Purpose of Institute

The general purpose of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (in this subpart referred to as the “Institute”) is the conduct and support of research, training, dissemination of information, and other programs with respect to minority health conditions and other populations with health disparities. The Director of the Institute shall in expending amounts appropriated under this subpart give priority to conducting and supporting minority health disparities research. For purposes of this subpart: The term “minority health conditions”, with respect to individuals who are members of minority groups, means all diseases, disorders, and conditions (including with respect to mental health and substance abuse)— For purposes of this subpart: The Director of the Institute shall act as the primary Federal official with responsibility for coordinating all minority health disparities research and other health disparities research conducted or supported by the National Institutes of Health, and— Subject to the provisions of this section and other applicable law, the Director of NIH, the Director of the Institute, and the directors of the other agencies of the National Institutes of Health in collaboration (and in consultation with the advisory council for the Institute) shall— With respect to health disparities research activities of the agencies of the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the Institute shall ensure that the plan and budget under paragraph (1) provide for— The plan and budget under paragraph (1) shall include a separate statement of the plan and budget for minority health disparities research. The Director of the Institute shall work with the Director of NIH and the directors of the agencies of the National Institutes of Health to carry out the provisions of section 289a–2 of this title that relate to minority groups. The Director of the Institute may carry out a program to facilitate minority health disparities research and other health disparities research by providing for research endowments— The Director of the Institute may provide for a research endowment under paragraph (1) only if the institution involved meets the following conditions: In carrying out subsection (a), the Director of the Institute— The Secretary shall, in accordance with section 284a of this title, establish an advisory council to advise, assist, consult with, and make recommendations to the Director of the Institute on matters relating to the activities described in subsection (a), and with respect to such activities to carry out any other functions described in section 284a of this title for advisory councils under such section. Functions under the preceding sentence shall include making recommendations on budgetary allocations made in the plan under subsection (f), and shall include reviewing reports under subsection (k) before the reports are submitted under such subsection. With respect to the membership of the advisory council under paragraph (1), a majority of the members shall be individuals with demonstrated expertise regarding minority health disparity and other health disparity issues; representatives of communities impacted by minority and other health disparities shall be included; and a diversity of health professionals shall be represented. The membership shall in addition include a representative of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research under section 283c of this title. The Director of the Institute, as the primary Federal official with responsibility for coordinating all research and activities conducted or supported by the National Institutes of Health on minority health and health disparities, shall plan, coordinate, review, and evaluate research and other activities conducted or supported by the national research institutes and national centers. The Director of the Institute may foster partnerships between the national research institutes and national centers and may encourage the funding of collaborative research projects to achieve the goals of the National Institutes of Health that are related to minority health and health disparities.