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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a border public health initiative |
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by the Department of State Health Services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 65 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 65. BORDER PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVE |
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Sec. 65.0001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Border county" means a county adjacent to this |
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state's international border with Mexico. |
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(2) "Promotora" or "community health worker" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 48.001. |
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Sec. 65.0002. BORDER PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVE. (a) The |
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department shall develop an initiative to reduce the adverse health |
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impacts of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity for adults and |
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children in border counties. The initiative must promote: |
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(1) educational resources designed to prevent those |
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conditions; |
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(2) screenings of persons at risk for those |
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conditions; and |
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(3) referrals to and treatment by health care |
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providers for those conditions. |
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(b) In developing the border public health initiative, the |
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department may consult and collaborate with: |
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(1) other health and human services agencies; |
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(2) other appropriate state or federal agencies; |
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(3) health science centers and medical schools; and |
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(4) public and private health care providers and |
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hospitals. |
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Sec. 65.0003. OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS. To implement the border |
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public health initiative described by Section 65.0002, the |
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department shall conduct bilingual, culturally appropriate |
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outreach campaigns in consultation and collaboration with |
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appropriate individuals and entities that may include: |
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(1) promotoras and community health workers; |
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(2) academic centers located in border counties; |
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(3) nonprofit organizations; |
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(4) public schools; |
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(5) public and private health care providers and |
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hospitals; |
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(6) worksite wellness programs; |
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(7) local business and health care providers that |
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provide early detection of prediabetes, prehypertension, and |
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obesity; and |
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(8) other local entities, as the department determines |
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appropriate. |
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Sec. 65.0004. REPORT. Not later than January 1, 2025, the |
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department shall prepare and electronically submit to the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and the legislature a report describing: |
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(1) health outcomes and health care savings resulting |
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from prevention, screenings, and treatment of chronic diseases |
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under the border public health initiative; and |
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(2) other relevant findings, as determined by the |
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department, resulting from the border public health initiative. |
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Sec. 65.0005. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires December |
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31, 2033. |
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SECTION 2. The Department of State Health Services is |
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required to implement a provision of this Act only if the |
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legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If |
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the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that |
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purpose, the department may, but is not required to, implement a |
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provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |