The Secretary may make awards of grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to health professions schools, hospices, tribal health programs (as defined in section 1603 of title 25), and other public and nonprofit private entities for the development and implementation of programs to provide education and training to health care professionals in pain care.

An entity receiving an award under this section shall develop a comprehensive education and training plan that includes information and education on—

(1) recognized means for assessing, diagnosing, preventing, treating, and managing pain and related signs and symptoms, including non-addictive medical products and non-pharmacologic treatments and the medically appropriate use of controlled substances;

(2) applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, rules, and policies on controlled substances, including opioids;

(3) interdisciplinary approaches to the delivery of pain care, including delivery through specialized centers providing comprehensive pain care treatment expertise, integrated, evidence-based pain management, and, as appropriate, non-pharmacotherapy;

(4) cultural, linguistic, literacy, geographic, and other barriers to care in underserved populations;

(5) recent findings, developments, and advancements in pain care research and the provision of pain care, which may include non-addictive medical products and non-pharmacologic treatments intended to treat pain; and

(6) the dangers of opioid abuse and misuse, detection of early warning signs of opioid use disorders (which may include best practices related to screening for opioid use disorders, training on screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment), and safe disposal options for prescription medications (including such options provided by law enforcement or other innovative deactivation mechanisms).

The Secretary shall (directly or through grants or contracts) provide for the evaluation of programs implemented under subsection (a) in order to determine the effect of such programs on knowledge and practice of pain care.

For purposes of this section the term “pain care” means the assessment, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, or management of acute or chronic pain regardless of causation or body location.

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2019 through 2023. Amounts appropriated under this subsection shall remain available until expended.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, § 759, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title IV, § 4305(c), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 586; amended Pub. L. 115–271, title VII, § 7073(a), Oct. 24, 2018, 132 Stat. 4031.)