Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Risk Assessment, and Training in the Schools (HEARTS) Act of 2015
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to develop, publish, and disseminate to school personnel, state and local health departments, health professionals, and others public education and awareness materials and resources that include: (1) background information to increase education and awareness of cardiomyopathy (a disease of the heart muscle) among school administrators, educators, and families; (2) a cardiomyopathy risk assessment worksheet for use by parents, guardians, or other caregivers; (3) guidelines regarding the placement of automated external defibrillators in schools and child care centers; (4) training information on defibrillators and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (commonly known as "CPR"); and (5) recommendations for how schools and child care centers can develop and implement a cardiac emergency response plan.
The CDC must update these materials and resources as necessary and, in support of such effort, HHS is encouraged to establish an advisory panel and engage in a memorandum of understanding or cooperative agreement with a national nonprofit advocacy organization with expertise in cardiomyopathy.