Florida Senate - 2010 SB 2728
By Senator Joyner
18-00028B-10 20102728__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Office of Minority Health;
3 creating s. 381.04016, F.S.; providing legislative
4 intent; providing the duties of the Office of Minority
5 Health; requiring the Office of Minority Health to
6 submit an annual report to the Governor and
7 Legislature; requiring consideration of minority
8 health issues and race in state policy and planning;
9 providing for responsibility and coordination;
10 providing an effective date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Section 381.04016, Florida Statutes, is created
15 to read:
16 381.04016 Minority Health Strategy; legislative intent;
17 duties of Office of Minority Health; other state agency duties.—
18 (1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—The Legislature recognizes that
19 despite state investments in health care, racial and ethnic
20 populations in this state continue to have significantly poorer
21 health outcomes when compared to nonHispanic whites. The
22 Legislature further finds that the health care needs of
23 minorities are diverse and that delivery of services, research,
24 and public policy must take into account the distinct
25 characteristics of minority health issues. Priority shall be
26 given to improve the overall health status of minority men,
27 women, and children through research and education specific to
28 minority health issues. The Legislature recognizes the
29 importance of understanding why there is a large disparity
30 between minority groups with regard to awareness, diagnosis, and
31 treatment of certain diseases and also recognizes that
32 biomedical research is the key to finding these answers. Such
33 research has important implications for all minority individuals
34 in terms of clinical practice and disease manifestation and
35 prevention. The Legislature recognizes that as the state’s
36 population ages and life expectancy for minority individuals
37 continues to rise, it is of the utmost importance for the
38 Legislature to encourage strategies designed to reduce health
39 disparities, including, but not limited to, addressing the array
40 of health and social issues, ensuring comprehensive elimination
41 of health disparities, and promoting health equity to assure
42 access to affordable and adequate health care that meets
43 specific health needs with regard to race and ethnicity. The
44 Legislature further finds and declares that the culturally
45 sensitive design and delivery of health care services and
46 medical education of all health care practitioners shall be
47 based on the principle that health care needs are diverse, and
48 cultural competency training and medical education are essential
49 for effectively treating members of minority populations.
50 (2) DUTIES.—The Office of Minority Health in the Department
51 of Health shall:
52 (a) Ensure that the state’s policies and programs are
53 responsive to minority differences and health needs across the
54 life span.
55 (b) Administer the distribution of and provide oversight of
56 contract management for all funds designated for reducing racial
57 and ethnic health disparities and promote optimal health in
58 minority populations.
59 (c) Organize an interagency Committee for Minority Health
60 for the purpose of integrating minority health programs within
61 current operating and service delivery structures and setting
62 priorities for minority health. This committee shall be
63 comprised of the heads or directors of state agencies that have
64 programs affecting minority health, including, but not limited
65 to, the Department of Health, the Agency for Health Care
66 Administration, the Department of Education, the Department of
67 Elderly Affairs, the Department of Corrections, the Office of
68 Insurance Regulation within the Department of Financial
69 Services, and the Department of Juvenile Justice.
70 (d) Assess the health status of minorities in the state
71 through the collection and review of health data and trends.
72 (e) Review and provide recommendations on the state’s
73 insurance code as it relates to minority health issues.
74 (f) Work with medical school curriculum committees to
75 develop course requirements on minority health and promote
76 clinical practice guidelines that are specific to minority
77 issues and cultural competency.
78 (g) Organize statewide activities during Minority Health
79 Month.
80 (h) Promote research, treatment, and collaboration on
81 minority health issues at universities and medical centers in
82 the state.
83 (i) Promote employer incentives for prevention and wellness
84 programs that emphasize minority health programs.
85 (j) Serve as the primary state resource for the
86 coordination of minority health information.
87 (k) Develop a statewide minority health plan that promotes
88 collaborative approaches to meeting the health needs of minority
89 populations. The plan shall:
90 1. Identify activities designed to reduce the number of
91 premature deaths in minority populations and appropriate
92 resources to implement those activities, including:
93 a. Providing specific strategies for reducing the mortality
94 rate of minority individuals.
95 b. Listing conditions that may cause or contribute to
96 disease in minority populations and the best methods by which to
97 identify, control, and prevent these conditions from developing.
98 c. Identifying the best methods for ensuring an increase in
99 the percentage of minority individuals in the state who receive
100 screening and diagnostic testing.
101 2. Provide recommendations for the development of practice
102 guidelines for addressing disease in minority populations.
103 3. Provide recommendations for reducing health disparities
104 and promoting optimal health among all racial and ethnic groups.
105 4. Coordinate with existing program plans that address
106 minority health issues.
107 (l) Promote clinical practice guidelines specific to
108 minority individuals.
109 (m) Serve as the state’s liaison with other states and
110 federal agencies and programs to develop best practices in
111 minority health.
112 (n) Develop a statewide, web-based clearinghouse on
113 minority health issues and resources.
114 (o) Promote public awareness campaigns and education on the
115 health needs of minority individuals.
116 (p) By January 15 of each year, provide the Governor, the
117 President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
118 Representatives a report containing policy recommendations for
119 implementing the provisions of this section.
120 (3) DUTIES OF OTHER STATE AGENCIES.—
121 (a) Minority health issues shall be taken into
122 consideration in the annual planning of the Department of
123 Health, the Agency for Health Care Administration, the
124 Department of Elderly Affairs, the Department of Corrections,
125 and the Department of Juvenile Justice.
126 (b) The inclusion of health issues concerning minority
127 populations and dissimilar outcomes shall be among the criteria
128 included when assessing research and demonstration proposals for
129 which state funding is being sought from the Department of
130 Health, the Agency for Health Care Administration, and the
131 Department of Elderly Affairs.
132 (c) Boards or advisory bodies that fall under the purview
133 of the Department of Health, the Agency for Health Care
134 Administration, or the Department of Elderly Affairs shall be
135 encouraged to seek equal representation of minority women and
136 men and include members who are knowledgeable and sensitive to
137 minority diversity issues.
138 (4) RESPONSIBILITY AND COORDINATION.—The Office of Minority
139 Health and the department shall direct and carry out the
140 provisions of this section and may work with the Executive
141 Office of the Governor and other state agencies to carry out
142 their duties and responsibilities under this section.
143 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.