Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.4555 | Sponsor: Rep. Cárdenas, Tony (D-CA)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act of 2021
This bill requires the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to conduct a public education campaign to increase oral health literacy and awareness. HRSA must design the campaign to focus on children, pregnant women, parents, older adults, people with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minorities.

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize a public education 
   campaign across all relevant programs of the Health Resources and 
Services Administration to increase oral health literacy and awareness.

    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 ``Oral Health Literacy and Awareness 
Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. ORAL HEALTH LITERACY AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.

    The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 
340G-1 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 256g-1) the following:

``SEC. 340G-2. ORAL HEALTH LITERACY AND AWARENESS.

    ``(a) Campaign.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of 
the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall establish a 
public education campaign (referred to in this subsection as the 
`campaign') across all relevant programs of the Health Resources and 
Services Administration (including the health center program, oral 
health workforce programs, maternal and child health programs, the Ryan 
White HIV/AIDS Program, and rural health programs) to increase oral 
health literacy and awareness.
    ``(b) Strategies.--In carrying out the campaign, the Secretary 
shall identify oral health literacy and awareness strategies that are 
evidence-based and focused on oral health care education, including 
education on prevention of oral disease such as early childhood and 
other caries, periodontal disease, and oral cancer.
    ``(c) Focus.--The Secretary shall design the campaign to 
communicate directly with specific populations, including children, 
pregnant women, parents, the elderly, individuals with disabilities, 
and ethnic and racial minority populations, including Indians, Alaska 
Natives, and Native Hawaiians, in a culturally and linguistically 
appropriate manner.
    ``(d) Outcomes.--In carrying out the campaign, the Secretary shall 
include a process for measuring outcomes and effectiveness.
    ``(e) Report to Congress.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a 
report on the outcomes and effectiveness of the campaign.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $750,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2026.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 8, 2021.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.