Health Services Amendments

(Measure passed House, amended, roll call #918 (343-27))

Health Services Amendments - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend the authorization of appropriations for grants to States for comprehensive State health planning.

Directs the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under the Act to make grants to State health authorities to assist in meeting the costs of providing comprehensive public health services. Directs that funds received should be used to supplement non-Federal funds for comprehensive public health services and not to supplant such funds.

Provides guidelines by which each State and local public health entity shall compute the amount of such funds it shall receive.

Requires the Secretary to review annually the activities undertaken by each State public health authority to determine if such authority complied with the assurances provided with the application for funds. Authorizes the Secretary to withhold payment from authorities which have failed to meet such assurances.

Provides that the total amount of grants received by a public health authority shall be determined by the Secretary and provides guidelines by which such a determination is to be made.

Extends the authorization of appropriations through fiscal year 1981 for: (1) disease control programs to immunize children against immunizable diseases; (2) rodent control programs; (3) other specified disease control programs under the Act; (4) projects and programs for the prevention and control of venereal disease; (5) project grants and contracts for family planning services; (6) training grants and contracts for personnel to carry out family planning service programs; (7) research in family planning; (8) assistance in developing and making available family planning and population growth information; (9) genetic disease programs; (10) sudden infant death syndrome programs; (11) hemophilia programs; (12) establishing, operating, and training personnel for home health services as defined in the Social Security Act; and (13) lead-based paint poisoning prevention programs.

Requires recipients of family planning grants to establish an advisory committee to review and approve informational and educational materials developed or made available under such grant in order to assure that such material will be suitable for the purposes of Title X (Population Research and Voluntary Family Planning Programs) of the Act and for the population and community to which the material will be available. Stipulates that the committee shall include individuals broadly representative of the community.

Requires the Secretary to conduct epidemiological assessments and surveillance of genetic diseases to define the scope and extent of such diseases and the need for programs to control such diseases.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to State health authorities to assist them in meeting the costs of providing programs for screening for, and the detection, diagnosis, prevention, and control of hypertension.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants for lead-based paint poisoning prevention programs. Defines "lead-based paint poisoning prevention program.

Requires the Secretary to study the long-term effect on child development of various levels of lead in blood.

Repeals provisions of the Act which require that grants for the establishment and operation or improvement of an emergency medical services systems facility be made for project costs in the year in which the grant is made.

Requires the Secretary to establish, within the Office of the Secretary, a Select Panel for the Promotion of Child Health.

Requires the Panel to: (1) formulate specific goals with respect to the promotion of the health status of children and expectant mothers; and (2) develop a comprehensive national plan for achieving such goals.