The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may carry out projects to reduce the incidence of traumatic brain injury. Such projects may be carried out by the Secretary directly or through awards of grants or contracts to public or nonprofit private entities. The Secretary may directly or through such awards provide technical assistance with respect to the planning, development, and operation of such projects.

Activities under subsection (a) may include—

(1) the conduct of research into identifying effective strategies for the prevention of traumatic brain injury;

(2) the implementation of public information and education programs for the prevention of such injury and for broadening the awareness of the public concerning the public health consequences of such injury; and

the implementation of a national education and awareness campaign regarding such injury (in conjunction with the program of the Secretary regarding health-status goals for 2020, commonly referred to as Healthy People 2020), including—

(A) the national dissemination of information on— (i) incidence and prevalence; and (ii) information relating to traumatic brain injury and the sequelae of secondary conditions arising from traumatic brain injury upon discharge from hospitals and emergency departments; and

(B) the provision of information in primary care settings, including emergency rooms and trauma centers, concerning the availability of State level services and resources.

The Secretary shall ensure that activities under this section are coordinated as appropriate with other agencies of the Public Health Service that carry out activities regarding traumatic brain injury.

For purposes of this section, the term “traumatic brain injury” means an acquired injury to the brain. Such term does not include brain dysfunction caused by congenital or degenerative disorders, nor birth trauma, but may include brain injuries caused by anoxia due to trauma. The Secretary may revise the definition of such term as the Secretary determines necessary, after consultation with States and other appropriate public or nonprofit private entities.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 393B, formerly § 393A, as added Pub. L. 104–166, § 1, July 29, 1996, 110 Stat. 1445; amended Pub. L. 106–310, div. A, title XIII, § 1301(a), Oct. 17, 2000, 114 Stat. 1137; renumbered § 393B and amended Pub. L. 110–206, §§ 2(2), 3(a), Apr. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 714; Pub. L. 113–196, § 2(a), Nov. 26, 2014, 128 Stat. 2052.)