California Assembly Bill AB2354 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2354AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 13, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 8, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member V. Manuel Perez FEBRUARY 19, 2010 An act  to add Article 6 (commencing with Section 128570) to Chapter 5 of Part 3 of Division 107   of the Health and Safety Code,  relating to public health. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2354, as amended, V. Manuel Perez. Community Health Workers: Promotores. Existing law establishes training and certification programs for various healing arts professionals including, among others, nurses, midwives, occupational therapists, dietitians, and social workers. This bill would require the State Department of Public Health, in consultation with the University of California, to establish a technical advisory committee to study the  creation of a framework for a promotores development program, as specified   current use of promotores in supporting positive health outcomes throughout California and the funding resources that support the work of promotores. This bill would also encourage the department to incorporate the use of promotores for programs requiring outreach or involving strategies that seek to increase access to   care, health education, prevention, and the creation of healthier communities  . Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Promotores, also known as  Community Health Workers (CHWs)   community health workers  , peer leaders, or health advocates, serve as a bridge between the community and the public  and private  health care system, providing health education, health promotion, prevention, informational counseling, and referral information, as well as resources in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate. Promotores function as cultural brokers who possess a unique understanding of those, often difficult-to-reach, communities they serve.  (b) According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, integrating promotores and community health workers into health programs has been associated with improvements in access to health care, prenatal care, pregnancy and birth outcomes, client health status, health- and screening-related behaviors, community health, and reduced health care costs.   (b) Integrating promotores and community health workers into health programs and strategies has been documented as being associated with improvements in access to health care, health status, and health screening behavior. The role of promotores, however, expands beyond disease-related functions into community health. Promotores are critical in creating health communities, improving the built environment, increasing awareness about community factors affecting health, and in creating mechanisms for families, and particularly low-income families, to learn, thrive, and participate in and transform their communities.   (c) In 2009, through Assembly Concurrent Resolution 75 (Chapter 125 of the Resolutions of 2009), the Legislature recognized and applauded the contributions of promotores in improving community health and well-being, advocacy, and cost-effective prevention by declaring October 2009 as California Promotores Month.   (c) Federal   (d)    Ongoing federal  efforts to address health care affordability, accessibility, and use have identified the promotores model as an effective practice and have committed financial support to help implement the model. Current federal  legislative efforts include   law includes  funding and support for programs that could employ promotores on a broad scale.  (d) The Legislature recognizes and applauds the contributions of promotores toward improving community health and well-being, advocacy, and cost-effective prevention. Currently, however, California does not have a statewide certification or standardized training to certify the status of promotores.  (e) As increased federal public health funding becomes available to California, specifically for the increased use of promotores and for programs that employ promotores, it is incumbent upon the state to have a comprehensive  assessment of the current use of and funding for promotores. This should include the feasibility of a promotores development program, and a multiphased strategy for implementing a program to set standards, train, evaluate, promote, and expand the work of promotores, in community health clinics and local public health departments, community-based organizations, research institutions, and other public and private entities throughout the state.   statewide strategy to target resources and invest funding into proven programs, successful models, and the best practices. Accordingly, a comprehensive assessment of the current use of and funding for promotores is needed to guide the state's future investments.   SEC. 2.   The State Department of Public Health, in consultation with the University of California, shall establish a technical advisory committee to study the creation of a framework for a promotores development program. The committee shall advise the department, the Governor, and the Legislature regarding its findings and recommendations. The committee shall use federal funding, including, but not limited to, funding from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Health Resources and Services Administration, to support the development of the study.   SEC. 2.   Article 6 (commencing with Section 128570) is added to Chapter 5 of Part 3 of Division 107 of the   Health and Safety Code   , to read:   Article 6. Promotores Development Program Study 128570. (a) The State Department of Public Health, in consultation with the University of California, shall conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current use of promotores in supporting positive health outcomes throughout California, including, but not limited to, in rural communities, and the funding resources that support the work of promotores. (b) This assessment shall include all of the following: (1) An examination of promotores programs throughout California that identifies best practices in at least the areas of recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, scope of work, supervision, program design and implementation, successful programs, and resources. (2) The federal, state, and local agencies that operate promotores programs, use or contract for promotores, or provide resources to organizations, including, but not limited to, nonprofit organizations, that support and expand the work of promotores. (3) An examination of previous studies that evaluated promotores programs and have identified model programs or best practices. (c) The department shall convene a technical advisory committee to help guide and design this assessment. This advisory committee shall include representatives from the following: (1) Community-based organizations with experience in training and hiring promotores. (2) County public health departments. (3) Foundations that support promotores programs. (4) Primary community care clinics. (5) Promotores or community health workers. (6) Universities and other academic institutions. (7) Other stakeholders the department deems necessary. (d) The committee and the department shall use federal funding, including, but not limited to, funding from the United States Department of Health and Human Services and its Health Resources and Services Administration and funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to support the development of this assessment.   SEC. 3.   As federal funding is awarded to the states for health prevention efforts, the State Department of Public Health is encouraged to incorporate the use of promotores for programs requiring outreach or involving strategies that seek to increase access to care, health education, prevention, and the creation of healthier communities.