Speech #930144299

Family Planning. Developmental Disabilities. Migrant Health. and Neighborhood Health Centers. I think it is important to introduce this bill today so that the public will have time to fully assess its provisions prior to hearings. which I expect will be conducted soon after the Thanksgiving recess. I will reintroduce this bill after the recess with the cosponsorship of the other members of the Subcommittee on Public Health and Environment. Briefly. Mr. Speaker. the bill will do the following: First. provide a simple extension of section 314(d) of the Public Health Service Act. second. completely rewrite the Community Mental Health Centers Act to authorize 5 years of Federal assistance for initial operating costs of new centersor 8 years in the case of centers in poverty areasplace strict requirements on the new centers. and authorize financial distress grants in cases where an old center would be forced to severely cut back services absent Federal staffing support. third. provide minor revisions in the Family Planning Act. fourth. substantially revise the Migrant Health Act. including a requirement that migrant centers provide environmental health servicesincluding alleviation of unhealthful sanitation conditions associated with water supply. housing. and other factorsand an authorization for contracts between HEW and States to assist in the implementation and enforcement of acceptable environmental health standards. fifth. make the revisions requested by the administration in the Developmental Disabilities Act and add a significant new provision that mandates that every State plan include a plan to eliminate inappropriate placement of persons with developmental disabilities in institutions. and improve the quality of care and state of surroundings of persons for whom institutional care is appropriate. committing not less than 10 percent of the State allotment to this plan in fiscal year 1975 and not less than 30 per cent thereafter. and sixth. provide. for the first time. a definition of Neighborhood Health Centers instead of the broad language in section 314(e) of the Public Health Service Act. Mr. Speaker. this legislation will affect the health of millions of Americans.