Nutrition Education and Chronic Disease Prevention in Community Health Centers Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9389 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9389

    To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize funding for
    nutrition education and chronic disease prevention at federally
           qualified health centers, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 23, 2026

 Mrs. Harshbarger introduced the following bill; which was referred to
                  the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

    To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize funding for
    nutrition education and chronic disease prevention at federally
           qualified health centers, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Nutrition Education and Chronic
Disease Prevention in Community Health Centers Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. NUTRITION EDUCATION AND CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION AT FEDERALLY
              QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS.

    Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) is
amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (r) as subsection (s); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (q) the following:
    ``(r) Nutrition Education and Chronic Disease Prevention
Initiative.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
        Administrator of the Health Resources and Services
        Administration (in this subsection referred to as the
        `Secretary'), shall support health centers in integrating and
        expanding evidence-based nutrition education and counseling
        into primary care delivery and workforce training.
            ``(2) Use of funds.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the
        Secretary may utilize existing funding, made available under
        section 10503(a)(1) of the Patient Protection and Affordable
        Care Act, to award a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement,
        and may provide technical assistance, to a health center for--
                    ``(A) patient-centered nutrition education and
                counseling services;
                    ``(B) integration of nutrition assessment and
                dietary counseling into chronic disease management;
                    ``(C) training and continuing education in
                nutrition science and dietary counseling for health
                center providers in health centers;
                    ``(D) establishing and maintaining
                interdisciplinary models of care that incorporate
                registered dietitians, community health workers, and
                other appropriate professionals;
                    ``(E) developing culturally and linguistically
                appropriate nutrition education materials; and
                    ``(F) evaluating clinical and cost outcomes
                associated with nutrition interventions.
            ``(3) Participation of affiliated entities.--A health
        center may affiliate with an academic medical center or medical
        school in carrying out activities receiving assistance under
        this subsection.
            ``(4) Priority.--In making awards under this subsection,
        the Secretary shall prioritize health centers serving
        populations with high rates of diet-related chronic disease,
        food insecurity, or other nutrition-related health disparities.
            ``(5) Supplement, not supplant.--Funds made available to
        carry out this subsection shall supplement, and not supplant,
        other Federal, State, local, or private funding used for
        similar purposes.
            ``(6) Annual reports to congress.--Not later than 3 years
        after the date of enactment of the Nutrition Education and
        Chronic Disease Prevention in Community Health Centers Act of
        2026, and annually thereafter through fiscal year 2031, the
        Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that--
                    ``(A) describes the use of funds under this
                subsection;
                    ``(B) evaluates improvements in patient outcomes
                related to chronic disease indicators attributable to
                activities receiving assistance under this subsection;
                    ``(C) assesses improvements in workforce training
                participation and competency development attributable
                to activities receiving assistance under this
                subsection; and
                    ``(D) estimates potential cost savings to Federal
                health care programs attributable to nutrition
                interventions receiving assistance under this
                subsection.''.
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