42 USC 280g-16 - Food Safety Integrated Centers of Excellence

U.S Code last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

§ 280g–16.

Food Safety Integrated Centers of Excellence

(a)

In general

(b)

Selection of Centers of Excellence

(1)

Eligible entities

To be eligible to be designated as a Center of Excellence under subsection (a), an entity shall—

(A)

be a State health department;

(B)

partner with 1 or more institutions of higher education that have demonstrated knowledge, expertise, and meaningful experience with regional or national food production, processing, and distribution, as well as leadership in the laboratory, epidemiological, and environmental detection and investigation of foodborne illness; and

(C)

provide to the Secretary such information, at such time, and in such manner, as the Secretary may require.

(2)

Working group

(3)

Additional Centers of Excellence

(c)

Activities

Under the leadership of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each Center of Excellence shall be based out of a selected State health department, which shall provide assistance to other regional, State, and local departments of health through activities that include—

(1)

providing resources, including timely information concerning symptoms and tests, for frontline health professionals interviewing individuals as part of routine surveillance and outbreak investigations;

(2)

providing analysis of the timeliness and effectiveness of foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak response activities;

(3)

providing training for epidemiological and environmental investigation of foodborne illness, including suggestions for streamlining and standardizing the investigation process;

(4)

establishing fellowships, stipends, and scholarships to train future epidemiological and food-safety leaders and to address critical workforce shortages;

(5)

training and coordinating State and local personnel;

(6)

strengthening capacity to participate in existing or new foodborne illness surveillance and environmental assessment information systems; and

(7)

conducting research and outreach activities focused on increasing prevention, communication, and education regarding food safety.

(d)

Report to Congress

Not later than 2 years after January 4, 2011, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that—

(1)

describes the effectiveness of the Centers of Excellence; and

(2)

provides legislative recommendations or describes additional resources required by the Centers of Excellence.

(e)

Authorization of appropriations

(f)

No duplication of effort

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399V–5, as added Pub. L. 111–353, title II, § 210(b), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3950.)

cite as: 42 USC 280g-16