§254c–6 Certain services for pregnant women

Summary

The Secretary must give grants to national, regional, or local adoption organizations so they can create and run training programs. These programs teach the staff at eligible health centers to offer adoption information and referrals to pregnant women as one option, on an equal basis with other choices in nondirective counseling. Grants cannot be made until the Secretary helps a group of adoption organizations and public health entities write best-practice guidelines. Those guidelines must be finished no later than 180 days after October 17, 2000. A grantee may use the money directly or hire other adoption groups, and may make a training curriculum that follows the guidelines. Trainers should know all parts of the adoption process and have experience in the areas where they train, but a trainer may get trainer instruction in a different area. Adoption organization = a nonprofit group focused on adoption and able to give adoption information and referrals. Designated staff = health center workers who give pregnancy or adoption information and referrals. Eligible health centers = public or nonprofit centers that serve pregnant women. Grantees must try to include centers that get grants under section 300, section 254b, and school-service grants. For centers under 254b or 300, the Secretary must tell them about available training soon after grants begin, encourage participation, and confirm any federal nondirective counseling rules. Training costs for those centers must be paid back by the training organization using grant funds. The Secretary must report to Congress not later than 1 year after October 17, 2000, and again after training starts, to evaluate how well adoption information and referrals are offered. Reports must not breach patient privacy or interfere with the provider‑patient relationship. Applications must meet the Secretary’s rules. Money is authorized as needed for fiscal years 2001 through 2005.