US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 294i

Program for education and training in pain care

(a)

In general

section 1603 of title 25The Secretary may make awards of grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to health professions schools, hospices, tribal health programs (as defined in ), 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.

(b)

Certain topics

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).
(c)

Evaluation of programs

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.

(d)

Pain care defined

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.

(e)

Authorization of appropriations

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. 373Pub. L. 111–148, title IV, § 4305(c)124 Stat. 586Pub. L. 115–271, title VII, § 7073(a)132 Stat. 4031(, title VII, § 759, as added , , ; amended , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, § 771Pub. L. 102–408, title I, § 102106 Stat. 2049Pub. L. 105–392A prior section 294i, , as added , , , authorized grants to educational entities offering programs in health administration, hospital administration, or health policy analysis and planning, prior to the general amendment of this part by .

act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, § 736Pub. L. 94–484, title IV, § 401(b)(3)90 Stat. 2265Pub. L. 95–83, title III, § 307(d)91 Stat. 390Pub. L. 102–408section 292k of this titleAnother prior section 294i, , as added , , ; amended , , , related to participation by Federal credit unions in Federal, State, and private student loan insurance programs, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by . See .

section 294aa of this titlePub. L. 102–408A prior section 759 of act , was classified to prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 115–271, § 7073(a)(1)section 1603 of title 252018—Subsec. (a). , substituted “hospices, tribal health programs (as defined in ), and other public and nonprofit private entities” for “hospices, and other public and private entities”.

Pub. L. 115–271, § 7073(a)(2)(A)Subsec. (b). , substituted “entity receiving an award under this section shall develop a comprehensive education and training plan that includes” for “award may be made under subsection (a) only if the applicant for the award agrees that the program carried out with the award will include” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 115–271, § 7073(a)(2)(B)Subsec. (b)(1). , inserted “preventing,” after “diagnosing,” and “non-addictive medical products and non-pharmacologic treatments and” after “including”.

Pub. L. 115–271, § 7073(a)(2)(C)Subsec. (b)(2). , inserted “Federal, State, and local” after “applicable” and substituted “opioids” for “the degree to which misconceptions and concerns regarding such laws, regulations, rules, and policies, or the enforcement thereof, may create barriers to patient access to appropriate and effective pain care”.

Pub. L. 115–271, § 7073(a)(2)(D)Subsec. (b)(3). , inserted “, integrated, evidence-based pain management, and, as appropriate, non-pharmacotherapy” before semicolon.

Pub. L. 115–271, § 7073(a)(2)(E)Subsec. (b)(5), (6). , (F), added pars. (5) and (6) and struck out former par. (5) which read as follows: “recent findings, developments, and improvements in the provision of pain care.”

Pub. L. 115–271, § 7073(a)(3)Subsec. (d). , inserted “prevention,” after “diagnosis,”.

Pub. L. 115–271, § 7073(a)(4)Subsec. (e). , substituted “2019 through 2023” for “2010 through 2012”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Emergency Department Alternatives to Opioids Demonstration Program

Pub. L. 115–271, title VII, § 7091132 Stat. 4035section 294i–1 of this title, , , which related to emergency department alternatives to opioids demonstration program, was editorially reclassified as .