Delivery of nutrition education and obesity prevention services

(A) In general A State agency that elects to provide nutrition education and obesity prevention services under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary for approval a nutrition education State plan.

(B) Requirements A nutrition education State plan shall— (i) identify the uses of the funding for local projects; (ii) ensure that the interventions are appropriate for eligible individuals who are members of low-income populations by recognizing the constrained resources, and the potential eligibility for Federal food assistance programs, of members of those populations; (iii) describe how the State agency shall use an electronic reporting system to— (I) measure and evaluate the projects; and (II) account for the allowable State agency administrative costs including for— (aa) salaries and benefits of State agency personnel; (bb) office supplies and equipment; (cc) travel costs; (dd) development and production of nutrition education materials; (ee) memberships, subscriptions, and professional activities; (ff) lease or rental costs; (gg) maintenance and repair expenses; (hh) indirect costs; and (ii) cost of using publicly-owned building space; and (iv) conform to standards established by the Secretary through regulations, guidance, or grant award documents.

(A) In general A State agency may use funds provided under this section for any evidence-based allowable use of funds identified by the Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service of the Department of Agriculture in consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the Department of Health and Human Services, including— (i) individual and group-based nutrition education, health promotion, and intervention strategies; (ii) comprehensive, multilevel interventions at multiple complementary organizational and institutional levels; and (iii) community and public health approaches to improve nutrition.

(B) Consultation In identifying allowable uses of funds under subparagraph (A) and in seeking to strengthen delivery, oversight, and evaluation of nutrition education, the Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service shall consult with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and outside stakeholders and experts, including— (i) representatives of the academic and research communities; (ii) nutrition education practitioners; (iii) representatives of State and local governments; and (iv) community organizations that serve low-income populations.

To the maximum extent practicable, State agencies shall notify applicants, participants, and eligible individuals under this chapter of the availability of nutrition education and obesity prevention services under this section in local communities.

Subject to the approval of the Secretary, projects carried out with funds received under this section may be coordinated with the expanded food and nutrition education program or other health promotion or nutrition improvement strategies, whether public or privately funded, if the projects carried out with funds received under this section remain under the administrative control of the State agency.

The Secretary shall establish an online clearinghouse that makes available to State agencies, local agencies, institutions of higher education, and community organizations best practices for planning, implementing, and evaluating nutrition education and obesity prevention services to ensure that projects carried out with funds received under this section are appropriate for the target population.

The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to a State agency in developing and implementing a nutrition education State plan, including—

(A) by identifying common challenges faced by entities described in paragraph (6) that participate in projects carried out with funds received under this section;

(B) by coordinating efforts to address those common challenges;

(C) by collecting and disseminating information on evidence-based practices relating to nutrition education and obesity prevention;

(D) by facilitating communication between and among grantees and subgrantees of funds received under this section;

(E) by assisting State agencies in creating or maintaining systems to compile program data; and

(F) by performing or assisting with other activities, as determined by the Secretary.

Each State agency that delivers nutrition education and obesity prevention services under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary an annual report, which shall be made publicly available by the Secretary, that includes—

(A) the use of funds on the State agency’s program, including for each category of allowable State agency administrative costs identified in paragraph (2)(B)(iii)(II);

(B) a description of each project carried out by that agency under this subsection, including, with respect to the project, the target population, interventions, educational materials used, key performance indicators used, and evaluations made;

(C) a comprehensive analysis of the impacts and outcomes— (i) of the project, including with respect to the elements described in subparagraph (A); and (ii) to the extent practicable, of completed multiyear projects; and

(D) the status of any ongoing multiyear project.

The Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service, in consultation with the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, shall annually submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that—

(A) evaluates the level of coordination between— (i) the nutrition education and obesity prevention grant program under this section; (ii) the expanded food and nutrition education program under section 3175 of this title ; and (iii) any other nutrition education program administered by the Department of Agriculture; and

(B) includes the use of funds on such programs including State agency administrative costs reported by States under paragraph (8)(A).