Grants

(a) Authorization For each area designated under section 2 as a Health Disparity Zone, the Secretary may award a grant to the community-based nonprofit organization or local governmental agency that applied for such designation to support such applicant and its coalition partners in reducing health disparities and improving health outcomes in such area. (b) Use of funds Programs and activities funded through a grant under this section shall be consistent with the grantee’s plan submitted pursuant to section 2(d)(1) and may include the following: (1) Subgrants to health care practitioners (A) In general For the purpose of improving or expanding the delivery of health care in the respective Health Disparity Zone, the grantee may award subgrants to Health Disparity Zone practitioners to defray costs related to innovative strategies listed in paragraph (2). (B) Eligibility To be eligible to receive a subgrant pursuant to subparagraph (A), a Health Disparity Zone practitioner shall— (i) own or lease a health care facility in the Health Disparity Zone; or (ii) provide health care in such a facility. (C) Amount The amount of a subgrant under subparagraph (A) may not exceed the lesser of— (i) $5,000,000; or (ii) 50 percent of the costs of the equipment, or capital or leasehold improvements, to be defrayed using the subgrant to implement innovative strategies listed in paragraph (2). (2) Innovative strategies A grantee (or subgrantee) may use a grant received under this section (or a subgrant received under paragraph (1)) to implement innovative public health strategies in the respective Health Disparity Zone, which strategies may include— (A) internships and volunteer opportunities for students who reside in the Health Disparity Zone; (B) funding resources to improve health care provider capacity to serve non-English speakers; (C) operation of medical, mental and behavioral health, and dental mobile clinics; (D) provision of transportation to and from medical appointments for patients; (E) funding resources to improve access to healthy food, recreation, and high-quality housing; (F) capital or leasehold improvements to a health care facility in the respective Health Disparity Zone; and (G) medical or dental equipment to be used in such a facility.