Senate Bill sb2372c1
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Florida Senate - 2002 CS for SB 2372
By the Committee on Health, Aging and Long-Term Care; and
Senator Klein
317-2223-02
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to arthritis prevention and
3 education; creating s. 385.210, F.S.; creating
4 the "Arthritis Prevention and Education Act";
5 providing legislative findings; providing
6 purposes; directing the Department of Health to
7 establish an arthritis prevention and education
8 program; requiring the department to conduct a
9 needs assessment; providing for establishment
10 of an advisory panel on arthritis; providing
11 for implementation of a public awareness
12 effort; providing for funding through
13 contributions; directing the Secretary of
14 Health to seek federal waivers as necessary to
15 maximize federal funding; providing an
16 effective date.
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18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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20 Section 1. Section 385.210, Florida Statutes, is
21 created to read:
22 385.210 Arthritis prevention and education.--
23 (1) SHORT TITLE.--This act may be cited as the
24 "Arthritis Prevention and Education Act."
25 (2) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.--The Legislature finds the
26 following:
27 (a) Arthritis encompasses more than 100 diseases and
28 conditions that affect joints, the surrounding tissues, and
29 other connective tissues.
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Florida Senate - 2002 CS for SB 2372
317-2223-02
1 (b) Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in
2 the United States, limiting daily activities for more than 7
3 million citizens.
4 (c) This disease has a significant impact on quality
5 of life, not only for the individual who experiences its
6 painful symptoms and resulting disability, but also for family
7 members and caregivers.
8 (d) There are enormous economic and social costs
9 associated with treating arthritis and its complications,
10 which are estimated at almost $80 billion annually in the
11 United States.
12 (e) Currently, the challenge exists to ensure delivery
13 of effective, but often underutilized, interventions that are
14 necessary in the prevention or reduction of arthritis-related
15 pain and disability.
16 (f) Although there exists a large quantity of public
17 information about arthritis, including programs that can
18 dramatically impact early diagnosis and treatment as well as
19 the quality of life of people with arthritis, such information
20 remains inadequately disseminated and insufficient in
21 addressing the needs of specific diverse populations and other
22 underserved groups.
23 (g) The Arthritis Foundation, Florida Chapter, the
24 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the
25 Association of State and Territorial Health Officials have led
26 the development of a public health strategy, the National
27 Arthritis Action Plan, to respond to this challenge.
28 (h) Educating the public and the health care community
29 throughout the state about this devastating disease is of
30 paramount importance and is in every respect in the public
31 interest and to the benefit of all residents of the state.
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Florida Senate - 2002 CS for SB 2372
317-2223-02
1 (3) PURPOSES.--The purposes of this section are to:
2 (a) Create and foster a statewide program that
3 promotes public awareness and increases knowledge about the
4 causes of arthritis, the importance of early diagnosis and
5 appropriate management, effective prevention strategies, and
6 pain prevention and management.
7 (b) Develop knowledge and enhance understanding of
8 arthritis by disseminating educational materials and
9 information on research results, services provided, and
10 strategies for prevention and education to patients, health
11 professionals, and the public.
12 (c) Establish a solid scientific base of knowledge on
13 the prevention of arthritis and related disabilities through
14 surveillance, epidemiology, and prevention research.
15 (d) Utilize educational and training resources and
16 services developed by organizations with appropriate expertise
17 and knowledge of arthritis and to use available technical
18 assistance.
19 (e) Evaluate the need for improving the quality and
20 accessibility of existing community-based arthritis services.
21 (f) Heighten awareness among state and local health
22 and human services officials, health professionals and
23 providers, and policymakers about the prevention, detection,
24 and treatment of arthritis.
25 (g) Implement and coordinate state and local programs
26 and services to reduce the public health burden of arthritis.
27 (h) Provide lasting improvements in the delivery of
28 health care for individuals with arthritis and their families,
29 thus improving their quality of life while also containing
30 health care costs.
31 (4) ARTHRITIS PREVENTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAM.--
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Florida Senate - 2002 CS for SB 2372
317-2223-02
1 (a) Program establishment.--To the extent that funds
2 are specifically made available for this purpose, the
3 Department of Health shall establish, promote, and maintain an
4 arthritis prevention and education program to raise public
5 awareness, educate consumers, and educate and train health
6 professionals, teachers, and human services providers, and for
7 other purposes as provided in this section.
8 (b) Needs assessment.--The department shall conduct a
9 needs assessment to identify:
10 1. Epidemiological and other research on arthritis
11 being conducted within the state.
12 2. Available technical assistance and educational
13 materials and programs on arthritis nationwide and within the
14 state.
15 3. The level of public and professional awareness of
16 arthritis.
17 4. The needs of people with arthritis, their families,
18 and caregivers.
19 5. The educational and support service needs of health
20 care providers, including physicians, nurses, managed care
21 organizations, and other health care providers, relating to
22 arthritis.
23 6. The services available to persons with arthritis.
24 7. The existence of arthritis treatment,
25 self-management, physical activity, and other education
26 programs.
27 8. The existence of rehabilitation services for people
28 with arthritis.
29 (c) Advisory panel on arthritis.--The department shall
30 establish and coordinate an advisory panel on arthritis to
31 provide nongovernmental input regarding the arthritis
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Florida Senate - 2002 CS for SB 2372
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1 prevention and education program. Membership shall include,
2 but is not limited to, persons with arthritis, public health
3 educators, medical experts on arthritis, providers of
4 arthritis health care, persons knowledgeable in health
5 promotion and education, and representatives of national
6 arthritis organizations and their local chapters.
7 (d) Public awareness.--The department shall use, but
8 is not limited to, strategies consistent with the National
9 Arthritis Action Plan and existing state planning efforts to
10 raise public awareness and knowledge on the causes and nature
11 of arthritis, personal risk factors, the value of prevention
12 and early detection, ways to minimize preventable pain, and
13 options for diagnosing and treating the disease.
14 (5) FUNDING.--
15 (a) Contributions.--The Secretary of Health may accept
16 grants, services, and property from the Federal Government,
17 foundations, organizations, medical schools, and other
18 entities as may be available for the purposes of fulfilling
19 the obligations of this program.
20 (b) Federal waivers.--The secretary shall seek any
21 federal waiver or waivers that may be necessary to maximize
22 funds from the Federal Government to implement this program.
23 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
24 law.
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Florida Senate - 2002 CS for SB 2372
317-2223-02
1 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
2 Senate Bill 2372
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4 The bill renames the act from the "Arthritis Prevention and
Control Act" to the "Arthritis Prevention and Education Act."
5 Among other specified duties, the Secretary of the Department
of Health is required to seek any federal waiver or waivers
6 that are necessary to maximize funds from the federal
government to implement the arthritis prevention and education
7 program.
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