The Florida Senate

392.61  Community tuberculosis control programs.--

(1)  The department shall operate, directly or by contract, community tuberculosis control programs in each county in the state.

(2)  Community tuberculosis control programs shall have the following functions:

(a)  Promotion of community and professional education about the causes and dangers of tuberculosis and methods of its control and treatment to cure;

(b)  Community and individual screening for the presence of tuberculosis;

(c)  Surveillance of all suspected and reported cases of active tuberculosis, including contact investigation as necessary and as directed by the department;

(d)  Reporting of all known cases of tuberculosis to the department;

(e)  Development of an individualized treatment plan for each person who has active tuberculosis and who is under the care of the department, including provision of treatment to cure and followup, and the distribution of medication by means of directly observed therapy, if appropriate, to eligible persons under rules and guidelines developed by the department; and

(f)  Provision of counseling, periodic retesting, and referral to appropriate social service, employment, medical, and housing agencies, as necessary for persons released from hospitalization or residential placement.

(3)  This section does not prevent the department from operating regionally based tuberculosis control programs, if services are offered in each county.

(4)  The department shall develop, by rule, a methodology for distributing funds appropriated for tuberculosis control programs. Criteria to be considered in this methodology include, but are not limited to, the basic infrastructure available for tuberculosis control, caseload requirements, laboratory support services needed, and epidemiologic factors.

History.--s. 1, ch. 88-389; s. 1, ch. 88-398; s. 12, ch. 94-320.