Support 21 Act of 2009 - Requires the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to establish a program under which at least two campaigns in support of enforcement of the minimum legal drinking age will be implemented per year for each of 2010 through 2014 to: (1) educate the public about the public health and safety benefits and basis for age-21 minimum legal drinking age laws; and (2) build public and parental support for, and cooperation with, enforcement of such laws.
Authorizes the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Administrator) to make supplemental grants to eligible entities to implement strategies to: (1) work with local pediatric health care providers to increase alcohol education, screening, and intervention provided to patients and persons under age 21; (2) give such providers access to the community sectors involved in collaborating on the implementation of comprehensive, community wide programs, strategies, and services to reduce underage alcohol use and abuse; (3) provide science-based alcohol information and education to caregivers of children and young adults through relevant community sectors; and (4) undertake activities to support the national campaigns.
Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary), acting through the Administrator, to make grants to professional pediatric medical organizations to increase effective practices to reduce the prevalence of alcohol use among individuals under the age of 21.
Requires the Secretary to establish within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) a focus on underage drinking prevention, including activities for: (1) expanding and disseminating research on strategies for reducing underage drinking; and (2) public health and state-level surveillance of underage drinking.
Requires the National Academy of Sciences to review and report to Congress on research regarding the influence of drinking alcohol on the development of the adolescent brain and the public policy implications.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 1028 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1028
To provide additional support for the efforts of community coalitions,
health care providers, parents, and others to prevent and reduce
underage drinking, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 12, 2009
Ms. Roybal-Allard (for herself, Mrs. Bono Mack, Ms. DeLauro, and Mr.
Wamp) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide additional support for the efforts of community coalitions,
health care providers, parents, and others to prevent and reduce
underage drinking, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Support 21 Act of 2009''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) The age-21 minimum drinking law, enacted in 1984, has
been a remarkably effective public health and safety policy.
(2) In 1984, when Congress passed the National Minimum
Drinking Age Act, resulting in a uniform minimum age of 21 for
purchase or public possession of alcohol in the United States,
67.2 percent of 12th graders had drunk alcohol in the past
month. Since that time, the percentage has fallen by one-third,
to 44.4 percent.
(3) The age-21 law has also significantly reduced drinking
and driving traffic fatalities. The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that the age-21 law
saves 900 lives each year. The law has saved over 17,000 lives
since its inception.
(4) The adolescent brain is not fully developed at age 21.
Underage drinking limits memory and impedes thinking skills,
leading to poor academic performance including lower grades,
absenteeism, and dropout.
(5) In addition, alcohol use prior to age 21 can hinder
brain development and function, causing long-term and
irreversible damage.
(6) Early initiation of alcohol use among adolescents
greatly increases the risk for lifetime alcohol abuse and
dependence.
(7) The 2007 Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent
and Reduce Underage Drinking calls on parents, communities, and
health care providers to engage in a national effort to prevent
and reduce underage drinking.
(8) The screening of adolescents for alcohol use by health
care providers and the provision of brief interventions to
discourage such use is a valuable and cost-effective tool to
reduce youth drinking.
(9) Appropriate reimbursement to health care professionals
for youth alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral
to appropriate treatment, if necessary, is essential to
encouraging these effective practices.
(10) The Institute of Medicine concluded that there is
evidence that adult-oriented media campaigns on underage
drinking can be effective, and are an important part of
creating a sustained national commitment to preventing and
reducing underage drinking.
(11) Community awareness, support, and mobilization provide
an important context for the effective enforcement of the age-
21 minimum drinking law.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN ON MINIMUM LEGAL DRINKING AGE EDUCATION
AND ENFORCEMENT.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation, acting through
the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, shall establish and administer a program under which at
least 2 high-visibility campaigns in support of enforcement of the
minimum legal drinking age will be carried out per year for the
purposes specified in subsection (b) in each of years 2010 through
2014.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the semiannual campaigns under this
section shall be to achieve both of the following objectives:
(1) Educate the public about the public health and safety
benefits and basis for age-21 minimum legal drinking age laws.
(2) Build public and parental support for and cooperation
with enforcement of age-21 laws.
(c) Advertising.--The Secretary may use, or authorize the use of,
funds available to carry out this section to pay for the development,
production, and use of broadcast and print media advertising in
carrying out minimum legal drinking age education and enforcement
campaigns under this section, including advertising directed at non-
English speaking populations and those who listen, read, or watch
nontraditional media.
(d) Consultation Requirement.--In developing and implementing the
semiannual media campaign, the Secretary shall direct the entity
carrying out the campaign to consult with interested parties including
public health and consumer groups, law enforcement, and community
coalitions. The progress of this consultative process is to be covered
in the report under subsection (f).
