Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/2891

 120 STAT. 2860

PUBLIC LAW 109–417—DEC. 19, 2006

societies, private accrediting organizations, and other nonprofit institutions or entities meeting criteria established by the Secretary. ‘‘(C) GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.—In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may carry out activities directly or through the award of grants and contracts, and may enter into interagency agreements with other Federal agencies.’’. (2) by striking subsections (c) through (g) and inserting the following: ‘‘(c) EXPANSION OF EPIDEMIC INTELLIGENCE SERVICE PROGRAM.—The Secretary may establish 20 officer positions in the Epidemic Intelligence Service Program, in addition to the number of the officer positions offered under such Program in 2006, for individuals who agree to participate, for a period of not less than 2 years, in the Career Epidemiology Field Officer program in a State, local, or tribal health department that serves a health professional shortage area (as defined under section 332(a)), a medically underserved population (as defined under section 330(b)(3)), or a medically underserved area or area at high risk of a public health emergency as designated by the Secretary. ‘‘(d) CENTERS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS; CORE CURRICULA AND TRAINING.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may establish at accredited schools of public health, Centers for Public Health Preparedness (hereafter referred to in this section as the ‘Centers’). ‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive an award under this subsection to establish a Center, an accredited school of public health shall agree to conduct activities consistent with the requirements of this subsection. ‘‘(3) CORE CURRICULA.—The Secretary, in collaboration with the Centers and other public or private entities shall establish core curricula based on established competencies leading to a 4-year bachelor’s degree, a graduate degree, a combined bachelor and master’s degree, or a certificate program, for use by each Center. The Secretary shall disseminate such curricula to other accredited schools of public health and other health professions schools determined appropriate by the Secretary, for voluntary use by such schools. ‘‘(4) CORE COMPETENCY-BASED TRAINING PROGRAM.—The Secretary, in collaboration with the Centers and other public or private entities shall facilitate the development of a competency-based training program to train public health practitioners. The Centers shall use such training program to train public health practitioners. The Secretary shall disseminate such training program to other accredited schools of public health, health professions schools, and other public or private entities as determined by the Secretary, for voluntary use by such entities. ‘‘(5) CONTENT OF CORE CURRICULA AND TRAINING PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall ensure that the core curricula and training program established pursuant to this subsection respond to the needs of State, local, and tribal public health authorities and integrate and emphasize essential public health security capabilities consistent with section 2802(b)(2).

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