Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§295a Public Health Training Centers

Title 42 › CHAPTER 6A — PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER V — HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION › Part E — Health Professions and Public Health Workforce › subpart 2 — public health workforce › § 295a

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary can give grants or make contracts to run public health training centers. These centers must be run by an accredited school of public health or another public or nonprofit school accredited to offer graduate or special training in public health. The Secretary must prefer accredited schools of public health when choosing who gets money. Before getting funds, a center must agree to four things: set up student field placements in public or nonprofit health agencies; have faculty and students work on projects for medically underserved areas; pick a specific area or underserved group to serve that is located away from the school’s main campus; and assess local health worker needs and help plan training to meet them.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §295a

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general
The Secretary may make grants or contracts for the operation of public health training centers.
(b)Eligible entities
(1)In general
A public health training center shall be an accredited school of public health, or another public or nonprofit private institution accredited for the provision of graduate or specialized training in public health, that plans, develops, operates, and evaluates projects to improve preventive medicine, health promotion and disease prevention, or access to and quality of health care services in rural or medically underserved communities.
(2)Preference
In awarding grants or contracts under this section the Secretary shall give preference to accredited schools of public health.
(c)Certain requirements
With respect to a public health training center, an award may not be made under subsection (a) unless the program agrees that it—
(1)will establish or strengthen field placements for students in public or nonprofit private health agencies or organizations;
(2)will involve faculty members and students in collaborative projects to enhance public health services to medically underserved communities;
(3)will specifically designate a geographic area or medically underserved population to be served by the center that shall be in a location removed from the main location of the teaching facility of the school that is participating in the program with such center; and
(4)will assess the health personnel needs of the area to be served by the center and assist in the planning and development of training programs to meet such needs.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 295a, act
July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, § 782, as added Pub. L. 102–408, title I, § 102, Oct. 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 2057, authorized grants and contracts for chiropractic demonstration projects, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–392, title I, § 106(a)(1), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3557. Another prior section 295a, act
July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, § 762, as added Dec. 25, 1970, Pub. L. 91–696, § 101, 84 Stat. 2080–2, authorized appropriations for former part D of this subchapter, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 99–129, title II, § 220(c), Oct. 22, 1985, 99 Stat. 544. Another prior section 295a, act
July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, § 762, as added Oct. 31, 1963, Pub. L. 88–164, title I, § 101, 77 Stat. 282, related to applications for grants for

Construction

of mental retardation facilities, including their approval by Surgeon General and consideration of certain matters, prior to the general amendment of former part D of this subchapter by section 101 of Pub. L. 91–696. A prior section 766 of act
July 1, 1944, was classified to section 294d of this title prior to the general amendment of part D of this subchapter by Pub. L. 105–392. Another prior section 766 of act
July 1, 1944, was classified to section 295d–1 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 99–129. Another prior section 766 of act
July 1, 1944, was classified to section 295d–1 of this title prior to the general amendment of part D of this subchapter by Pub. L. 91–696.

Amendments

2020—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116–136 substituted “that plans, develops, operates, and evaluates projects to improve preventive medicine, health promotion and disease prevention, or access to and quality of health care services in rural or medically underserved communities.” for “that plans, develops, operates, and evaluates projects that are in furtherance of the goals established by the Secretary for the year 2000 in the areas of preventive medicine, health promotion and disease prevention, or improving access to and quality of health services in medically underserved communities.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 295a

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110