This bill establishes programs to increase treatment and other services for populations with sickle cell disease. Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that can lead to pain, anemia, infections, and stroke.
Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must award grants to federally qualified health centers, community-based organizations, or other nonprofits that treat or otherwise support populations with sickle cell disease for education and advocacy programs concerning the disease. HHS must also award grants to nonprofits, including hospitals or institutions of higher education, that provide comprehensive care to populations with sickle cell disease for programs to support the transition from pediatric to adult care for patients with the disease.
Additionally, the Health Resources and Services Administration must establish a program to provide scholarships or student loan repayment awards to individuals who commit to engage in clinical practice or research related to sickle cell disease for a period of obligated service as physicians.
