§709 Administration of Federal and State Programs

Summary

The Secretary of Health and Human Services must create a clear office inside HHS that focuses on mothers and children. That office must run the federal program in section 702(a), coordinate federal activities under this subchapter and subchapter XIX (including early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment) and related programs from Agriculture, Education, and health grants like immunizations. It must share prevention and care information with States, give technical help for planning, standards, evaluation, and data collection for reports, work with the National Center for Health Statistics to collect and share mother-and-child health data without duplicating effort, help prepare reports to Congress, support States in building care coordination services, and provide a national directory (by State) of the toll‑free numbers required by section 705(a)(5)(E). Each State’s health agency must run (or oversee) programs paid for with the State’s allotments under this subchapter. A State that, on July 1, 1967, had another State agency running its plan still meets this rule even if that other agency now runs programs for children with special health care needs.