BILL NUMBER: AB 916AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 27, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member V. Manuel Prez ( Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano and Fuentes ) ( Coauthor: Senator Leno ) FEBRUARY 18, 2011 An act relating to public health. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 916, as amended, V. Manuel Prez. Promotores: medically underserved communities: federal grants. 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 to assess the grants to promote positive health behaviors and outcomes available pursuant to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for funding opportunities related to the use of promotores, as defined, in medically underserved communities, and to report on this assessment to the fiscal and health policy committees of the Legislature by April 1, 2012, with recommendations for attaining and maximizing federal funding. 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. (a) The State Department of Public Health shall assess the grants to promote positive health behaviors and outcomes available pursuant to Section 399V of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148) for funding opportunities related to the use of promotores, also known as community health workers, in medically underserved communities. The department shall report on this assessment to the fiscal and health policy committees of the Legislature by April 1, 2012, with recommendations for attaining and maximizing federal funding. (b) The assessment made by the department pursuant to subdivision (a) shall rely upon past research about the efficacy of promotores and the department may not conduct new research. (c) For purposes of this section, "promotores" means promotores de salud, also known as community health workers, peer leaders, or health advocates, who serve as a bridge between the community and the public health care system by providing health education, health promotion, prevention, informational counseling and referral information, as well as resources, in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate. (d) (1) The report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. (2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section shall remain in effect only until April 1, 2015, and as of that date is repealed.