,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #djc  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,february #e1       
#bjbe,mrs4 ,hyde-,smith 7for herself and
 ,mr4 ,merkley7 introduced the following
 bill2 which was read twice and referred
 to the ,committee on ,health1          
,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions  ,a   
,,bill  ,to direct the ,secretary of    
,health and ,human ,services to         
establish an ,office of ,rural ,health1 
and for other purposes4  #a4 ,short     
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,rural ,health ,focus ,act4  #b4 ,,cdc  
,office of ,rural ,health  7a7 ,in      
general ,the ,secretary of ,health and  
,human ,services1 acting through the    
,director of the ,centers for ,disease  
,control and ,prevention1 shall         
establish within the ,centers for       
,disease ,control and ,prevention an    
office to be known as the ,office of    
,rural ,health1 to be headed by a       
director selected by the ,director of   
the ,centers for ,disease ,control and  

,prevention4  7b7 ,duties and           
authorities ,the duties and authorities 
of the ,director of the ,office of      
,rural ,health shall be limited to the  
following3 7#a7 ,serving as the primary 
point of contact in the ,centers for    
,disease ,control and ,prevention on    
matters pertaining to rural health4     
7#b7 ,assisting the ,director of the    
,centers for ,disease ,control and      
,prevention in conducting1 coordinating1
 and promoting research regarding public
 health issues affecting rural          
populations1 and in disseminating the   
results of such research4  7#c7 ,working
 with all personnel and offices of the  
,centers for ,disease ,control and      
,prevention to develop1 refine1         
coordinate1 and promulgate policies1    
best practices1 lessons learned1 and    
innovative1 successful programs to      
improve care and services 7including    
through telehealth7 for rural           
populations4  7#d7 ,coordinating and    
supporting rural health research1       

conducting and supporting educational   
outreach1 and disseminating             
evidence-based interventions related to 
health outcomes1 access to health care1 
and lifestyle challenges1 to prevent    
death1 disease1 injury1 and disability1 
and promote healthy behaviors in rural  
populations4  7#e7 ,improving the       
understanding of the health challenges  
faced by rural populations4  7#f7       
,identifying disparities in the         
availability of health care and public  
health interventions for rural          
populations4  7#g7 ,awarding and        
administering grants1 cooperative       
agreements1 and contracts to provide    
technical assistance and other          
activities as necessary to support      
activities related to improving health  
and health care in rural areas4  7#h7   
,coordinating with the ,federal ,office 
of ,rural ,health ,policy of the ,health
 ,resources and ,services               
,administration1 as needed1 to          
facilitate cooperation on rural health  

initiatives and avoid duplication of    
efforts4