SF 2947

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 02/11/2020 03:25pm

A bill for an act
relating to health; adding disabilities to focus of health disparities; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 145.928, subdivisions 2, 8, by adding a
subdivision; Minnesota Statutes 2019 Supplement, section 145.928, subdivision
7.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 145.928, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

State-community partnerships; plan.

The commissioner, in partnership with
culturally based community organizations; the Indian Affairs Council under section 3.922;
the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs under section 15.0145; the Council for Minnesotans
of African Heritage under section 15.0145; the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans under
section 15.0145; new text begin the Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing under section
256C.28; the governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities under section 16B.054; new text end
community health boards as defined in section 145A.02; and tribal governments, shall
develop and implement a comprehensive, coordinated plan new text begin consistent with United States
Code, title 42, sections 15001 to 15115, new text end to new text begin address disabilities and new text end reduce health disparities
in the health disparity priority areas identified in subdivision 1.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 145.928, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

new text begin Subd. 2a. new text end

new text begin Persons with disability and health disparity. new text end

new text begin (a) In addition to the goals
specified in subdivision 1, the commissioner shall focus on health disparities among
individuals with disabilities in relation to access to health care, health behaviors, health
status, and social factors that impact health. For example, use of accessible equipment in
medical practice such as facilities using wheelchair accessible scales and facilities complying
with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Affordable Care Act, that have accessibility
guidelines, improves access. Improved data collection will advance improvement in public
health standards. Routine use of disability status in data collection and analysis will provide
information about the relationship of disability status with health and health behaviors and
give health providers needed information on where to focus to improve the health of
individuals with disabilities across the life span.
new text end

new text begin (b) Another critical focus area is increased training of health care providers that will:
(1) support earlier identification and intervention for children with disabilities; (2) improve
services for youth with disabilities to transition into the adult care system; and (3) improve
health care and health promotion for all individuals with disabilities.
new text end

new text begin (c) The focus on health disparity among individuals with disabilities must include a plan
for inclusion where: (1) organizations and health systems provide information that is
accessible by individuals who have challenges with vision, hearing, or understanding complex
information; and (2) inclusion in public health preparedness planning activities addresses
the differing needs of individuals with disabilities during emergencies which might include
needed assistive equipment and accessible shelter facilities.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2019 Supplement, section 145.928, subdivision 7, is amended
to read:

Subd. 7.

Community grant program; immunization rates, prenatal care access and
utilization, and infant mortality rates.

(a) The commissioner shall award grants to eligible
applicants for local or regional projects and initiatives directed at reducing health disparities
in one or more of the following priority areas:

(1) decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in infant mortality rates;

(2) decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in access to and utilization of high-quality
prenatal care; deleted text begin or
deleted text end

(3) increasing adult and child immunization rates in nonwhite racial and ethnic
populations deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; or
new text end

new text begin (4) addressing health disparities for individuals with disabilities.
new text end

(b) The commissioner may award up to 20 percent of the funds available as planning
grants. Planning grants must be used to address such areas as community assessment,
coordination activities, and development of community supported strategies.

(c) Eligible applicants may include, but are not limited to, faith-based organizations,
social service organizations, community nonprofit organizations, community health boards,
tribal governments, and community clinics. Applicants must submit proposals to the
commissioner. A proposal must specify the strategies to be implemented to address one or
more of the priority areas listed in paragraph (a) and must be targeted to achieve the outcomes
established according to subdivision 3.

(d) The commissioner shall give priority to applicants who demonstrate that their
proposed project or initiative:

(1) is supported by the community the applicant will serve;

(2) is research-based or based on promising strategies;

(3) is designed to complement other related community activities;

(4) utilizes strategies that positively impact two or more priority areas;

(5) reflects racially and ethnically appropriate approaches; and

(6) will be implemented through or with community-based organizations that reflect the
race or ethnicity of the population to be reached.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 145.928, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

Subd. 8.

Community grant program; other health disparities.

(a) The commissioner
shall award grants to eligible applicants for local or regional projects and initiatives directed
at reducing health disparities in one or more of the following priority areas:

(1) decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates from breast
and cervical cancer;

(2) decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates from
HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections;

(3) decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates from
cardiovascular disease;

(4) decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates from diabetes;
deleted text begin or
deleted text end

(5) decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates from accidental
injuries or violence deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; or
new text end

new text begin (6) decreasing disparities in health care and early intervention programs for children
with disabilities.
new text end

(b) The commissioner may award up to 20 percent of the funds available as planning
grants. Planning grants must be used to address such areas as community assessment,
determining community priority areas, coordination activities, and development of
community supported strategies.

(c) Eligible applicants may include, but are not limited to, faith-based organizations,
social service organizations, community nonprofit organizations, community health boards,
and community clinics. Applicants shall submit proposals to the commissioner. A proposal
must specify the strategies to be implemented to address one or more of the priority areas
listed in paragraph (a) and must be targeted to achieve the outcomes established according
to subdivision 3.

(d) The commissioner shall give priority to applicants who demonstrate that their
proposed project or initiative:

(1) is supported by the community the applicant will serve;

(2) is research-based or based on promising strategies;

(3) is designed to complement other related community activities;

(4) utilizes strategies that positively impact more than one priority area;

(5) reflects racially and ethnically appropriate approaches; and

(6) will be implemented through or with community-based organizations that reflect the
race or ethnicity of the population to be reached.