(a) Establishment
To promote universal access to trauma care services provided by trauma centers and trauma-related physician specialties, the Secretary shall provide funding to States to enable such States to award grants to eligible entities for the purposes described in this section.
(b) Awarding of grants by States
Each State may award grants to eligible entities within the State for the purposes described in subparagraph (d).
(c) Eligibility
(1) In general
To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (b) an entity shall—
(A) be—
(i) a public or nonprofit trauma center or consortium thereof that meets that 1 requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), and (5) of section
300d–41(b) of this title;
(ii) a safety net public or nonprofit trauma center that meets the requirements of paragraphs (1) through (5) of section
300d–41(b) of this title; or
(iii) a hospital in an underserved area (as defined by the State) that seeks to establish new trauma services; and
(B) submit to the State an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the State may require.
(2) Limitation
A State shall use at least 40 percent of the amount available to the State under this part for a fiscal year to award grants to safety net trauma centers described in paragraph (1)(A)(ii).
(d) Use of funds
The recipient of a grant under subsection (b) shall carry out 1 or more of the following activities consistent with subsection (b):
(1) Providing trauma centers with funding to support physician compensation in trauma-related physician specialties where shortages exist in the region involved, with priority provided to safety net trauma centers described in subsection (c)(1)(A)(ii).
(2) Providing for individual safety net trauma center fiscal stability and costs related to having service that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with priority provided to safety net trauma centers described in subsection (c)(1)(A)(ii) located in urban, border, and rural areas.
(3) Reducing trauma center overcrowding at specific trauma centers related to throughput of trauma patients.
(4) Establishing new trauma services in underserved areas as defined by the State.
(5) Enhancing collaboration between trauma centers and other hospitals and emergency medical services personnel related to trauma service availability.
(6) Making capital improvements to enhance access and expedite trauma care, including providing helipads and associated safety infrastructure.
(7) Enhancing trauma surge capacity at specific trauma centers.
(8) Ensuring expedient receipt of trauma patients transported by ground or air to the appropriate trauma center.
(9) Enhancing interstate trauma center collaboration.
(e) Limitation
(1) In general
A State may use not more than 20 percent of the amount available to the State under this part for a fiscal year for administrative costs associated with awarding grants and related costs.
(2) Maintenance of effort
The Secretary may not provide funding to a State under this part unless the State agrees that such funds will be used to supplement and not supplant State funding otherwise available for the activities and costs described in this part.
(f) Distribution of funds
The following shall apply with respect to grants provided in this part:
(1) Less than $10,000,000
If the amount of appropriations for this part in a fiscal year is less than $10,000,000, the Secretary shall divide such funding evenly among only those States that have 1 or more trauma centers eligible for funding under section
300d–41(b)(3)(A) of this title.
(2) Less than $20,000,000
If the amount of appropriations in a fiscal year is less than $20,000,000, the Secretary shall divide such funding evenly among only those States that have 1 or more trauma centers eligible for funding under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section
300d–41(b)(3) of this title.
(3) Less than $30,000,000
If the amount of appropriations for this part in a fiscal year is less than $30,000,000, the Secretary shall divide such funding evenly among only those States that have 1 or more trauma centers eligible for funding under section
300d–41(b)(3) of this title.
(4) $30,000,000 or more
If the amount of appropriations for this part in a fiscal year is $30,000,000 or more, the Secretary shall divide such funding evenly among all States.