To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish an Office of Rural Health, and for other purposes.
Impact
This legislation is crucial for addressing the unique healthcare challenges faced by rural communities. The bill seeks to identify disparities in healthcare availability and improve the understanding of rural health issues. It emphasizes the need for tailored policies and successful programs to enhance care, especially through telehealth initiatives, which can bridge the accessibility gap in remote areas. Furthermore, the office is tasked with coordinating activities related to improving health outcomes and promoting healthy lifestyles among rural populations.
Summary
House Bill 3102 aims to establish an Office of Rural Health within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create this office, which would serve as a primary point of contact for rural health issues. The office's responsibilities would include conducting and promoting research on public health matters affecting rural populations and disseminating results to enhance healthcare services in those areas.
Contention
While the bill appears to have wide support as it addresses significant public health needs, there may be concerns regarding funding, the scope of the office's authority, and how it will coordinate with existing entities like the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. The effectiveness of the Office of Rural Health in implementing these directives and the allocation of resources could be points of debate among lawmakers, especially considering the current public health funding environment.
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study to assess the unintended impacts on the health and safety of people engaged in transactional sex, in connection with the enactment of the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 and the loss of interactive computer services that host information related to sexual exchange, to direct the Attorney General to submit a report on human trafficking investigations and prosecutions in connection with the same, and for other purposes.
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to local governments for the training of local law enforcement officers on public health threats arising from violations of building codes, and for other purposes.
A bill to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish and administer a pilot program to provide grants to support Food is Medicine programs, and for other purposes.
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a public awareness campaign to increase participation by women in clinical trials that are conducted or supported by the National Institutes of Health, and for other purposes.