Florida Senate - 2012 SB 886
By Senator Jones
13-00676A-12 2012886__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to community health workers; providing
3 definitions; specifying the duties and activities of
4 community health workers; creating the Community
5 Health Worker Task Force within a state college or
6 university; requiring the Department of Health to
7 provide administrative support; providing membership
8 of the task force; providing duties of the task force;
9 requiring the members of the task force to elect a
10 chairperson; providing that task force members serve
11 without compensation and are not entitled to
12 reimbursement for per diem or travel expenses;
13 requiring that the task force meet at least quarterly;
14 specifying the number of members required for a
15 quorum; requiring the task force to submit a report to
16 the Governor and Legislature by a specified date;
17 providing an effective date.
18
19 WHEREAS, Florida faces a number of challenges in providing
20 access to health care services in both urban and rural areas
21 which impair the health and well-being of state residents, and
22 WHEREAS, Florida continues to experience critical shortages
23 of providers in primary health care, oral health care, and
24 behavioral health care, particularly in rural and inner-city
25 areas, and
26 WHEREAS, there is substantial evidence that comprehensive
27 coordination of care for individuals who have chronic diseases
28 and the provision of information regarding preventive care can
29 improve individual health, create a healthier population, reduce
30 the costs of health care, and increase appropriate access to
31 health care, and
32 WHEREAS, community health workers, also known as
33 “promotoras,” and community health representatives, hereinafter
34 collectively referred to as “community health workers,” have
35 demonstrated success in increasing access to health care in
36 underserved communities, providing culturally appropriate
37 education regarding prevention and disease management, providing
38 translating and interpreting services for health care
39 encounters, improving health outcomes through the coordination
40 of care, increasing individual health care literacy and
41 advocacy, and organizing to improve the health care of medically
42 underserved communities, while reducing costs in the state’s
43 health care system, and
44 WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes that community health
45 workers are important members of the health care delivery system
46 in this state, and the Florida Health Worker Coalition has begun
47 to explore options that would allow community health workers to
48 be part of an integrated health delivery team, NOW, THEREFORE,
49
50 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
51
52 Section 1. Community health workers.—
53 (1) As used in this section, the term:
54 (a) “Community health worker” means a front-line health
55 care worker who is a trusted member of or has an unusually close
56 understanding of the community that he or she serves.
57 (b) “Department” means the Department of Health.
58 (c) “Medically underserved community” means a geographic
59 area that has a shortage of health professionals as defined by
60 federal regulations and has a substantial number of persons who
61 lack public or private health insurance, are unable to pay for
62 care, and have incomes at or below 185 percent of the federal
63 poverty level.
64 (d) “Task force” means the Community Health Worker Task
65 Force established by the department under this section.
66 (2)(a) A community health worker serves as a liaison, link,
67 or intermediary between health care services, social services,
68 and the community in order to facilitate access to health care
69 services and improve the quality of health care services and the
70 cultural competency of health care providers.
71 (b) A community health worker performs the following
72 activities in a community setting:
73 1. Provides information on available resources;
74 2. Provides social support and informal counseling;
75 3. Advocates for individuals and their health care needs;
76 and
77 4. Provides services, such as first aid and blood pressure
78 screening.
79 (c) A community health worker also builds individual and
80 community capacity by increasing knowledge in wellness and
81 disease prevention and self-sufficiency through a range of
82 activities, such as community outreach, community education,
83 informal counseling, social support, and advocacy.
84 (d) A community health worker also collects data to help
85 identify health care needs in a medically underserved community
86 by:
87 1. Serving as a liaison between the community and health
88 care providers.
89 2. Providing guidance and social assistance to residents.
90 3. Enhancing the communication skills of residents in order
91 to assist them in effectively communicating with health care
92 providers.
93 4. Providing culturally and linguistically appropriate
94 health or nutrition education.
95 5. Advocating for better individual and community health,
96 including oral health, mental health, and nutritional needs.
97 6. Providing referral services, followup services, and
98 coordination of care.
99 (3)(a) The department shall establish the Community Health
100 Worker Task Force within a state college or university. The
101 department shall provide administrative support and services to
102 the task force to the extent requested by the chairperson of the
103 task force and within available resources of the department.
104 (b) The task force shall consist of the following 12
105 members:
106 1. One member of the Senate, appointed by the President of
107 the Senate.
108 2. One member of the House of Representatives, appointed by
109 the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
110 3. One state official, appointed by the Governor.
111 4. Six community health workers, appointed by the State
112 Surgeon General.
113 5. Three representatives of the Florida Community Health
114 Worker Coalition, appointed by the chair of the Florida
115 Community Health Worker Coalition.
116 (c) The task force shall develop recommendations for:
117 1. Including community health workers in the development of
118 proposals for health care or Medicaid reform in this state as
119 part of the outreach efforts for enrolling residents of this
120 state in Medicaid managed care programs or other health care
121 delivery services.
122 2. Including community health workers in providing
123 assistance to residents in navigating the health care system and
124 providing information and guidance regarding preventive health
125 care.
126 3. Providing support to community health centers and other
127 safety net providers through the integration of community health
128 workers as part of health care delivery teams.
129 (d) The task force shall also collaborate with the Florida
130 Community Health Worker Coalition, colleges and universities in
131 this state, and other organizations and institutions to
132 recommend a process that leads to the standardization of
133 qualifications and skills of community health workers who are
134 employed in state-supported health care programs.
135 (e) The members of the task force shall elect a chairperson
136 and vice chairperson.
137 (f) Members of the task force shall serve without
138 compensation, and are not entitled to reimbursement for per diem
139 and travel expenses.
140 (g) The task force shall meet at least quarterly and at
141 other times at the call of the chairperson, or as determined by
142 a majority of members.
143 (h) A quorum shall consist of seven members, and the
144 concurring vote of a majority of the members present is required
145 for final action.
146 (i) The task force shall submit a report by June 30, 2013,
147 to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
148 the House of Representatives, stating the findings, conclusions,
149 and recommendations of the task force.
150 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.