ESTABLISHMENT AND TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS.

SEC 101. ESTABLISHMENT AND TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS. Title IV (42 U.S.C. 281 et seq.) is amended— (1) in section 401(b)(1)— (A) by striking “and Communicative” in subparagraph (J); and (B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: 102 STAT. 3049 “(M) The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.”; (2) in the heading for subpart 10 of part C, by striking “and Communicative”; (3) in section 457— (A) by striking “and Communicative”; and (B) by striking “disorder, stroke,” and ail that follows and inserting “and disorder and stroke.”; and (4) in Part C, by adding at the end the following new subpart: “Subpart 13—National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders “purpose of the institute “Sec. 464. The general purpose of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (hereafter referred to in this subpart as the ‘Institute’) is the conduct and support of research and training, the dissemination of health information, and other programs with respect to disorders of hearing and other communication processes, including diseases affecting hearing, balance, voice, speech, language, taste, and smell. “national deafness and other communication disorders program “Sec. 464A. (a) The Director of the Institute, with the advice of the Institute’s advisory council, shall establish a National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Program (hereafter in this section referred to as the ‘Program’). The Director or the Institute shall, with respect to the Program, prepare and transmit to the Director of NIH a plan to initiate, expand, intensify and coordinate activities of the Institute respecting disorders of hearing (including tinnitus) and other communication processes, including diseases affecting hearing, balance, voice, speech, language, taste, and smell. The plan shall include such comments and recommendations as the Director of the Institute determines appropriate. The Director of the Institute shall periodically review and revise the plan and shall transmit any revisions of the plan to the Director of NIH. “(b) Activities under the Program shall include— “(1) investigation into the etiology, pathology, detection, treatment, and prevention of all forms of disorders of hearing and other communication processes, primarily through the support of basic research in such areas as anatomy, audiology, bio-chemistry, bioengineering, epidemiology, genetics, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, the neurosciences, otolaryngology, psychology, pharmacology, physiology, speech and language pathology, and any other scientific disciplines that can contribute important knowledge to the understanding and elimination of disorders of hearing and other communication processes; “(2) research into the evaluation of techniques (including surgical, medical, and behavioral approaches) and devices (including hearing aids, implanted auditory and nonauditory prosthetic devices and other communication aids) used in diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of disorders of hearing and other communication processes; 102 STAT. 3050 “(3) research into prevention, and early detection and diagnosis, of hearing loss and speech and language disturbances (including stuttering) and research into preventing the effects of such disorders on learning and learning disabilities with extension of programs for appropriate referral and rehabilitation; “(4) research into the detection, treatment, and prevention of disorders of hearing and other communication processes in the growing elderly population with extension of rehabilitative programs to ensure continued effective communication skills in such population; “(5) research to expand knowledge of the effects of environmental agents that influence hearing or other communication processes; and “(6) developing and facilitating intramural programs on clinical and fundamental aspects of disorders of hearing and all other communication processes. “data system and information clearinghouse “Sec. 464B. (a) The Director of the Institute shall establish a National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Data System for the collection, storage, analysis, retrieval, and dissemination of data derived from patient populations with disorders of hearing or other communication processes, including where possible, data involving general populations for the purpose of identifying individuals at risk of developing such disorders. “(b) The Director of the Institute shall establish a National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Information Clearing-house to facilitate and enhance, through the effective dissemination of information, knowledge and understanding of disorders of hearing and other communication processes by health professionals, patients, industry, and the public. “multipurpose deafness and other communication disorders center “Sec. 464C. (a) The Director of the Institute shall, after consultation with the advisory council for the Institute, provide for the development, modernization, and operation (including care required for research) of new and existing centers for studies of disorders of hearing and other communication processes. For purposes of this section, the term ‘modernization’ means the alteration, remodeling, improvement, expansion, and repair of existing buildings and the provision of equipment for such buildings to the extent necessary to make them suitable for use as centers described in the preceding sentence. “(b) Each center assisted under this section shall— “(1) use the facilities of a single institution or a consortium of cooperating institutions; and “(2) meet such qualifications as may be prescribed by the Secretary. “(c) Each center assisted under this section shall, at least, conduct— “(1) basic and clinical research into the cause, diagnosis, early detection, prevention, control and treatment of disorders of hearing and other communication processes and complications resulting from such disorders, including research into rehabili-102 STAT. 3051tative aids, implantable biomaterials, auditory speech processors, speech production devices, and other otolaryngologic procedures; “(2) training programs for physicians, scientists, and other health and allied health professionals; “(3) information and continuing education programs for physicians and other health and allied health professionals who will provide care for patients with disorders of hearing or other communication processes; and “(4) programs for the dissemination to the general public of information— “(A) on the importance of early detection of disorders of hearing and other communication processes, of seeking prompt treatment, rehabilitation, and of following an appropriate regimen; and “(B) on the importance of avoiding exposure to noise and other environmental toxic agents that may affect disorders of hearing or other communication processes. “(d) A center may use funds provided under subsection (a) to provide stipends for health professionals enrolled in training programs described in subsection (c)(2). “(e) Each center assisted under this section may conduct programs— “(1) to establish the effectiveness of new and improved methods of detection, referral, and diagnosis of individuals at risk of developing disorders of hearing or other communication processes; and “(2) to disseminate the results of research, screening, and other activities, and develop means of standardizing patient data and recordkeeping. “(f) The Director of the Institute shall, to the extent practicable, provide for an equitable geographical distribution of centers assisted under this section. The Director shall give appropriate consideration to the need for centers especially suited to meeting the needs of the elderly, and of children (particularly with respect to their education and training), affected by disorders of hearing or other communication processes. “(g) Support of a center under this section may be for a period not to exceed seven years. Such period may be extended by the Director of the Institute for one or more additional periods of not more than five years if the operations of such center have been reviewed by an appropriate technical and scientific peer review group established by the Director, with the advice of the Institute’s advisory council, if such group has recommended to the Director that such period should be extended.”.