(e) Coordination With States.--The Secretary shall coordinate with
the States in carrying out the minimum legal drinking age education and
enforcement campaigns under this section, including advertising funded
under subsection (c), with a view to--
(1) relying on States to provide the law enforcement
resources for the campaigns; and
(2) providing means necessary for complementary education
efforts associated with the minimum legal drinking age
enforcement campaigns.
(f) Annual Report.--The Secretary shall conduct an annual report on
the effectiveness of campaigns referred to in subsection (a).
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $22,000,000 for fiscal year
2010, and $22,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2014.
SEC. 4. GRANTS TO PREVENT AND REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING.
(a) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section--
(1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration;
(2) the term ``eligible entity'' means an organization
that--
(A) on or before the date of submitting an
application for a grant under this subsection is
currently receiving or has received grant funds under
the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997 (21 U.S.C. 1521
et seq.);
(B) can provide evidence of preexisting pediatric
health care provider involvement in their coalition;
(C) has a documented strategy to identify and
reduce the barriers that pediatric health care
providers in their communities face in providing
alcohol education to their patients and their
caregivers;
(D) has a documented strategy to increase the
amount, frequency, and intensity of alcohol education
provided by pediatric health care providers to their
patients and their caregivers; and
(E) has a documented strategy to build on the
national media campaign described in section 3 above to
enhance support for enforcement of the minimum legal
drinking age;
(3) the term ``pediatric health care provider'' shall mean
a provider of primary health care to individuals under the age
of 21;
(4) the term ``professional pediatric medical
organization'' shall mean a national organization whose members
consist primarily of pediatric health care providers;
(5) the term ``children and young adults'' means any person
under 21 years of age;
(6) the term ``alcohol education'' means evidence-based
education about the effects of alcohol use and abuse on
children, young adults, and adults;
(7) the term ``screening and brief intervention'' shall
mean using validated patient interview techniques to identify
and assess the existence and extent of alcohol use, then
providing brief advice and other brief motivational enhancement
techniques designed to increase patient insight regarding their
own alcohol use and any realized or potential consequences of
this behavior, as well as to effect the desired related
behavioral change; and
(8) the term ``caregivers'' means the parents, family
members, or legal guardians of the child or young adult.
(b) Supplemental Grants To Work With Local Pediatric Health Care
Providers and Caregivers To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking and To
Enhance the National Media Campaign on the Enforcement of the Minimum
Legal Drinking Age.--
(1) Authorization of program.--The Administrator, in
consultation with the Director of the Office of National Drug
Control Policy, may make supplemental grants to eligible
entities to implement strategies to--
(A) work with local pediatric health care providers
to identify and reduce the barriers to providing
alcohol education to their patients and their
caregivers, and screening and brief intervention to
their patients;
(B) work with local pediatric health care providers
to increase the amount, frequency, and intensity of
alcohol education they provide to children and young
adults and their caregivers, and screening and brief
intervention to children and young adults;
(C) serve as a resource to pediatric health care
providers by providing them with access to the
community sectors involved in collaborating on the
implementation of comprehensive, communitywide
programs, strategies, and services to reduce underage
alcohol use and abuse;
(D) provide science-based alcohol information and
education to caregivers of children and young adults
through relevant community sectors, such as schools,
workplaces, and local media, to reach the maximum
number of caregivers in the community; and
(E) undertake local activities to amplify and
enhance the national media campaign on the enforcement
of the minimum legal drinking age.
(2) Application.--
(A) In general.--An eligible entity desiring a
supplemental grant under this subsection shall submit
an application to the Administrator at such time, in
such manner, and accompanied by such information as the
Administrator may require.
(B) Criteria.--As part of an application for a
grant under this subsection, the Administrator shall
require an eligible entity to demonstrate--
(i) the participation of local pediatric
health care providers in their coalition;
(ii) the development and implementation of
a multisector strategy to identify and remove
existing barriers to the provision of alcohol
education by pediatric health care providers to
children and young adults and their caregivers,
and screening and brief intervention to
children and young adults;
(iii) the development and implementation of
a multisector strategy to increase alcohol
education by pediatric health care providers to
children and young adults and their caregivers,
and screening and brief intervention to
children and young adults;
(iv) the ability to serve as a resource to
pediatric health care providers by providing
them with access to the community sectors that
currently develop and implement programs,
strategies, and services to reduce underage
drinking and drug use;
(v) the development and implementation of a
multisector strategy to provide science-based
information and education to caregivers of
children and young adults; and
(vi) the development and implementation of
a multi-sector strategy to enhance and amplify
the national media campaign on the enforcement
of the minimum legal drinking age.
