2007 Minnesota Statutes

145.928 ELIMINATING HEALTH DISPARITIES.
    Subdivision 1. Goal; establishment. It is the goal of the state, by 2010, to decrease by
50 percent the disparities in infant mortality rates and adult and child immunization rates for
American Indians and populations of color, as compared with rates for whites. To do so and to
achieve other measurable outcomes, the commissioner of health shall establish a program to close
the gap in the health status of American Indians and populations of color as compared with
whites in the following priority areas: infant mortality, breast and cervical cancer screening,
HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, adult and child immunizations, cardiovascular
disease, diabetes, and accidental injuries and violence.
    Subd. 2. State-community partnerships; plan. The commissioner, in partnership with
culturally based community organizations; the Indian Affairs Council under section 3.922;
the Council on Affairs of Chicano/Latino People under section 3.9223; the Council on Black
Minnesotans under section 3.9225; the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans under section
3.9226; community health boards as defined in section 145A.02; and tribal governments, shall
develop and implement a comprehensive, coordinated plan to reduce health disparities in the
health disparity priority areas identified in subdivision 1.
    Subd. 3. Measurable outcomes. The commissioner, in consultation with the community
partners listed in subdivision 2, shall establish measurable outcomes to achieve the goal specified
in subdivision 1 and to determine the effectiveness of the grants and other activities funded
under this section in reducing health disparities in the priority areas identified in subdivision 1.
The development of measurable outcomes must be completed before any funds are distributed
under this section.
    Subd. 4. Statewide assessment. The commissioner shall enhance current data tools to ensure
a statewide assessment of the risk behaviors associated with the health disparity priority areas
identified in subdivision 1. The statewide assessment must be used to establish a baseline to
measure the effect of activities funded under this section. To the extent feasible, the commissioner
shall conduct the assessment so that the results may be compared to national data.
    Subd. 5. Technical assistance. The commissioner shall provide the necessary expertise to
grant applicants to ensure that submitted proposals are likely to be successful in reducing the
health disparities identified in subdivision 1. The commissioner shall provide grant recipients with
guidance and training on best or most promising strategies to use to reduce the health disparities
identified in subdivision 1. The commissioner shall also assist grant recipients in the development
of materials and procedures to evaluate local community activities.
    Subd. 6. Process. (a) The commissioner, in consultation with the community partners listed
in subdivision 2, shall develop the criteria and procedures used to allocate grants under this
section. In developing the criteria, the commissioner shall establish an administrative cost limit
for grant recipients. At the time a grant is awarded, the commissioner must provide a grant
recipient with information on the outcomes established according to subdivision 3.
(b) A grant recipient must coordinate its activities to reduce health disparities with other
entities receiving funds under this section that are in the grant recipient's service area.
    Subd. 7. Community grant program; immunization rates 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 both of the following priority areas:
(1) decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in infant mortality rates; or
(2) increasing adult and child immunization rates in nonwhite racial and ethnic populations.
(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 both 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 both 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.
    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; or
(5) decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates from accidental
injuries or violence.
(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.
    Subd. 9. Health of foreign-born persons. (a) The commissioner shall distribute funds
to community health boards for health screening and follow-up services for tuberculosis for
foreign-born persons. Funds shall be distributed based on the following formula:
(1) $1,500 per foreign-born person with pulmonary tuberculosis in the community health
board's service area;
(2) $500 per foreign-born person with extrapulmonary tuberculosis in the community health
board's service area;
(3) $500 per month of directly observed therapy provided by the community health board for
each uninsured foreign-born person with pulmonary or extrapulmonary tuberculosis; and
(4) $50 per foreign-born person in the community health board's service area.
(b) Payments must be made at the end of each state fiscal year. The amount paid per
tuberculosis case, per month of directly observed therapy, and per foreign-born person must be
proportionately increased or decreased to fit the actual amount appropriated for that fiscal year.
    Subd. 10. Tribal governments. The commissioner shall award grants to American Indian
tribal governments for implementation of community interventions to reduce health disparities for
the priority areas listed in subdivisions 7 and 8. A community intervention must be targeted to
achieve the outcomes established according to subdivision 3. Tribal governments must submit
proposals to the commissioner and must demonstrate partnerships with local public health
entities. The distribution formula shall be determined by the commissioner, in consultation with
the tribal governments.
    Subd. 11. Coordination. The commissioner shall coordinate the projects and initiatives
funded under this section with other efforts at the local, state, or national level to avoid duplication
and promote complementary efforts.
    Subd. 12. Evaluation. Using the outcomes established according to subdivision 3, the
commissioner shall conduct a biennial evaluation of the community grant programs, community
health board activities, and tribal government activities funded under this section. Grant recipients,
tribal governments, and community health boards shall cooperate with the commissioner in
the evaluation and shall provide the commissioner with the information needed to conduct the
evaluation.
    Subd. 13. Report. The commissioner shall submit a biennial report to the legislature on the
local community projects, tribal government, and community health board prevention activities
funded under this section. These reports must include information on grant recipients, activities
that were conducted using grant funds, evaluation data, and outcome measures, if available. These
reports are due by January 15 of every other year, beginning in the year 2003.
    Subd. 14. Supplantation of existing funds. Funds received under this section must be used
to develop new programs or expand current programs that reduce health disparities. Funds must
not be used to supplant current county or tribal expenditures.
History: 1Sp2001 c 9 art 1 s 48; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 113