What to know
The PHHS Block Grant is the primary source for non-categorical funding. It provides recipients the flexibility to fund any of 350+ core national health objectives to improve health and well-being over the next decade.
PHHS Block Grant
Who are the recipients of the PHHS Block Grant funding?
The Preventive Health and Health Services (PHHS) Block Grant Program (Notice of Funding Opportunity OT19-1902) provides federal funding for 61 recipients: all 50 states, the District of Columbia, 2 American Indian tribes, 5 US territories, and 3 freely associated states. This program gives recipients the ability to address prioritized public health needs in their jurisdictions in collaboration with local and tribal public health agencies and organizations.
What does the PHHS Block Grant Support?
The PHHS Block Grant is used to support clinical services, preventive screening, laboratory support, outbreak control, workforce training, public education, data surveillance, and program evaluation.
Block Grant recipients are able to address health problems including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, emergency medical services, injury and violence prevention, infectious disease, environmental health, community fluoridation, and the prevention of sex offenses. Because of the variance in the allowable uses of the funds, no two states allocate their Block Grant resources in the same way, and no two states provide similar amounts of funding to the same program or activities.
What are some of the focus areas for the PHHS Block Grant?
A strong emphasis is being placed on adolescents, communities with little or poor health care services, and underserved populations. The states depend on the PHHS Block Grant to support public health funding where no other adequate resources are available.
What are some of the funding areas for the PHHS Block Grant?
States invest their PHHS Block Grant dollars in a variety of public health areas. PHHS Block Grant dollars are used to support existing programs, implement new programs, and respond to unexpected emergencies.
What type of activities are supported through the PHHS Block Grant?
The PHHS Block Grant Program contributes to the following activities:
- Developing performance standards for local boards of health to establish consistent rules for governing the practice and performance of local health departments.
- Developing and implementing seven teaching modules called the Core Essentials of Public Health: Applications for Public Health Nursing in Minnesota.
- Developing an educational campaign for dengue fever in Hawaii.
- Enhancing laboratory surveillance technologies to provide the rapid identification of causative agents in New York.
- Supporting approximately 32 states to create intervention strategies to improve individual lifestyle behaviors regarding nutrition, physical activity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
- Providing support for communities to develop and review health assessments.
- Supporting the review and evaluation of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data within states to monitor health status and develop health media campaigns to increase awareness for healthier living.
- Providing support to Governor's councils on Physical Fitness and Sports campaigns and health events.
- Implementing walking trails and walking programs.
- Establishing data and surveillance systems to monitor health status and track the leading health indicators.
- Providing child safety seats and inspections at check sites for proper installation.
- Providing bicycle helmets.
- Training emergency medical service providers.
- Providing funding support for screening services to people for hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, cancers, and infectious diseases for underserved and uninsured populations.
- Fluoridating of community water systems.
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