---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 300u–15"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "300u–15"
heading: "Research on optimizing the delivery of public health services"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/300u-15"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter XV — Health Information and Health Promotion"
---

# §300u–15. Research on optimizing the delivery of public health services

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) of Health and Human [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) (referred to in this section as the “[Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c)”), acting through the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall provide funding for research in the area of public health [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) and systems.
- (b) **Requirements of research—** Research supported under this section shall include—
  - (1) examining evidence-based [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) relating to prevention, with a particular focus on high priority areas as identified by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) in the National Prevention Strategy or Healthy People 2020, and including comparing community-based public health interventions in terms of effectiveness and cost;
  - (2) analyzing the translation of interventions from academic settings to real world settings; and
  - (3) identifying effective strategies for organizing, financing, or delivering public health [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) in real world community settings, including comparing [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and local health department structures and systems in terms of effectiveness and cost.
- (c) **Existing partnerships—** Research supported under this section shall be coordinated with the Community Preventive [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) [Task Force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) and carried out by building on existing partnerships within the Federal Government while also considering initiatives at the [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and local levels and in the private sector.
- (d) **Annual report—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall, on an annual basis, submit to Congress a report concerning the activities and findings with respect to research supported under this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–148, title IV, § 4301, Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 578.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and not as part of the Public Health Service Act which comprises this chapter.