[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3360 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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114th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3360
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants
to support the access of marginalized youth to sexual health services,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 20, 2016
Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Brown, Mrs. Gillibrand,
Mr. Markey, Mr. Franken, Ms. Warren, and Mr. Booker) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants
to support the access of marginalized youth to sexual health services,
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 ``Youth Access to Sexual Health
Services Act of 2016''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE ACCESS OF MARGINALIZED
YOUTH TO SEXUAL HEALTH SERVICES.
(a) Grants.--The Secretary may award grants on a competitive basis
to eligible entities to support the access of marginalized youth to
sexual health services.
(b) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that is awarded a grant under
subsection (a) may use the funds to--
(1) provide medically accurate and age appropriate sexual
health information to marginalized youth, including information
on how to access sexual health services;
(2) promote effective communication regarding sexual health
among marginalized youth;
(3) promote and support better health, education, and
economic opportunities for school-age parents; and
(4) train individuals who work with marginalized youth to
promote--
(A) the prevention of unintended pregnancy;
(B) the prevention of sexually transmitted
infections;
(C) healthy relationships; and
(D) the development of safe and supportive
environments.
(c) Application.--To be awarded a grant under subsection (a), an
eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require.
(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities--
(1) with a history of supporting the access of marginalized
youth to sexuality education or sexual health services; and
(2) that plan to serve marginalized youth that are not
served by Federal teen pregnancy prevention programs.
(e) Requirements.--The Secretary may not award a grant under
subsection (a) to an eligible entity unless--
(1) such eligible entity has formed a partnership with a
community organization; and
(2) such eligible entity agrees--
(A) to employ a scientifically effective strategy;
(B) that all information provided to marginalized
youth will be--
(i) age-appropriate;
(ii) medically accurate;
(iii) scientifically based; and
(iv) provided in the language and cultural
context that is most appropriate for the
individuals served by the eligible entity; and
(C) that for each year the eligible entity receives
grant funds under subsection (a), the eligible entity
shall submit to the Secretary an annual report that
includes--
(i) the use of grant funds by the eligible
entity;
(ii) how the use of grant funds has
increased the access of marginalized youth to
sexual health services; and
(iii) such other information as the
Secretary may require.
(f) Publication and Evaluations.--
(1) Evaluations.--Not less than once every 2 years after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
evaluate the effectiveness of whichever of the following is
greater:
(A) Eight grants awarded under subsection (a).
(B) Ten percent of the grants awarded under
subsection (a).
(2) Publication.--The Secretary shall make available to the
public--
(A) the evaluations required under paragraph (1);
and
(B) the reports required under subsection
(e)(2)(C).
(g) Limitations.--No funds made available to an eligible entity
under this section may be used by such entity to provide access to
sexual health services that--
(1) withhold sexual health-promoting or life-saving
information;
(2) are medically inaccurate or have been scientifically
shown to be ineffective;
(3) promote gender stereotypes;
(4) are insensitive or unresponsive to the needs of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning
youth, sexually active youth, or school-age parents;
(5) are insensitive or unresponsive to the needs of
survivors of sexual abuse or assault; or
(6) are inconsistent with the ethical imperatives of
medicine and public health.
(h) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Community organization.--The term ``community
organization'' includes a State or local health or education
agency, public school, youth-focused organization that is
faith-based and community-based, juvenile justice entity, or
other organization that provides confidential and appropriate
sexuality education or sexual health services to marginalized
youth.
(2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' includes
a State or local health or education agency, public school,
nonprofit organization, hospital, or an Indian tribe or tribal
organization (as such terms are defined in section 4 of the
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25
U.S.C. 450b)).
(3) Marginalized youth.--The term ``marginalized youth''
means a person under the age of 26 that is disadvantaged by
underlying structural barriers and social inequity.
(4) Medically accurate.--The term ``medically accurate'',
with respect to information, means information that is
supported by research and recognized as accurate and objective
by leading medical, psychological, psychiatric, or public
health organizations and agencies.
(5) Scientifically effective strategy.--The term
``scientifically effective strategy'' means a strategy that--
(A) is widely recognized by leading medical and
public health agencies as effective in promoting sexual
health awareness and healthy behavior; and
(B) either--
(i) has been demonstrated to be effective
on the basis of rigorous scientific research;
or
(ii) incorporates characteristics of
effective programs.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
(7) Sexual health services.--The term ``sexual health
services'' includes--
(A) sexual health education;
(B) contraception;
(C) emergency contraception;
(D) condoms and other barrier methods to prevent
pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections;
(E) routine gynecological care, including HPV
vaccines and cancer screenings;
(F) pre-exposure prophylaxis or post-exposure
prophylaxis;
(G) mental health services;
(H) sexual assault survivor services; and
(I) other preventative treatment or care.
(i) Appropriation.--
(1) Grants.--Of the amounts appropriated for fiscal year
2017 under section 510(d) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
710(d)), the unobligated balance of such amounts shall be made
available to carry out this section for such fiscal year. For
purposes of the previous sentence, the unobligated balance of
such amounts shall be determined by the Director of the Office
of Management and Budget, in consultation with the Secretary.
(2) Limitation.--Of the amount made available under
paragraph (1) for fiscal year 2017, the Secretary may reserve
not more than 10 percent to conduct evaluations under
subsection (f) for such year.
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