Minority Health Improvement Act of 1997

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Offices of Minority Health; Assistant Secretary for

Civil Rights

Title II: Health Professions Programs

Title III: Research

Minority Health Improvement Act of 1997 - Title I: Offices of Minority Health; Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights - Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise the duties of the Office of Minority Health and establish the Advisory Committee on Minority Health. Modifies provisions regulating grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to carry out the Office's duties. Authorizes appropriations.

(Sec. 102) Mandates the establishment of an Office of Minority Health in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration. Authorizes, for those agencies (and for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with regard to its Office of Research on Minority Health), reservation of a specified percentage of amounts appropriated to those agencies and to NIH to carry out the duties of such offices.

(Sec. 103) Establishes in the Department of Health and Human Services an Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, to be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Title II: Health Professions Programs - Replaces provisions mandating grants for scholarships for students of exceptional financial need with provisions authorizing scholarships to financially needy individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds for attendance at schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, nursing, and graduate mental health practice. Requires recipients to contract to provide health services in a health professional shortage area. Authorizes appropriations. Repeals provisions relating to obligated service regarding certain programs.

Replaces provisions authorizing grants for health professions schools for scholarships with provisions authorizing scholarships to financially needy individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds for attendance at schools of veterinary medicine, optometry, pharmacy, podiatric medicine, public health, or allied health.

(Sec. 203) Revises requirements concerning loan repayments and fellowships regarding faculty positions. Authorizes appropriations.

(Sec. 204) Modifies requirements regarding programs of excellence in health professions education for minority individuals. Adds graduate programs in mental health practice to the definition of "health professions school." Authorizes appropriations.

(Sec. 205) Replaces provisions relating to educational assistance regarding undergraduates with provisions authorizing grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts for recruiting and providing services, preliminary education, stipends, experience, and academic instruction to elementary, secondary, or higher education students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Authorizes appropriations to carry out: (1) the provisions of this section; and (2) provisions at the beginning of this title.

(Sec. 206) Modifies requirements regarding the terms and conditions of nursing school loans.

(Sec. 207) Authorizes appropriations for Federal capital contributions to student loan funds: (1) under specified provisions by schools of medicine or osteopathic medicine; and (2) for loans to and loan collections from individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

(Sec. 208) Requires area health education centers to provide continuing medical education regarding minority health. Changes requirements regarding the use of funds appropriated for centers.

Title III: Research - Mandates: (1) a plan for how the NIH's Office of Research on Minority Health will carry out its duties; and (2) establishment of the Advisory Committee on Research on Minority Health.

(Sec. 302) Modifies the population focus of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.

(Sec. 303) Authorizes appropriations for health statistical and epidemiological activities of the National Center for Health Statistics.