HB 1803

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to the Women's Health Strategy; amending
3s. 20.43, F.S.; establishing the Officer of Women's Health
4Strategy in the Department of Health; creating s.
5381.04015, F.S.; providing legislative intent; providing
6the duties of the Officer of Women's Health Strategy;
7requiring an annual report to the Governor and Legislature
8with policy recommendations for implementing the Women's
9Health Strategy; requiring consideration of women's health
10issues and gender in state policy, planning, and
11budgeting; providing for responsibility and coordination;
12providing an appropriation; providing an effective date.
13
14Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
15
16     Section 1.  Subsection (2) of section 20.43, Florida
17Statutes, is amended to read:
18     20.43  Department of Health.--There is created a Department
19of Health.
20     (2)(a)  The head of the Department of Health is the
21Secretary of Health and State Health Officer. The secretary must
22be a physician licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459 who has
23advanced training or extensive experience in public health
24administration. The secretary is appointed by the Governor
25subject to confirmation by the Senate. The secretary serves at
26the pleasure of the Governor.
27     (b)  The Officer of Women's Health Strategy is established
28within the Department of Health and shall report directly to the
29secretary.
30     Section 2.  Section 381.04015, Florida Statutes, is created
31to read:
32     381.04015  Women's Health Strategy; legislative intent;
33duties of Officer of Women's Health Strategy; other state agency
34duties.--
35     (1)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--The Legislature recognizes that
36the health care needs of women are gender specific and that
37public policy must take into account the distinct
38characteristics of women's health issues. Priority shall be
39given to improve the overall health status of women through
40research and education on women's health issues. The Legislature
41recognizes the importance of understanding why there are such
42large differences between how women and men experience certain
43diseases and also recognizes that biomedical research is the key
44to finding these answers. Such research has important
45implications for both women and men in terms of clinical
46practice and disease prevention and manifestation. The
47Legislature recognizes that as the state's population continues
48to age and life expectancy for women continues to rise, it is of
49the utmost importance for the Legislature to encourage effective
50medical research on long-term health issues for women and to
51educate elder women about the importance of participating in
52medical studies. The Legislature finds and declares that the
53design and delivery of health care services and the medical
54education of health care practitioners shall be directed by the
55principle that health care needs are gender specific.
56     (2)  DUTIES.--The Officer of Women's Health Strategy in the
57Department of Health shall:
58     (a)  Ensure that the state's policies and programs are
59responsive to sex and gender differences and to women's health
60needs across the life span.
61     (b)  Organize an interagency Committee for Women's Health
62for the purpose of integrating women's health programs in
63current operating and service delivery structures and setting
64priorities for women's health. Such committee shall be comprised
65of the heads or directors of state agencies with programs
66affecting women's health, including, but not limited to, the
67Department of Health, the Agency for Health Care Administration,
68the Department of Education, the Department of Elderly Affairs,
69the Department of Corrections, the Office of Insurance
70Regulation of the Department of Financial Services, and the
71Department of Juvenile Justice.
72     (c)  Assess the health status of women in the state through
73the collection and review of health data and trends.
74     (d)  Review the state's insurance code as it relates to
75women's health issues.
76     (e)  Work with medical school curriculum committees to
77develop course requirements on women's health and promote
78clinical practice guidelines specific to women.
79     (f)  Organize statewide Women's Health Month activities.
80     (g)  Coordinate a Governor's statewide conference on
81women's health, cosponsored by the agencies participating in the
82Committee for Women's Health and other private organizations and
83entities impacting women's health in the state.
84     (h)  Promote research, treatment, and collaboration on
85women's health issues at universities and medical centers in the
86state.
87     (i)  Promote employer incentives for wellness programs
88targeting women's health programs.
89     (j)  Serve as the primary state resource for women's health
90information.
91     (k)  Develop a statewide women's health plan emphasizing
92collaborative approaches to meeting the health needs of women.
93The plan shall:
94     1.  Identify activities designed to reduce the number of
95premature deaths in women, including:
96     a.  Providing specific strategies for reducing the
97mortality rate of women.
98     b.  Listing conditions that may cause or contribute to
99disease in women and the best methods by which to identify,
100control, and prevent these conditions from developing.
101     c.  Identifying the best methods for ensuring an increase
102in the percentage of women in the state who receive diagnostic
103and screening testing.
104     2.  Provide for increasing research and appropriate funding
105at institutions in the state studying disease in women.
106     3.  Provide recommendations for the development of practice
107guidelines for addressing disease in women.
108     4.  Provide recommendations for reducing health disparities
109among women in all races and ethnic groups.
110     5.  Coordinate with existing program plans that address
111women's health issues.
112     (l)  Promote clinical practice guidelines specific to
113women.
114     (m)  Serve as the state's liaison with other states and
115federal agencies and programs to develop best practices in
116women's health.
117     (n)  Develop a statewide, web-based clearinghouse on
118women's health issues and resources.
119     (o)  Promote public awareness campaigns and education on
120the health needs of women.
121     (p)  By January 15 of each year, provide the Governor, the
122President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
123Representatives a report with policy recommendations for
124implementing the provisions of this section.
125     (3)  DUTIES OF OTHER STATE AGENCIES.--
126     (a)  Women's health issues shall be taken into
127consideration in the annual budget planning of the Department of
128Health, the Agency for Health Care Administration, and the
129Department of Elderly Affairs.
130     (b)  The inclusion of gender considerations and
131differential impact shall be one of the criteria when assessing
132research and demonstration proposals for which state funding is
133being sought from the Department of Health, the Agency for
134Health Care Administration, and the Department of Elderly
135Affairs.
136     (c)  Boards or advisory bodies that fall under the purview
137of the Department of Health, the Agency for Health Care
138Administration, and the Department of Elderly Affairs shall be
139encouraged to seek equal representation of women and men and the
140inclusion of persons who are knowledgeable and sensitive to
141gender and diversity issues.
142     (4)  RESPONSIBILITY AND COORDINATION.--The officer and the
143department shall direct and carry out the Women's Health
144Strategy established under this section in accordance with the
145requirements of this section and may work with the Executive
146Office of the Governor and other state agencies to carry out
147their duties and responsibilities under this section.
148     Section 3.  Effective July 1, 2004, there is appropriated
149the sum of $150,000 from the General Revenue Fund, and one full-
150time equivalent position is authorized, for the Department of
151Health to implement the establishment of the Officer of Women's
152Health Strategy by this act.
153     Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.