---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 3032c"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "3032c"
heading: "Health care service demonstration projects in rural areas"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/3032c"
units:
  - "Chapter 35 — Programs for Older Americans"
  - "Subchapter IV — Activities for Health, Independence, and Longevity"
  - "Part A — Grant Programs"
---

# §3032c. Health care service demonstration projects in rural areas

- (a) **Authority—** The [Assistant Secretary](/usc/42/3002.md?p=7), after consultation with the [State agency](/usc/42/3002.md?p=52) of the [State](/usc/42/3002.md?p=51) involved, shall make grants to eligible [public agencies](/usc/42/11851.md?p=8) and [nonprofit](/usc/42/3002.md?p=39) private organizations to pay part or all of the cost of developing or operating model health care service [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) (including related home health care services, adult day health care, mental health services, outreach, and transportation) through [multipurpose senior centers](/usc/42/3002.md?p=36) that are located in rural areas and that provide nutrition services under [section 3030e of this title](/usc/42/3030e.md), to meet the health care needs of medically underserved [older individuals](/usc/42/3002.md?p=40) residing in such areas.
- (b) **Eligibility—** To be eligible to receive a grant under [subsection (a)](#a), a [public agency](/usc/42/11851.md?p=8) or [nonprofit](/usc/42/3002.md?p=39) private organization shall submit to the [Assistant Secretary](/usc/42/3002.md?p=7) an application containing such information and assurances as the [Secretary](/usc/42/3002.md?p=46) may require, including—
  - (1) information describing the nature and extent of the applicant’s—
    - (A) experience in providing medical services of the type to be provided in the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) for which a grant is requested; and
    - (B) coordination and cooperation with—
      - (i) institutions of higher education having graduate [programs](/usc/42/3056p.md?p=a-7) with capability in public health, mental health, the medical sciences, psychology, pharmacology, nursing, social work, health education, nutrition, or gerontology, for the purpose of designing and developing such [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2); and
      - (ii) critical access [hospitals](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1) (as defined in [section 1395x(mm)(1) of this title](/usc/42/1395x.md?p=mm-1) and rural health clinics (as defined in [section 1395x(aa)(2) of this title](/usc/42/1395x.md?p=aa-2));
  - (2) assurances that the applicant will carry out the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) for which a grant is requested, through a [multipurpose senior center](/usc/42/3002.md?p=36) located—
    - (A)
      - (i) in a rural area that has a population of less than 5,000; or
      - (ii) in a county that has fewer than seven individuals per square mile; and
    - (B) in a [State](/usc/42/3002.md?p=51) in which—
      - (i) not less than 33⅓ of the population resides in rural areas; and
      - (ii) not less than 5 percent of the population resides in counties with fewer than seven individuals per square mile,

      as defined by and determined in accordance with the most recent data available from the Bureau of the Census; and

  - (3) assurances that the applicant will submit to the [Assistant Secretary](/usc/42/3002.md?p=7) such evaluations and reports as the [Assistant Secretary](/usc/42/3002.md?p=7) may require.
- (c) **Reports—** The [Assistant Secretary](/usc/42/3002.md?p=7) shall prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes summaries of the evaluations and reports required under [subsection (b)](#b).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–73, title IV, § 414, as added Pub. L. 106–501, title IV, § 401, Nov. 13, 2000, 114 Stat. 2259; amended Pub. L. 109–365, title IV, § 404, Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2553.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–365, § 404(1), inserted “mental health services,” after “adult day health care,”.

Subsec. (b)(1)(B)(i). Pub. L. 109–365, § 404(2), inserted “mental health,” after “public health,”.