I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3214
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the establishment
of a National Center for Social Work Research.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 3, 1999
Mr. RODRIGUEZ (for himself and Mr. HUTCHINSON) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for
the establishment of a National Center for Social Work
Research.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Center for
Social Work Research Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Social workers focus on the improvement of
individual and family functioning and the creation of
effective health and mental health prevention and
treatment interventions in order for individuals to
become more productive members of society.
(2) Social workers provide front line prevention
and treatment services in the areas of school vio-
lence, aging, teen pregnancy, child abuse, domestic
violence, juvenile crime, and substance abuse, par-
ticularly in rural and underserved communities.
(3) Social workers are in a unique position to
provide valuable research information on these com-
plex social concerns, taking into account a wide
range of social, medical, economic and community
influences from an interdisciplinary, family-centered
and community-based approach.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR SO-
CIAL WORK RESEARCH.
Title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
281 et seq.), as amended by section 601 of the Depart-
ments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Edu-
cation, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (as
contained in section 101(f) of division A of Public Law
105–277; 112 Stat. 2681-387), is amended—
(1) in section 401(b)(2) (42 U.S.C. 281(b)(2)),
by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(G) The National Center for Social Work Re-
search.’’; and
(2) in part E (42 U.S.C. 287 et seq.), by add-
ing at the end the following:
‘‘Subpart 6—National Center for Social Work Research
‘‘SEC. 485G. PURPOSE OF CENTER.
‘‘The general purpose of the National Center for So-
cial Work Research (referred to in this subpart as the
‘Center’) is the conduct and support of, and dissemination
of targeted research on social work methods and outcomes
related to problems of significant social concern. The Cen-
ter shall promote research and training designed to inform
social work practice, thus increasing the knowledge base
which promotes a healthier America. In addition, the Cen-
ter shall provide policymakers with empirically-based re-
search information to better understand complex social
issues and make informed funding decisions about service
effectiveness and cost efficiency.
‘‘SEC. 485H. SPECIFIC AUTHORITIES.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—To carry out the purpose de-
scribed in section 485G, the Director of the Center may
provide research training and instruction and establish, in
the Center and in other nonprofit institutions, research
traineeships and fellowships in the study and investigation
of the prevention of disease, health promotion, the associa-
tion of socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity, age, and
geographical location and health, the social work care of
persons with and families of individuals with acute and
chronic illnesses, child abuse, neglect, and youth violence,
and child and family care to address problems of signifi-
cant social concern especially underserved populations and
underserved geographical areas.
‘‘(b) STIPENDS AND ALLOWANCES.—The Director of
the Center may provide individuals receiving training and
instruction or traineeships or fellowships under subsection
(a) with such stipends and allowances (including amounts
for travel and subsistence and dependency allowances) as
the Director determines necessary.
‘‘(c) GRANTS.—The Director of the Center may make
grants to nonprofit institutions to provide training and in-
struction and traineeships and fellowships under sub-
section (a).
‘‘SEC. 485I. ADVISORY COUNCIL.
‘‘(a) DUTIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish an advisory council for the Center that shall ad-
vise, assist, consult with, and make recommenda-
tions to the Secretary and the Director of the Center
on matters related to the activities carried out by
and through the Center and the policies with respect
to such activities.
‘‘(2) GIFTS.—The advisory council for the Cen-
ter may recommend to the Secretary the acceptance,
in accordance with section 231, of conditional gifts
for study, investigations, and research and for the
acquisition of grounds or construction, equipment, or
maintenance of facilities for the Center.
‘‘(3) OTHER
DUTIES
AND
FUNCTIONS.—The
advisory council for the Center—
‘‘(A)(i) may make recommendations to the
Director of the Center with respect to research
to be conducted by the Center;
‘‘(ii) may review applications for grants
and cooperative agreements for research or
training and recommend for approval applica-
tions for projects that demonstrate the prob-
ability of making valuable contributions to
human knowledge; and
‘‘(iii) may review any grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement proposed to be made or
entered into by the Center;
‘‘(B) may collect, by correspondence or by
personal investigation, information relating to
studies that are being carried out in the United
States or any other country; and
‘‘(C) may appoint subcommittees and con-
vene workshops and conferences.
‘‘(b) MEMBERSHIP.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The advisory council shall
be composed of the ex officio members described in
paragraph (2) and not more than 18 individuals to
be appointed by the Secretary under paragraph (3).
‘‘(2) EX
OFFICIO
MEMBERS.—The ex officio
members of the advisory council shall include—
‘‘(A) the Secretary of Health and Human
Services, the Director of NIH, the Director of
the Center, the Chief Social Work Officer of the
Veterans’ Administration, the Assistant Sec-
retary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Asso-
ciate Director of Prevention Research at the
National Institute of Mental Health, the Direc-
tor of the Division of Epidemiology and Serv-
ices Research, the Assistant Secretary of
Health and Human Services for the Adminis-
tration for Children and Families, the Assistant
Secretary of Education for the Office of Edu-
cational Research and Improvement, the Assist-
ant Secretary of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment for Community Planning and Develop-
ment, and the Assistant Attorney General for
Office of Justice Programs (or the designees of
such officers); and
‘‘(B) such additional officers or employees
of the United States as the Secretary deter-
mines necessary for the advisory council to ef-
fectively carry out its functions.
‘‘(3) APPOINTED
MEMBERS.—The Secretary
shall appoint not to exceed 18 individuals to the ad-
visory council, of which—
‘‘(A) not more than two-thirds of such in-
dividual shall be appointed from among the
leading representatives of the health and sci-
entific disciplines (including public health and
the behavioral or social sciences) relevant to the
activities of the Center, and at least 7 such in-
dividuals shall be professional social workers
who are recognized experts in the area of clin-
ical practice, education, policy, or research; and
‘‘(B) not more than one-third of such indi-
viduals shall be appointed from the general
public and shall include leaders in fields of pub-
lic policy, law, health policy, economics, and
management.
The Secretary shall make appointments to the advi-
sory council in such a manner as to ensure that the
tions. The Director of the Center shall provide orientation
and training for new members of the advisory council to
provide such members with such information and training
as may be appropriate for their effective participation in
the functions of the advisory council.
‘‘(g) COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—The ad-
visory council may prepare, for inclusion in the biennial
report under section 485J—
‘‘(1) comments with respect to the activities of
the advisory council in the fiscal years for which the
report is prepared;
‘‘(2) comments on the progress of the Center in
meeting its objectives; and
‘‘(3) recommendations with respect to the fu-
ture direction and program and policy emphasis of
the center.
The advisory council may prepare such additional reports
as it may determine appropriate.
‘‘SEC. 485J. BIENNIAL REPORT.
‘‘The Director of the Center, after consultation with
the advisory council for the Center, shall prepare for inclu-
sion in the biennial report under section 403, a biennial
report that shall consist of a description of the activities
of the Center and program policies of the Director of the
Center in the fiscal years for which the report is prepared.
The Director of the Center may prepare such additional
reports as the Director determines appropriate. The Di-
rector of the Center shall provide the advisory council of
the Center an opportunity for the submission of the writ-
ten comments described in section 485I(g).
‘‘SEC. 485K. QUARTERLY REPORT.
‘‘The Director of the Center shall prepare a quarterly
report to Congress with a summary of findings and policy
implications from research conducted or supported
through the Center.’’.
Æ