---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 244a"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "244a"
heading: "Materials and resources to increase education and awareness of cardiomyopathy among school administrators, educators, and families"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/244a"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter II — General Powers and Duties"
  - "Part B — Federal-State Cooperation"
---

# §244a. Materials and resources to increase education and awareness of cardiomyopathy among school administrators, educators, and families

- (a) **Materials and resources—** Not later than 18 months after December 23, 2024, the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), in consultation with the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall develop public education materials and resources to be disseminated to [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) [administrators](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1), educators, [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) health professionals, coaches, families, guardians, caregivers, and other appropriate individuals. The materials and resources shall include—
  - (1) information on the signs, symptoms, and risk factors associated with high-risk cardiac conditions and genetic heart rhythm abnormalities that may cause sudden cardiac arrest in children, [adolescents](/usc/42/300z–1.md?p=a-9), and young adults, including—
    - (A) cardiomyopathy;
    - (B) long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, short QT syndrome, and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome; and
    - (C) other high-risk cardiac conditions, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c);
  - (2) guidelines regarding the [placement](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-12) of automated external defibrillators in [schools](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6), early childhood education [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), and child care centers;
  - (3) training information on automated external defibrillators and cardiopulmonary resuscitation; and
  - (4) recommendations for how [schools](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6), early childhood education [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), and child care centers can develop and implement a cardiac emergency response plan.
- (b) **Dissemination of materials and resources—** Not later than 30 months after December 23, 2024, the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall disseminate the materials and resources developed under [subsection (a)](#a) in accordance with the following:
  - (1) **Distribution by State educational agencies—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall make available such materials and resources to [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) to distribute—
    - (A) to [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) [administrators](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1), educators, [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) health professionals, coaches, families, guardians, caregivers, and other appropriate individuals, the information developed under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1);
    - (B) to parents, guardians, or other caregivers, the cardiomyopathy risk assessment developed pursuant to [section 244b(b)(1) of this title](/usc/42/244b.md?p=b-1); and
    - (C) to [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) [administrators](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1), educators, [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) health professionals, and coaches—
      - (i) the guidelines described in [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2);
      - (ii) the training information described in [subsection (a)(3)](#a-3); and
      - (iii) the recommendations described in [subsection (a)(4)](#a-4).
  - (2) **Dissemination to health departments and professionals—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall make available the materials and resources developed under [subsection (a)](#a) to [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and local health departments, pediatricians, [hospitals](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1), and other health professionals, such as nurses and first responders.
  - (3) **Posting on website—**
    - (A) **CDC—**
      - (i) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), through the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5), shall post the materials and resources developed under [subsection (a)](#a) on the public Internet website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
      - (ii) **Additional information—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) is encouraged to maintain on such public Internet website such additional information regarding cardiomyopathy as deemed appropriate by the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5).
    - (B) **State educational agencies—** [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) educational [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) are encouraged to create public Internet webpages dedicated to cardiomyopathy and post the materials and resources developed under [subsection (a)](#a) on such webpages.
- (c) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) The term “cardiomyopathy” means a heart disease that affects the heart’s muscle (myocardium)—
    - (A) the symptoms of which may vary from case to case, including—
      - (i) cases in which no symptoms are present (asymptomatic); and
      - (ii) cases in which there are symptoms of a progressive condition that may result from an impaired ability of the heart to pump blood, such as fatigue, irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia), heart failure, and, potentially, sudden cardiac death; and
    - (B) the recognized types of which include dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive, arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, and left ventricular non-compaction.
  - (2) The term “[Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5)” means the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  - (3) The terms “early childhood education [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4)”, “elementary [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6)”, and “secondary [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6)” have the meanings given to those terms in [section 7801 of title 20](/usc/20/7801.md).
  - (4) The term “[school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) [administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1)” means a principal, [director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5), manager, or other supervisor or leader within an elementary [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6), secondary [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6), [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f)-based early childhood education [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), or child care center.
  - (5) The term “[school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) health professional” means a health professional serving at an elementary [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6), secondary [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6), [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f)-based early childhood education [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), or child care center.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 312A, as added Pub. L. 118–176, § 2(a), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2605.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 244a, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 312a, as added Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1158, § 2, 68 Stat. 1025, related to birth and death statistics, annual collection, and compensation for transcription, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 93–353, title I, § 102(a), July 23, 1974, 88 Stat. 362. See section 242k(h)(1) of this title.