Block Grant Legislation

The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (Public Law 97-35) authorized a series of health and social services block grants to states to carry out programs that were previously authorized separately. The final version was signed into law on August 13, 1981, amending the PHS Act to create the PHHS Block Grant. The PHHS Block Grant is a mandatory grant given to 61 grantees (50 states, the District of Columbia, 2 American Indian Tribes, and the eight U.S. Territories) by Congress annually.

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 the PHHSBG be solely devoted to Healthy People 2000/2010, the nation's health objectives. The grant required the states to submit a state health plan with selected health outcome objectives, descriptions of the health problems, identified target and disparate populations, and activities to be addressed.

During FY 1996, Public Law 102-531, was amended by adding a new Section 1910A use of allotments for rape prevention and education. This amendment authorized additional monies for rape prevention and education programs with twenty-five percent of the monies targeted to middle, junior, and high school students for education programs.

On October 28, 2000, Public Law 102-531 was amended by repealing Section 1910A from the PHHS block grant. This amendment became Public Law 106-386 and authorized monies for rape prevention and education programs to be administered through the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.