42 U.S.C. § 300d–91 (THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE)
§ 300d–91. Military and civilian partnership for trauma readiness grant program
(a) Military trauma team placement program
(1) In general
The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall award grants to not more than 20 eligible high-acuity trauma centers to enable military trauma teams to provide, on a full-time basis, trauma care and related acute care at such trauma centers.
(2) Limitations
In the case of a grant awarded under paragraph (1) to an eligible high-acuity trauma center, such grant—
(A) shall be for a period of at least 3 years and not more than 5 years (and may be renewed at the end of such period); and
(B) shall be in an amount that does not exceed $1,000,000 per year.
(3) Availability of funds
Notwithstanding section 1552 of title 31 or any other provision of law, funds available to the Secretary for obligation for a grant under this subsection shall remain available for expenditure for 100 days after the last day of the performance period of such grant.
(b) Military trauma care provider placement program
(1) In general
The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall award grants to eligible trauma centers to enable military trauma care providers to provide trauma care and related acute care at such trauma centers.
(2) Limitations
In the case of a grant awarded under paragraph (1) to an eligible trauma center, such grant—
(A) shall be for a period of at least 1 year and not more than 3 years (and may be renewed at the end of such period); and
(B) shall be in an amount that does not exceed, in a year—
(i) $100,000 for each military trauma care provider that is a physician at such eligible trauma center; and
(ii) $50,000 for each other military trauma care provider at such eligible trauma center.
(c) Grant requirements
(1) Deployment and public health emergencies
As a condition of receipt of a grant under this section, a grant recipient shall agree to allow military trauma care providers providing care pursuant to such grant to—
(A) be deployed by the Secretary of Defense for military operations, for training, or for response to a mass casualty incident; and
(B) be deployed by the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, for response to a public health emergency pursuant to section 247d of this title.
(2) Use of funds
Grants awarded under this section to an eligible trauma center may be used to train and incorporate military trauma care providers into such trauma center, including incorporation into operational exercises and training drills related to public health emergencies, expenditures for malpractice insurance, office space, information technology, specialty education and supervision, trauma programs, research, and applicable license fees for such military trauma care providers.
(d) Rule of construction
Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any other provision of law that preempts State licensing requirements for health care professionals, including with respect to military trauma care providers.
(e) Reporting requirements
(1) Report to the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense
Each eligible trauma center or eligible high-acuity trauma center awarded a grant under subsection (a) or (b) for a year shall submit to the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense a report for such year that includes information on—
(A) the number and types of trauma cases managed by military trauma teams or military trauma care providers pursuant to such grant during such year;
(B) the ability to maintain the integration of the military trauma providers or teams of providers as part of the trauma center, including the financial effect of such grant on the trauma center;
(C) the educational effect on resident trainees in centers where military trauma teams are assigned;
(D) any research conducted during such year supported by such grant; and
(E) any other information required by the Secretaries for the purpose of evaluating the effect of such grant.
(2) Report to Congress
Not less than once every 2 years, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit a report to the congressional committees of jurisdiction that includes information on the effect of placing military trauma care providers in trauma centers awarded grants under this section on—
(A) maintaining military trauma care providers’ readiness and ability to respond to and treat battlefield injuries;
(B) providing health care to civilian trauma patients in urban and rural settings;
(C) the capability of trauma centers and military trauma care providers to increase medical surge capacity, including as a result of a large-scale event;
(D) the ability of grant recipients to maintain the integration of the military trauma providers or teams of providers as part of the trauma center;
(E) efforts to incorporate military trauma care providers into operational exercises and training and drills for public health emergencies; and
(F) the capability of military trauma care providers to participate as part of a medical response during or in advance of a public health emergency, as determined by the Secretary, or a mass casualty incident.
(f) Definitions
For purposes of this part:
(1) Eligible high-acuity trauma center
The term “eligible high-acuity trauma center” means a Level I trauma center that satisfies each of the following:
(A) Such trauma center has an agreement with the Secretary of Defense to enable military trauma teams to provide trauma care and related acute care at such trauma center.
(B) At least 20 percent of patients treated at such trauma center in the most recent 3-month period for which data are available are treated for a major trauma at such trauma center.
(C) Such trauma center utilizes a risk-adjusted benchmarking system and metrics to measure performance, quality, and patient outcomes.
(D) Such trauma center is an academic training center—
(i) affiliated with a medical school;
(ii) that maintains residency programs and fellowships in critical trauma specialties and subspecialties, and provides education and supervision of military trauma team members according to those specialties and subspecialties; and
(iii) that undertakes research in the prevention and treatment of traumatic injury.
(E) Such trauma center serves as a medical and public health preparedness and response leader for its community, such as by participating in a partnership for State and regional hospital preparedness established under section 247d–3b or 247d–3c of this title.
(2) Eligible trauma center
The term “eligible trauma center” means a Level I, II, or III trauma center that satisfies each of the following:
(A) Such trauma center has an agreement with the Secretary of Defense to enable military trauma care providers to provide trauma care and related acute care at such trauma center.
(B) Such trauma center utilizes a risk-adjusted benchmarking system and metrics to measure performance, quality, and patient outcomes.
(C) Such trauma center demonstrates a need for integrated military trauma care providers to maintain or improve the trauma clinical capability of such trauma center.
(3) Major trauma
The term “major trauma” means an injury that is greater than or equal to 15 on the injury severity score.
(4) Military trauma team
The term “military trauma team” means a complete military trauma team consisting of military trauma care providers.
(5) Military trauma care provider
The term “military trauma care provider” means a member of the Armed Forces who furnishes emergency, critical care, and other trauma acute care services (including a physician, surgeon, physician assistant, nurse, nurse practitioner, respiratory therapist, flight paramedic, combat medic, or enlisted medical technician) or other military trauma care provider as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(g) Authorization of appropriations
To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $11,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XII, § 1291, as added Pub. L. 116–22, title II, § 204, June 24, 2019, 133 Stat. 915.)