House Bill 3145e2
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CS/HB 3145, Second Engrossed
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to health care; creating s.
3 381.0045, F.S.; creating the "Targeted Outreach
4 for Pregnant Women Act of 1998"; providing
5 purpose; requiring the Department of Health to
6 establish a pilot program; providing
7 requirements; requiring interim and final
8 reports; providing appropriations; repealing s.
9 206.606(1)(c) relating to the distribution of
10 certain proceeds with respect to motor fuel
11 taxes; providing effective dates.
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13 WHEREAS, Florida ranks second in the nation in the
14 number of female AIDS cases and pediatric AIDS cases, and
15 WHEREAS, approximately 700 HIV-exposed women give birth
16 each year in Florida, and
17 WHEREAS, the administration of Zidovudine (AZT) to
18 pregnant HIV-exposed women can reduce the rate of
19 mother-to-child transmission by as much as two-thirds, while
20 without it approximately 210 of the 700 babies born to
21 HIV-exposed women in Florida would test positive for HIV, and
22 WHEREAS, thousands of infants born each year in Florida
23 are identified as prenatally substance-exposed, and
24 WHEREAS, the effect on a fetus from drugs can result in
25 a lifetime of devastating physical and mental problems for the
26 child, and
27 WHEREAS, the lifetime cost of treating an HIV-infected
28 infant can be as high as $200,000, and the cost of caring for
29 drug-exposed infants can be as high as $65,000, with special
30 classes for substance-exposed children costing approximately
31 $17,000 per year, and
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CS/HB 3145, Second Engrossed
1 WHEREAS, there is a strong need to reach out to
2 pregnant women who do not seek prenatal care, substance abuse
3 treatment, or HIV testing due to poverty, lack of
4 transportation, lack of education, lack of health insurance,
5 fear of legal consequences, fear of domestic violence, and
6 fear of losing their child, and
7 WHEREAS, preventing perinatally transmitted HIV
8 infection and substance exposure depends on maximizing the
9 opportunities for pregnant women to learn their HIV status, to
10 be offered and receive preventive AZT therapy, and to gain
11 access to drug treatment and other health and social services
12 for themselves and their infants, NOW, THEREFORE,
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14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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16 Section 1. Section 381.0045, Florida Statutes, is
17 created to read:
18 381.0045 Targeted outreach for pregnant women.--
19 (1) This section may be cited as the "Targeted
20 Outreach for Pregnant Women Act of 1998."
21 (2) It is the purpose of this section to establish a
22 targeted outreach program for high-risk pregnant women who may
23 not seek proper prenatal care, who suffer from substance abuse
24 problems, or who are infected with human immunodeficiency
25 virus (HIV), and to provide these women with links to much
26 needed services and information.
27 (3) Effective October 1, 1998, the Department of
28 Health shall establish a 2-year pilot program to provide
29 outreach services to high-risk pregnant women, based in county
30 health departments in the five counties with the highest rates
31 of HIV infection in pregnant women and the largest proportion
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CS/HB 3145, Second Engrossed
1 of substance-exposed newborns. These counties shall include
2 Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, and Orange Counties.
3 (4) The department shall:
4 (a) Conduct outreach programs through contracts with,
5 grants to, or other working relationships with persons or
6 entities where the target population is likely to be found.
7 (b) Provide outreach that is peer-based, culturally
8 sensitive, and performed in a nonjudgmental manner.
9 (c) Encourage high-risk pregnant women of unknown
10 status to be tested for HIV.
11 (d) Educate women not receiving prenatal care as to
12 the benefits of such care.
13 (e) Provide HIV-infected pregnant women with
14 information so they can make an informed decision about the
15 use of Zidovudine (AZT).
16 (f) Link women with substance abuse treatment, when
17 available, and act as a liaison with Healthy Start coalitions,
18 children's medical services, Ryan White-funded providers, and
19 other services of the Department of Health.
20 (g) Provide continued oversite to HIV-exposed
21 newborns.
22 (5) The types of entities the department is encouraged
23 to contract with, provide grants to, or enter into other
24 working relationships with may include, but are not limited
25 to, faith-based organizations, academic institutions,
26 religious organizations, nonprofit community centers, and
27 other social-services-related entities.
28 Section 2. The Department of Health shall compile and
29 analyze the risk information collected by the targeted
30 outreach programs and other services of the Department of
31 Health, including Healthy Start coalitions, children's medical
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CS/HB 3145, Second Engrossed
1 services, and Ryan White-funded providers, and submit to the
2 Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the
3 President of the Senate an interim report by December 1, 1999,
4 and a final report by December 1, 2000, that includes, but is
5 not limited to:
6 (1) The number of pregnant women and infants
7 identified as at potential risk of HIV infection or substance
8 abuse.
9 (2) The number of pregnant women and infants who
10 receive outreach services.
11 (3) The demand for services and unmet need for
12 services for the identified target groups.
13 (4) An assessment of the program's success in reaching
14 high-risk pregnant women and providing these women and their
15 infants with much needed services and information.
16 (5) Recommendations regarding whether the program
17 should be continued or expanded statewide, the funding
18 necessary to continue or expand the program, and any
19 additional efforts that are necessary to maximize the success
20 of the program.
21 Section 3. There is hereby appropriated a lump sum of
22 $15,600,000 from the Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund and
23 $1,400,000 from non-recurring General Revenue for the
24 following:
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26 Implementation of the act; to replace the Tampa Branch Health
27 Laboratory; for construction/renovation of the Hendry County
28 Health Department; the Healthy Moms and Healthy Babies
29 facility at the University of South Florida; and for the
30 Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of
31 South Florida.
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CS/HB 3145, Second Engrossed
1 Section 4. Effective July 1, 1998, paragraph (c) of
2 subsection (1) of section 206.606, Florida Statutes, as
3 amended by chapter 96-321, Laws of Florida, is hereby
4 repealed.
5 Section 5. This act shall take effect October 1, 1998,
6 except that this section and section 4 of this act shall take
7 effect July 1, 1998.
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