HF 4434

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/21/2022 02:32pm

A bill for an act
relating to health; directing the commissioner of health to issue grants for drug
overdose prevention and substance use prevention activities and related activities
to prevent infectious diseases; requiring reports; amending Minnesota Statutes
2020, section 145.924; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter
144.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [144.8611] DRUG OVERDOSE AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
PREVENTION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Strategies. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of health shall support collaboration and
coordination between state and community partners to develop, refine, and expand
comprehensive funding to address the drug overdose epidemic by implementing three
strategies: (1) create regional multidisciplinary overdose prevention teams to implement
overdose prevention in local communities and local public health organizations; (2) enhance
supportive services for the homeless who are at risk of overdose by providing emergency
and short-term housing subsidies through the Homeless Overdose Prevention Hub; and (3)
enhance employer resources to promote health and well-being of employees through the
recovery-friendly workplace initiative. These strategies address the underlying social
conditions that impact health status.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Regional teams. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of health shall establish community-based
prevention grants and contracts for the eight regional multidisciplinary overdose prevention
teams. These teams are geographically aligned with the eight emergency medical services
regions described in section 144E.52. The regional teams shall implement prevention
programs, policies, and practices that are specific to the challenges and responsive to the
data of the region.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Homeless Overdose Prevention Hub. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of health shall
establish a community-based grant to enhance supportive services for the homeless who
are at risk of overdose by providing emergency and short-term housing subsidies through
the Homeless Overdose Prevention Hub. The Homeless Overdose Prevention Hub serves
primarily urban American Indians in Minneapolis and St. Paul and is managed by the Native
American Community Clinic.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Workplace health. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of health shall establish a grants and
contracts program to strengthen the recovery-friendly workplace initiative. This initiative
shall help create work environments that promote employee health, safety, and well-being
by: (1) preventing abuse and misuse of drugs in the first place; (2) providing training to
employers; and (3) reducing stigma and supporting recovery for people seeking services
and who are in recovery.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Eligible grantees. new text end

new text begin (a) Organizations eligible to receive grant funding under
subdivision 4 include not-for-profit agencies or organizations that have: (1) the existing
organizational structure, capacity, trainers, facilities, and infrastructure designed to deliver
model workplace policies and practices; (2) training and education for employees,
supervisors, and executive leadership of companies, businesses, and industry; and (3) the
ability to evaluate the three goals of the workplace initiative specified in subdivision 4.
new text end

new text begin (b) At least one organization may be selected with statewide reach and influence. Up to
five smaller organizations may be selected to reach specific geographic or population groups.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Evaluation. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of health shall design, conduct, and evaluate
each of the components of the drug overdose and substance abuse prevention program using
measures such as mortality, morbidity, homelessness, workforce wellness, employee
retention, and program reach.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin Grantees must report grant program outcomes to the commissioner on
the forms and according to the timelines established by the commissioner.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 145.924, is amended to read:

145.924 AIDS PREVENTION GRANTS.

(a) The commissioner may award grants to community health boards as defined in section
145A.02, subdivision 5, state agencies, state councils, or nonprofit corporations to provide
evaluation and counseling services to populations at risk for acquiring human
immunodeficiency virus infection, including, but not limited to, minorities, adolescents,
intravenous drug users, and homosexual men.

(b) The commissioner may award grants to agencies experienced in providing services
to communities of color, for the design of innovative outreach and education programs for
targeted groups within the community who may be at risk of acquiring the human
immunodeficiency virus infection, including intravenous drug users and their partners,
adolescents, gay and bisexual individuals and women. Grants shall be awarded on a request
for proposal basis and shall include funds for administrative costs. Priority for grants shall
be given to agencies or organizations that have experience in providing service to the
particular community which the grantee proposes to serve; that have policy makers
representative of the targeted population; that have experience in dealing with issues relating
to HIV/AIDS; and that have the capacity to deal effectively with persons of differing sexual
orientations. For purposes of this paragraph, the "communities of color" are: the
American-Indian community; the Hispanic community; the African-American community;
and the Asian-Pacific community.

(c) All state grants awarded under this section for programs targeted to adolescents shall
include the promotion of abstinence from sexual activity and drug use.

new text begin (d) The commissioner may manage a program and award grants to agencies experienced
in syringe services programs to expand access to harm reduction services and improve
access to care that prevents HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases for those
experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
new text end