This bill extends the community mental health centers program and reaffirms the legislative intent that the community mental health centers program is not a demonstration program. Rather. this effort is intended to assure that such centers be established nationwide and although 500 centers have been funded to date we must still work to achieve the original goal of approximately 1.500 centers throughout the United States. The bill also expands the migrant health program which I originally authored more than 10 years ago. This initiative remains a separate authority in order to give this sorely underserved population clear visibility within the statutes. It authorizes planning and development grants and startup and initial operation grants to migrant health centers and other entities which would. offer a broad range of servicesincluding ambulatory. medical. referral. and environmental health servicesin an area in which not less than 5.000 migrants and their families reside. It would also provide assistance to entities without regard to the minimum migrant population requirement. And. it includes a separate authorization to cover the reasonable costs of inpatient and outpatient hospital services for migrants. Finally. with respect to the last of these communitybased programs. the bill repeals section 314(e) of the PHS Actunder which neighborhood health centers have previously been fundedand replaces it with a new community health centers authority which more clearly spells out the type of centers envisioned by the Congress. This title would include planning and development. startup. and initial operation grants for the operation of community health centers which would offer a medically underserved population a broad range of ambulatory. medical care referral. and environmental health services.
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migrants migrant