42 U.S.C. § 280g–4c — Expanding access to forensics for victims of interpersonal violence

(a) Definitions: "Community health aide" and "community health practitioner" have the meanings given in title 25, section 1616l. "Health care provider" has the meaning the Secretary gives it, including registered nurses, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, physician assistants, and physicians. "Indian Tribe" and "Tribal organization" have the meanings given in title 25, section 5304. "Institution of higher education" has the meaning given in title 20, section 1001. "Interpersonal violence" means any form of violence that is emotional and trauma-inducing for victims, their families, perpetrators, and communities. "Native Hawaiian organization" has the meaning given in section 11711 of this title. "Secretary" means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. "Trauma-informed care" means care for trauma survivors that is culturally competent under professional standards, accounting for patients' experiences and preferences to eliminate or ease triggers that could re-traumatize them. "Urban Indian organization" has the meaning given in title 25, section 1603. (b) Demonstration grants for comprehensive forensic training: (1) The Secretary must establish a demonstration program awarding grants for the clinical training of health care providers to give generalist forensic services and trauma-informed care to interpersonal violence survivors of all ages. (2) The purpose is to develop training and curriculum giving providers skills to support forensic assessment and trauma-informed care for individuals, families, and communities affected by violence or trauma, and to work with an inter-professional forensic team. (3) Grants under this subsection run for a 5-year term. (4) An entity must (A) be an institution of higher education, including a minority-serving institution under title 20, section 1067q; and (B) apply to the Secretary as required. (5) Each grant may not exceed $400,000 per year, and a grantee may carry funds over to the next fiscal year without the Secretary's approval. (6)(A) Congress may spend $5,000,000 each year from 2023 through 2027. (B) The Secretary must reserve 10 percent of that funding for training and curricula addressing the unique needs of Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, Urban Indian organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations, which may support training, referrals, emergency first aid, culturally competent support, and forensic evidence collection training. (c) Technical assistance grants and learning collectives: (1) The Secretary must establish a State and Tribal forensic provider technical resource center to give technical assistance and support collaboration and best practices among health care providers, community health aides, and community health practitioners, to improve and expand forensic services for interpersonal violence survivors, and may contract with national experts for this purpose. (2) Congress may spend $2,000,000 each year from 2023 through 2027. (d) National report: By 1 year after March 15, 2022, and annually after that, the Justice Department's Office for Victims of Crime, the CDC, HRSA, the Indian Health Service, HHS's Office on Women's Health, and Justice's Office on Violence Against Women must jointly report to the Secretary on the need, across States, Indian Tribes, and territories, for (1) access to generalist medical forensic services, evidence collection, and documentation that meets health care patients' needs and improves future law enforcement investigation and prosecution; and (2) data for research supporting the response to and prevention of interpersonal violence, better provider ability to respond to patients showing signs of victimization, and addressing Tribal communities' unique needs.