Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.1260 | Sponsor: Rep. Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch (D-MD)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2021
This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a grant program for specified trauma centers and nonprofits to establish or expand intervention or prevention programs related to intentional violent trauma, excluding intimate partner violence.

To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program 
supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention 
                   programs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical 
Violence Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM SUPPORTING TRAUMA CENTER VIOLENCE INTERVENTION 
              AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS.

    Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``SEC. 399V-7. GRANT PROGRAM SUPPORTING TRAUMA CENTER VIOLENCE 
              INTERVENTION AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS.

    ``(a) Authority Established.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to 
        eligible entities to establish or expand violence intervention 
        or prevention programs for services and research designed to 
        reduce the incidence of reinjury and reincarceration caused by 
        intentional violent trauma, excluding intimate partner 
        violence.
            ``(2) First award.--Not later than 9 months after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall make the 
        first award under paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Grant duration.--Each grant awarded under paragraph 
        (1) shall be for a period of 3 years.
            ``(4) Grant amount.--The total amount of each grant awarded 
        under paragraph (1) for the 3-year grant period shall be not 
        less than $250,000 and not more than $500,000.
            ``(5) Supplement not supplant.--A grant awarded under 
        paragraph (1) to an eligible entity with an existing program 
        described in paragraph (1) shall be used to supplement, and not 
        supplant, any other funds provided to such entity for such 
        program.
    ``(b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
subsection (a)(1), an entity shall--
            ``(1) either be--
                    ``(A) a State-designated trauma center, or a trauma 
                center verified by the American College of Surgeons, 
                that conducts or seeks to conduct a violence 
                intervention or violence prevention program; or
                    ``(B) a nonprofit entity that conducts or seeks to 
                conduct a program described in subparagraph (A) in 
                cooperation with a trauma center described in such 
                subparagraph;
            ``(2) serve a community in which at least 100 incidents of 
        intentional violent trauma occur annually; and
            ``(3) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, 
        in such manner, and containing such information as the 
        Secretary may require.
    ``(c) Selection of Grant Recipients.--
            ``(1) Geographic diversity.--In selecting grant recipients 
        under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall ensure that 
        collectively grantees represent a diversity of geographic 
        areas.
            ``(2) Priority.--In selecting grant recipients under 
        subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall prioritize applicants 
        that serve one or more communities with high absolute numbers 
        or high rates of intentional violent trauma.
            ``(3) Health professional shortage areas.--
                    ``(A) Encouragement.--The Secretary shall encourage 
                entities described in paragraphs (1) and (2) that are 
                located in or serve a health professional shortage area 
                to apply for grants under subsection (a)(1).
                    ``(B) Definition.--In subparagraph (A), the term 
                `health professional shortage area' means a health 
                professional shortage area designated under section 
                332.
    ``(d) Reports.--
            ``(1) Reports to secretary.--
                    ``(A) In general.--An entity that receives a grant 
                under subsection (a)(1) shall submit reports on the use 
                of the grant funds to the Secretary, including progress 
                reports, as required by the Secretary. Such reports 
                shall include--
                            ``(i) any findings of the program 
                        established, or expanded, by the entity through 
                        the grant; and
                            ``(ii) if applicable, the manner in which 
                        the entity has incorporated such findings in 
                        the violence intervention or violence 
                        prevention program conducted by such entity.
                    ``(B) Option for joint report.--To the extent 
                feasible and appropriate, an entity that receives a 
                grant under subsection (a)(1) may elect to coordinate 
                with one or more other entities that have received such 
                a grant to submit a joint report that meets the 
                requirements of subparagraph (A).
            ``(2) Report to congress.--Not later than 6 years after the 
        date of enactment of the Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical 
        Violence Act of 2021, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
        report--
                    ``(A) on any findings resulting from reports 
                submitted to the Secretary under paragraph (1);
                    ``(B) on best practices developed by the Secretary 
                under subsection (e); and
                    ``(C) with recommendations for legislative action 
                relating to intentional violent trauma prevention that 
                the Secretary determines appropriate.
    ``(e) Best Practices.--Not later than 6 years after the date of 
enactment of the Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2021, 
the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) develop, and post on a public website of the 
        Department of Health and Human Services, best practices for 
        intentional violent trauma prevention, based on any findings 
        reported to the Secretary under subsection (d)(1); and
            ``(2) disseminate such best practices to stakeholders, as 
        determined appropriate by the Secretary.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for the period of 
fiscal years 2022 through 2025.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives May 12, 2021.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.