By:  Shapleigh, Madla                                 S.B. No. 1051
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the training and regulation of promotoras and community
 1-3     health workers.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 46, Health and Safety Code, as added by
 1-6     Section 2.01, Chapter 857, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular
 1-7     Session, 1999, is amended to read as follows:
 1-8                  CHAPTER 48 [46].  TRAINING AND REGULATION
 1-9                 OF PROMOTORAS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS
1-10           Sec. 48.001 [46.001].  DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION].  In this
1-11     chapter:
1-12                 (1)  "Compensation" includes receiving payment or
1-13     receiving reimbursement for expenses.
1-14                 (2)  "Promotora" or "community health worker"[,
1-15     "promotora"] means a person who, with or without compensation,
1-16     provides a [bilingual] liaison between health care providers and
1-17     patients through activities that may include activities such as
1-18     assisting in case conferences, providing patient education, making
1-19     referrals to health and social services, conducting needs
1-20     assessments, distributing surveys to identify barriers to health
1-21     care delivery, making home visits, and providing bilingual language
1-22     services.
1-23           Sec. 48.002 [46.002].  PROMOTORA AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER
1-24     TRAINING PROGRAM.  (a)  The department shall establish and operate
1-25     a program designed to train and educate persons who act as
 2-1     promotoras or community health workers.  In establishing the
 2-2     training program, the department, to the extent possible, shall
 2-3     consider the report and any findings of and implement any
 2-4     applicable recommendations of the Promotora Program Development
 2-5     Committee [use as a resource the uniform curriculum for training
 2-6     and educating promotoras developed by the Health Education Training
 2-7     Centers Alliance of Texas].
 2-8           (b)  Participation in a training and education program
 2-9     established under this section is voluntary for a promotora or
2-10     community health worker who provides services without receiving any
2-11     compensation and mandatory for a promotora or community health
2-12     worker who provides services for compensation.
2-13           Sec. 48.003 [46.003].  CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR PROMOTORAS
2-14     AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.  (a)  The department shall establish
2-15     and operate a certification program for persons who act as
2-16     promotoras or community health workers.  In establishing the
2-17     program, the board shall adopt rules that provide minimum standards
2-18     and guidelines, including participation in the training and
2-19     education program under Section 48.002 [46.002], for issuance of a
2-20     certificate to a person under this section.  In adopting the
2-21     minimum standards and guidelines, the board shall consider the
2-22     report and any findings of and adopt any applicable recommendations
2-23     of the Promotora Program Development Committee.
2-24           (b)  Receipt of a certificate issued under this section may
2-25     not be a requirement for a person to act as a promotora or
2-26     community health worker without receiving any compensation and is a
 3-1     requirement for a person to act as a promotora or community health
 3-2     worker for compensation.
 3-3           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.