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.
3-4 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
3-5 Amend S.B. 1051 (the engrossed version) as follows:
3-6 (1) On page 2, line 12 add "The Board may adopt rules to
3-7 exempt a promotora or community health worker from mandatory
3-8 training who has served for three or more years or who has 1000 or
3-9 more hours of experience."
3-10 Gray