S. 3604: Public Health Nursing Act

This bill, titled the Public Health Nursing Act, aims to strengthen and support the public health nursing workforce in the United States. It proposes specific actions and funding mechanisms to establish, expand, and maintain a robust workforce of public health nurses.

Key Provisions of the Bill

• Establishment and Expansion: The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) is tasked with implementing activities to effectively establish, expand, and sustain a public health nursing workforce.
• Grant Distribution: The bill allows HHS to issue grants to state, local, and territorial public health departments aimed at improving their public health nursing capabilities.
• Use of Funds: Grant funds must be used for:
  • Recruiting, hiring, and training licensed registered nurses to serve as public health nurses, especially in underserved areas.
  • Providing necessary medical supplies, including personal protective equipment, to public health nurses.
  • Covering administrative costs related to the management of these grant activities.
• Subgrants: Recipients of the grants are permitted to make subgrants to local health departments to support these activities.
• Priority for Funding: When selecting grant recipients, the bill emphasizes priority for applicants that serve high-risk populations, including:
  • Areas with high rates of chronic diseases and adverse maternal and infant health outcomes.
  • Low-income and medically underserved populations.
  • Health professional shortage areas.
  • Rural and traditionally underserved areas.
• Plan Requirements: Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate how they will provide services that are culturally and linguistically appropriate for the populations served.
• Workforce Protections: Applicants need to either demonstrate a collective bargaining agreement with labor organizations or confirm policies that respect employee rights under labor laws.
• Funding Maintenance: Grant recipients must maintain their own pre-grant spending levels on related activities, ensuring that federal funds supplement rather than replace existing funding.
• Definition of Public Health Nurse: The bill defines a public health nurse as one who provides health care services and education focused on preventive health, nutrition, infectious disease control, chronic disease management, and maternal health.
• Authorization of Funding: The bill authorizes an appropriation of $5 billion for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2035 to support the programs outlined.

Funding and Duration

The bill proposes a total funding of $5 billion annually for ten years (from fiscal years 2026 to 2035), aimed at enhancing the public health nursing workforce across the United States.

Implementation Oversight

The bill places the responsibility of oversight and implementation on the Secretary of Health and Human Services, ensuring that funds are allocated effectively to address the needs of the public health nursing workforce.

Goals of the Bill

The overarching goal of the Public Health Nursing Act is to ensure a robust public health nursing workforce that can effectively respond to health challenges, particularly in communities that are underserved or experiencing significant health disparities.

Relevant Companies

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