(3) Uses of funds.--An eligible entity that receives a
grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to
implement strategies, in coordination with pediatric health
care providers, to--
(A) prevent and reduce underage drinking by
identifying and removing barriers to the ability of
pediatric health care providers to provide alcohol
education to children and young adults and their
caregivers, and screening and brief intervention to
children and young adults;
(B) increase the amount, frequency, and intensity
of alcohol education by pediatric health care providers
to children and young adults and their caregivers, and
screening and brief intervention to children and young
adults;
(C) provide pediatric health care providers with
access to all of the community sectors collaborating to
reduce underage alcohol use and abuse;
(D) serve as a resource for pediatric health care
providers by providing them access to the community's
programs, strategies, and services to reduce underage
alcohol use and abuse;
(E) increase the provision of science-based alcohol
information and education to caregivers of children and
young adults through relevant community sectors, such
as schools, workplaces, and local media, to reach the
maximum number of caregivers in the community;
(F) obtain specialized training and technical
assistance by the entity funded under section 4 of
Public Law 107-82, as amended by Public Law 109-469 (21
U.S.C. 1521 note); and
(G) undertake activities and programs that will
enhance and amplify the national media campaign on the
enforcement of the minimum legal drinking age.
(4) Grant terms.--A grant under this subsection--
(A) shall be made for a period of not more than 4
years; and
(B) shall not be in an amount of more than $100,000
per fiscal year.
(5) Supplement not supplant.--Grant funds provided under
this subsection shall be used to supplement, not supplant,
Federal and non-Federal funds available for carrying out the
activities described in this subsection.
(6) Evaluation.--A grant under this subsection shall be
subject to the evaluation requirements set forth by the
Administrator.
(7) Administrative expenses.--Not more than 6 percent of a
grant under this subsection may be expended for administrative
expenses.
(8) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for
fiscal year 2010, and $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years
2011 through 2014.
(c) Grants to Pediatric Health Care Providers To Reduce Underage
Drinking.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services, acting through the Administrator of the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, shall make one
or more grants to professional pediatric medical organizations
to increase among the members of such organizations effective
practices to reduce the prevalence of alcohol use among
individuals under the age of 21, including college students.
(2) Purposes.--Grants under this section shall be made to
promote the practices of--
(A) screening children and adolescents for alcohol
use;
(B) offering brief interventions to children and
adolescents to discourage such use;
(C) educating parents about the dangers of and
methods of discouraging such use;
(D) diagnosing and treating alcohol abuse
disorders; and
(E) referring patients, when necessary, to other
appropriate care.
(3) Use of funds.--An organization receiving a grant under
this section may use such funding to promote the practices
specified in paragraph (2) among its members by--
(A) providing training to health care providers;
(B) disseminating best practices, including
culturally and linguistically appropriate best
practices, and developing, printing, and distributing
materials; and
(C) offering other activities approved by the
Secretary.
(4) Application.--An organization desiring a grant under
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at
such time, and in such manner, and accompanied by such
information as the Secretary may require. Each application
shall include--
(A) a description of the organization and how its
members are qualified to provide the services specified
in paragraph (2);
(B) a description of activities to be completed;
and
(C) a timeline for the completion of such
activities.
(5) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $3,000,000 for
fiscal year 2010, and $3,000,000 for each of the fiscal years
2011 through 2014.
SEC. 5. CDC FOCUS ON REDUCING UNDERAGE DRINKING.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
establish within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a
focus on underage drinking prevention.
(b) Purposes.--The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focus
on underage drinking prevention shall include the following activities:
(1) Synthesize, expand on, and widely disseminate existing
research on population-based strategies for reducing underage
drinking, including translational research, and make this
research easily accessible to the general public.
(2) Improve and conduct public health surveillance on
alcohol use and alcohol-related conditions in States by
increasing the use of surveys such as but not limited to the
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to monitor binge and
excessive drinking among 18- to 20-year-olds that is not
duplicative of research currently being conducted or supported
by the Department of Health and Human Services.
(3) Develop models of State-level epidemiological
surveillance of underage drinking by funding in at least 5
States or large metropolitan areas new epidemiologists focused
on excessive drinking and underage alcohol use.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for fiscal year
2010, and $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2014.
SEC. 6. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES STUDY.
(a) In General.--The National Academy of Sciences shall conduct a
review of the research literature regarding the influence of drinking
alcohol on the development of the adolescent brain and the public
policy implications of this research, and report to the Congress on its
findings.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this subsection $500,000 for fiscal year
2010.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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