Florida Senate - 2019 CS for SB 1436
By the Committee on Appropriations; and Senator Gibson
576-04184-19 20191436c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to Closing the Gap grant proposals;
3 amending s. 381.7354, F.S.; prohibiting the Department
4 of Health from establishing a minimum amount or a
5 maximum amount for Closing the Gap grants; requiring
6 that the amount of each award be based on the merits
7 of each application and that grants be awarded to
8 applicants in various regions of the state; removing
9 provisions related to Front Porch Florida Communities;
10 amending s. 381.7355, F.S.; adding a priority area
11 that may be addressed in a Closing the Gap grant
12 proposal; providing an effective date.
13
14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
15
16 Section 1. Section 381.7354, Florida Statutes, is amended
17 to read:
18 381.7354 Eligibility.—
19 (1) Any person, entity, or organization within a county may
20 apply for a Closing the Gap grant and may serve as the lead
21 agency to administer and coordinate project activities within
22 the county and develop community partnerships necessary to
23 implement the grant.
24 (2) Persons, entities, or organizations within adjoining
25 counties with populations of less than 100,000, based on the
26 annual estimates produced by the Population Program of the
27 University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research,
28 may jointly submit a multicounty Closing the Gap grant proposal.
29 However, the proposal must clearly identify a single lead agency
30 with respect to program accountability and administration.
31 (3) The department may not establish a minimum amount or a
32 maximum amount for grants and shall determine the amount of each
33 award based on the merits of the application. The department
34 shall ensure that grants are awarded to applicants in various
35 regions of the state In addition to the grants awarded under
36 subsections (1) and (2), up to 20 percent of the funding for the
37 Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: Closing the Gap
38 grant program shall be dedicated to projects that address
39 improving racial and ethnic health status within specific Front
40 Porch Florida Communities.
41 (4) Nothing in ss. 381.7351-381.7356 shall prevent a
42 person, entity, or organization within a county or group of
43 counties from separately contracting for the provision of racial
44 and ethnic health promotion, health awareness, and disease
45 prevention services.
46 Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 381.7355, Florida
47 Statutes, is amended to read:
48 381.7355 Project requirements; review criteria.—
49 (2) A proposal must include each of the following elements:
50 (a) The purpose and objectives of the proposal, including
51 identification of the particular racial or ethnic disparity the
52 project will address. The proposal must address one or more of
53 the following priority areas:
54 1. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and
55 infant mortality rates.
56 2. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
57 and mortality rates relating to cancer.
58 3. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
59 and mortality rates relating to HIV/AIDS.
60 4. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
61 and mortality rates relating to cardiovascular disease.
62 5. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
63 and mortality rates relating to diabetes.
64 6. Increasing adult and child immunization rates in certain
65 racial and ethnic populations.
66 7. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in oral health
67 care.
68 8. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
69 and mortality rates relating to sickle cell disease.
70 9. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
71 and mortality rates relating to Lupus.
72 10. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
73 and mortality rates relating to Alzheimer’s disease and
74 dementia.
75 11.10. Improving Improve neighborhood social determinants
76 of health, such as transportation, safety, and food access, as
77 outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s
78 “Tools for Putting Social Determinants of Health into Action.”
79 (b) Identification and relevance of the target population.
80 (c) Methods for obtaining baseline health status data and
81 assessment of community health needs.
82 (d) Mechanisms for mobilizing community resources and
83 gaining local commitment.
84 (e) Development and implementation of health promotion and
85 disease prevention interventions.
86 (f) Mechanisms and strategies for evaluating the project’s
87 objectives, procedures, and outcomes.
88 (g) A proposed work plan, including a timeline for
89 implementing the project.
90 (h) Likelihood that project activities will occur and
91 continue in the absence of funding.
92 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.