
sistent with the National Arthritis Action Plan, and 
lessen the burden of arthritis on citizens of the 
United States. 
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SEC. 3. ENHANCING THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIVITIES RE-
LATED TO ARTHRITIS OF THE CENTERS FOR 
DISEASE 
CONTROL 
AND 
PREVENTION 
THROUGH THE NATIONAL ARTHRITIS ACTION 
PLAN. 
Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 243 et seq.) is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 314 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 315. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL ARTHRITIS 
ACTION PLAN. 
‘‘The Secretary shall develop and implement a Na-
tional Arthritis Action Plan that consists of— 
‘‘(1) the Federal arthritis prevention and con-
trol activities, as described in section 315A; 
‘‘(2) the State arthritis control and prevention 
programs, as described in section 315B; 
‘‘(3) the comprehensive arthritis action grant 
program, as described in section 315C; and 
‘‘(4) a national arthritis education and outreach 
program, as described in section 315D. 
‘‘SEC. 315A. FEDERAL ARTHRITIS PREVENTION AND CON-
TROL ACTIVITIES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention, shall, directly, or through a grant to an eligible 
entity, conduct, support, and promote the coordination of 
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research, investigations, demonstrations, training, and 
studies relating to the control, prevention, and surveillance 
of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES OF SECRETARY.—The activities of the 
Secretary under subsection (a) shall include— 
‘‘(1) the collection, publication, and analysis of 
data on the prevalence and incidence of arthritis and 
other rheumatic diseases; 
‘‘(2) the development of uniform data sets for 
public health surveillance and clinical quality im-
provement activities; 
‘‘(3) the identification of evidence-based and 
cost-effective best practices for the prevention, diag-
nosis, management, and care of arthritis and other 
rheumatic diseases; 
‘‘(4) research, including research on behavioral 
interventions to prevent arthritis and on other evi-
dence-based best practices relating to arthritis pre-
vention, diagnosis, management, and care; and 
‘‘(5) demonstration projects, including commu-
nity-based and patient self-management programs of 
arthritis control, prevention, and care, and similar 
collaborations with academic institutions, hospitals, 
health insurers, researchers, health professionals, 
and nonprofit organizations. 
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‘‘(c) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—With 
respect to the planning, development, and operation of any 
activity carried out under subsection (a), the Secretary 
may provide training, technical assistance, supplies, equip-
ment, or services, and may assign any officer or employee 
of the Department of Health and Human Services to a 
State or local health agency, or to any public or nonprofit 
entity designated by a State health agency, in lieu of pro-
viding grant funds under this section. 
‘‘(d) ARTHRITIS PREVENTION RESEARCH AT THE 
CENTERS
FOR DISEASE CONTROL
AND PREVENTION 
CENTERS.—The Secretary shall provide additional grant 
support for research projects at the Centers for Prevention 
Research by the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion to encourage the expansion of research portfolios at 
the Centers for Prevention Research to include arthritis- 
specific research activities related to the prevention and 
management of arthritis. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2008 through 2012. 
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‘‘SEC. 315B. STATE ARTHRITIS CONTROL AND PREVENTION 
PROGRAMS. 
‘‘(a) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 
grants to eligible entities to provide support for com-
prehensive arthritis control and prevention programs and 
to enable such entities to provide public health surveil-
lance, prevention, and control activities related to arthritis 
and other rheumatic diseases. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an entity shall be a State or Indian 
tribe. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an entity shall submit to the Secretary 
an application at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such agreements, assurances, and information as 
the Secretary may require, including a comprehensive ar-
thritis control and prevention plan that— 
‘‘(1) is developed with the advice of stake-
holders from the public, private, and nonprofit sec-
tors that have expertise relating to arthritis control, 
prevention, and treatment that increase the quality 
of life and decrease the level of disability; 
‘‘(2) is intended to reduce the morbidity of ar-
thritis, with priority on preventing and controlling 
arthritis in at-risk populations and reducing dispari-
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ties in arthritis prevention, diagnosis, management, 
and quality of care in underserved populations; 
‘‘(3) describes the arthritis-related services and 
activities to be undertaken or supported by the enti-
ty; and 
‘‘(4) is developed in a manner that is consistent 
with the National Arthritis Action Plan or a subse-
quent strategic plan designated by the Secretary. 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity shall use 
amounts received under a grant awarded under subsection 
(a) to conduct, in a manner consistent with the com-
prehensive arthritis control and prevention plan submitted 
by the entity in the application under subsection (c)— 
‘‘(1) public health surveillance and epidemiolog-
ical activities relating to the prevalence of arthritis 
and assessment of disparities in arthritis prevention, 
diagnosis, management, and care; 
‘‘(2) public information and education pro-
grams; and 
‘‘(3) education, training, and clinical skills im-
provement activities for health professionals, includ-
ing allied health personnel. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
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such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2008 through 2012. 
‘‘SEC. 315C. COMPREHENSIVE ARTHRITIS ACTION GRANTS. 
‘‘(a) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 
grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to enable 
such eligible entities to assist in the implementation of a 
national strategy for arthritis control and prevention. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an entity shall be a national public or 
private nonprofit entity. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an entity shall submit to the Secretary 
an application at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such agreements, assurances, and information as 
the Secretary may require, including a description of how 
funds received under a grant awarded under this section 
will— 
‘‘(1) supplement or fulfill unmet needs identi-
fied in the comprehensive arthritis control and pre-
vention plan of a State or Indian tribe; and 
‘‘(2) otherwise help achieve the goals of the Na-
tional Arthritis Action Plan or a subsequent stra-
tegic plan designated by the Secretary. 
‘‘(d) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities 
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submitting applications proposing to carry out programs 
for controlling and preventing arthritis in at-risk popu-
lations or reducing disparities in underserved populations. 
‘‘(e) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity shall use 
amounts received under a grant awarded under subsection 
(a) for 1 or more of the following purposes: 
‘‘(1) To expand the availability of physical ac-
tivity programs designed specifically for people with 
arthritis. 
‘‘(2) To provide awareness education to pa-
tients, family members, and health care providers, to 
help such individuals recognize the signs and symp-
toms of arthritis, and to address the control and 
prevention of arthritis. 
‘‘(3) To decrease long-term consequences of ar-
thritis by making information available to individ-
uals with regard to the self-management of arthritis. 
‘‘(4) To provide information on nutrition edu-
cation programs with regard to preventing or miti-
gating the impact of arthritis. 
‘‘(f) EVALUATION.—An eligible entity that receives a 
grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an 
evaluation of the operations and activities carried out 
under such grant that includes an analysis of increased 
utilization and benefit of public health programs relevant 
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to the activities described in the appropriate provisions of 
subsection (e). 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2008 through 2012. 
‘‘SEC. 315D. NATIONAL ARTHRITIS EDUCATION AND OUT-
REACH. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall coordinate 
a national education and outreach program to support, de-
velop, and implement education initiatives and outreach 
strategies appropriate for arthritis and other rheumatic 
diseases. 
‘‘(b) INITIATIVES AND STRATEGIES.—Initiatives and 
strategies implemented under the program described in 
subsection (a) may include public awareness campaigns, 
public service announcements, and community partnership 
workshops, as well as programs targeted at businesses and 
employers, managed care organizations, and health care 
providers. 
‘‘(c) PRIORITY.—In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Secretary— 
‘‘(1) may emphasize prevention, early diagnosis, 
and appropriate management of arthritis, and op-
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