Key points
- All 50 states, District of Columbia, 2 American Indian tribes, 5 US territories, and 3 freely associated states are funded.
- Recipients set their goals and program objectives.
- Funding addresses national health priorities unique to each jurisdiction.
Overview
The Preventive Health and Health Services (PHHS) Block Grant allows recipients to address unique public health needs with innovative, community-driven methods.
The PHHS Block Grant Program allows states, territories, and tribes to—
- Address emerging health issues and gaps.
- Decrease premature death and disabilities by addressing factors.
- Achieve health equity by addressing social determinants of health.
- Support local programs to achieve healthy communities.
- Establish data and surveillance systems to monitor health status.
Program priorities
To achieve these goals, the PHHS Block Grant Program supports and targets—
- Clinical services
- Preventive screenings and services
- Outbreak control
- Workforce training
- Program evaluation
- Public education
- Data surveillance
- Chronic disease
- Injury and violence prevention
- Infectious disease
- Environmental health
- Community fluoridation
- Tobacco prevention
- Emergency medical response
Success is achieved by—
- Using evidence-based methods and interventions
- Reducing risks like poor nutrition, smoking, and physical inactivity
- Establishing policy, social, and environmental changes
- Leveraging other funds
- Continuing to monitor and re-evaluate funded programs
Timeline
History of the PHHS Block Grant Program
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (Public Law 97-35) authorized a series of health and social services block grants. Grants were given to states to carry out programs that were previously authorized separately.
The original legislation combined several previously categorical grants covering:
- Emergency medical services
- Hypertension
- Home health services
- Health education and risk reduction
- Urban rodent control
- Community water fluoridation
On October 27, 1992, Public Law 102-531 established a number of significant changes to Section 1905 of the PHHS Block Grant. The new legislation mandated that Block Grant be solely devoted to the nation's health objectives outlined by the Healthy People initiative.
During FY96, Public Law 102-531 was amended with a new Section 1910A to include allotments for rape prevention and education. This amendment authorized additional monies for rape prevention and education programs. Twenty-five percent was given to middle, junior, and high school students for education programs.
On October 28, 2000, Public Law 102-531 was amended again, but this time repealing Section 1910A from the PHHS Block Grant. A new Public Law 106-386 was passed and continued to authorize monies for rape prevention and education programs. CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control administered the program.
How is the PHHS Block Grant Used?
The PHHS Block Grant is the primary source of non-categorical funding. It provides recipients the latitude to fund any of 1,200+ Healthy People national health objectives.
The PHHS Block Grant is used to support clinical services, preventive screening, laboratory support, outbreak control, workforce training, and public education. Additionally, it supports data surveillance, and program evaluation. The Block Grant focuses on health problems including:
- Cardiovascular and infectious diseases
- Cancer and Diabetes
- Emergency medical services
- Injury and violence prevention
- Environmental health
- Community fluoridation
- Sex offense prevention
Because of the variance in funding allowances, no two states allocate their Block Grant resources in the same way. Additionally, no two states provide similar amounts of funding to the same program or activities.
A strong emphasis is being placed on adolescents, communities with limited health care services, and disadvantaged populations. The states depend on the PHHS Block Grant to support public health funding where no other adequate resources are available.
States invest their PHHS Block Grant dollars in a variety of public health areas. PHHS Block Grant dollars are used to support existing programs, implement new programs, and respond to unexpected emergencies. Below are examples of how grantees use PHHS Block Grant Funding.
State and Community Efforts
- Developing and implementing seven teaching modules called the Core Essentials of Public Health: Applications for Public Health Nursing in Minnesota.
- Developing an educational campaign for dengue fever in Hawaii.
- Enhancing laboratory surveillance technologies to provide the rapid identification of causative agents in New York.
- Supporting approximately 32 states to create intervention strategies including nutrition, physical activity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
- Providing support for communities to develop and review health assessments.
- Supporting Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data within states to monitor health status and develop health campaigns to promote healthier living.
- Fluoridating of community water systems.
Additional Initiatives
- Providing support to Governor's councils on Physical Fitness and Sports campaigns and health events.
- Implementing walking trails and walking programs.
- Establishing data and surveillance systems to monitor health status and track the leading health indicators.
- Providing child safety seats and inspections at check sites for proper installation and providing bicycle helmets.
- Training emergency medical service providers.
- Providing funding for screening services to people for hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, cancers, and infectious diseases for underserved and uninsured populations.
- Developing performance standards for local boards of health to establish consistent governance and performance of local health departments.