HB 1271

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to human immunodeficiency virus; amending
3s. 381.0046, F.S.; increasing the number of HIV and AIDS
4minority coordinators within the Department of Health;
5requiring the department to expand its HIV/AIDS prevention
6efforts in the state's minority communities and establish
7linkage programs for HIV-positive persons in minority
8communities and for HIV-positive inmates prior to their
9release from jail; deleting obsolete provisions; requiring
10the department to expand HIV counseling, testing, and
11referral services; requiring programs under this section
12to be consistent with recommendations of certain state and
13federal organizations; providing an effective date.
14
15     WHEREAS, HIV/AIDS is one of the state's most critical
16public health challenges, with Florida having the third highest
17number of AIDS cases and the second highest number of pediatric
18AIDS cases in the nation, and
19     WHEREAS, minorities, primarily African Americans and
20Hispanic Americans, now constitute 63 percent of the more than
2199,000 adult and pediatric AIDS cases reported in Florida since
22the epidemic began in 1981, and
23     WHEREAS, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has disproportionately
24affected Florida's minority communities, and
25     WHEREAS, the total medical and related lifetime costs for a
26patient infected with HIV may reach $175,000 or more, and
27     WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that sustained,
28comprehensive prevention efforts can have a substantial impact
29on slowing the course of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and
30     WHEREAS, the Legislature intends to decrease the number of
31deaths of minorities due to HIV/AIDS by increasing public
32awareness, increasing early detection and treatment of HIV/AIDS
33in the state's minority communities, and increasing the
34coordination of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts in the
35state's minority communities, and
36     WHEREAS, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the state's jails
37exceeds the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the general population,
38and
39     WHEREAS, recent advances in treatment for HIV/AIDS can
40potentially reduce the number of opportunistic infections and
41associated medical costs and delay the onset of death due to the
42disease, and
43     WHEREAS, referral to appropriate medical and social
44services upon the release of an inmate can play a crucial role
45in treatment, care, and secondary prevention efforts, and
46     WHEREAS, the Legislature authorized the creation of the
47Minority HIV and AIDS Task Force to provide recommendations on
48strategies to strengthen HIV/AIDS prevention, early
49intervention, and treatment efforts in Florida's minority
50communities, NOW, THEREFORE,
51
52Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
53
54     Section 1.  Section 381.0046, Florida Statutes, is amended
55to read:
56     381.0046  Statewide HIV and AIDS prevention campaign.--
57     (1)  The Department of Health shall develop and implement a
58statewide HIV and AIDS prevention campaign that is directed
59towards minorities who are at risk of HIV infection. The
60campaign shall include television, radio, and outdoor
61advertising; public service announcements; and peer-to-peer
62outreach. Each campaign message and concept shall be evaluated
63with members of the target group to ensure its effectiveness.
64The campaign shall provide information on the risk of HIV and
65AIDS infection and strategies to follow for prevention, early
66detection, and treatment. The campaign shall use culturally
67sensitive literature and educational materials and promote the
68development of individual skills for behavior modification. The
69campaign shall be expanded to include prevention information
70specifically targeted to the state's Hispanic and Haitian
71communities.
72     (2)  The Department of Health shall establish eight four
73positions within the department for HIV and AIDS regional
74minority coordinators and one position for a statewide HIV and
75AIDS minority coordinator. The coordinators shall facilitate
76statewide efforts to implement and coordinate HIV and AIDS
77prevention and treatment programs. The statewide coordinator
78shall report directly to the chief of the Bureau of HIV and AIDS
79within the Department of Health.
80     (3)  The Department of Health shall provide HIV and AIDS
81outreach programs in the state's minority communities to
82identify persons infected with HIV and AIDS. These programs
83shall address real and perceived barriers to HIV testing among
84the state's minority populations, with assistance from the
85Minority HIV and AIDS Task Force and the statewide coordinator,
86plan and conduct a statewide Black Leadership Conference on HIV
87and AIDS by January 2000. The conference shall provide workshops
88for minority organizations in building skills and improving an
89organization's capacity to conduct HIV and AIDS prevention and
90treatment programs.
91     (4)  The Department of Health shall provide a program to
92ensure that persons who are HIV positive are linked with
93prevention, care, and support services. This program shall be
94provided in a culturally sensitive manner to promote prevention
95among persons who are HIV positive and increase the acceptance
96and delivery of care and support services in high-risk
97communities.
98     (5)  The Department of Health shall expand testing programs
99for HIV, sexually transmissible diseases, and hepatitis in local
100county jails. The department shall establish programs for
101inmates who are HIV positive to ensure coordination and linkage
102to treatment and secondary prevention messages upon their
103release.
104     (6)  To promote HIV testing among minority persons who are
105at risk of infection, the department shall expand its HIV
106counseling, testing, and referral services.
107     (7)  Minority programs operating pursuant to this section
108shall be consistent with the findings and recommendations of the
109Minority HIV and AIDS Task Force and the State of Florida
110HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Prevention Plan and the recommendations
111of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
112     Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.


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