1-1     By:  Shapleigh                                        S.B. No. 1051
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 2, 2001; March 6, 2001, read
 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services;
 1-4     April 5, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 5, 2001,
 1-6     sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1051               By:  Shapleigh
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to the training and regulation of promotoras and community
1-11     health workers.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Chapter 46, Health and Safety Code, as added by
1-14     Section 2.01, Chapter 857, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular
1-15     Session, 1999, is amended to read as follows:
1-16                  CHAPTER 48 [46].  TRAINING AND REGULATION
1-17                 OF PROMOTORAS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS
1-18           Sec. 48.001 [46.001].  DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION].  In this
1-19     chapter:
1-20                 (1)  "Compensation" includes receiving payment or
1-21     receiving reimbursement for expenses.
1-22                 (2)  "Promotora" or "community health worker"[,
1-23     "promotora"] means a person who, with or without compensation,
1-24     provides a [bilingual] liaison between health care providers and
1-25     patients through activities that may include activities such as
1-26     assisting in case conferences, providing patient education, making
1-27     referrals to health and social services, conducting needs
1-28     assessments, distributing surveys to identify barriers to health
1-29     care delivery, making home visits, and providing bilingual language
1-30     services.
1-31           Sec. 48.002 [46.002].  PROMOTORA AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER
1-32     TRAINING PROGRAM.  (a)  The department shall establish and operate
1-33     a program designed to train and educate persons who act as
1-34     promotoras or community health workers.  In establishing the
1-35     training program, the department, to the extent possible, shall
1-36     consider the report and any findings of and implement any
1-37     applicable recommendations of the Promotora Program Development
1-38     Committee [use as a resource the uniform curriculum for training
1-39     and educating promotoras developed by the Health Education Training
1-40     Centers Alliance of Texas].
1-41           (b)  Participation in a training and education program
1-42     established under this section is voluntary for a promotora or
1-43     community health worker who provides services without receiving any
1-44     compensation and mandatory for a promotora or community health
1-45     worker who provides services for compensation.
1-46           Sec. 48.003 [46.003].  CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR PROMOTORAS
1-47     AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.  (a)  The department shall establish
1-48     and operate a certification program for persons who act as
1-49     promotoras or community health workers.  In establishing the
1-50     program, the board shall adopt rules that provide minimum standards
1-51     and guidelines, including participation in the training and
1-52     education program under Section 48.002 [46.002], for issuance of a
1-53     certificate to a person under this section.  In adopting the
1-54     minimum standards and guidelines, the board shall consider the
1-55     report and any findings of and adopt any applicable recommendations
1-56     of the Promotora Program Development Committee.
1-57           (b)  Receipt of a certificate issued under this section may
1-58     not be a requirement for a person to act as a promotora or
1-59     community health worker without receiving any compensation and is a
1-60     requirement for a person to act as a promotora or community health
1-61     worker for compensation.
1-62           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-63                                  * * * * *