Researcher: ND Page 1 4/19/22
OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5500
AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO THE
PUBLIC HEALTH STATUTES.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
SUMMARY
§§ 1-8 — CHRONIC DISEASE HOSPITALS
Adds a definition for “chronic disease hospital” to the statute on health care institution
licensure and makes related technical and conforming changes to various public health
statutes
§§ 1, 23-30, & 39 — CLINICAL LABORATORIES
Adds clinical laboratories to the statutory definition of “health care institution” to reflect
current practice and allows the DPH commissioner to waive regulations for these
laboratories under limited conditions
§§ 1 & 42-45 — ALCOHOL OR DRUG TREATMENT FACILITIES
Replaces the term “alcohol or drug treatment facility” with “behavioral health facility” in
several statutes to reflect current practice
§ 6 — CENTRAL SERVICE TECHNICIANS
Allows central service technicians to obtain certification as a registered CST from a
successor organization to the International Association of Healthcare Central Service
Material Management
§ 9 — ALBERT J. SOLNIT CHILDREN’S CENTER
Makes a technical change to specify that Albert J. Solnit Children’s Center and its
psychiatric residential treatment facility units are not exempt from DPH licensure
§ 10 — STRIKE CONTINGENCY STAFFING PLAN
Requires health care institutions, when notified that their employees intend to strike, to
include a staffing plan as part of the strike contingency plan they must file with DPH
§ 11 — NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATOR CONTINUING
EDUCATION
Adds infection prevention and control to the mandatory topics for nursing home
administrators’ continuing education
§ 12 & 13 — MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION BY UNLICENSED
PERSONNEL
Allows a registered nurse to delegate certain medication administration to home health
aides and hospice aides who obtain certification from DCF or DDS, in addition to those
certified by DPH, as under current law 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 2 4/19/22
§ 14, 16 & 17 — SCOPE OF PRACTICE REVIEW
Reduces, by two weeks, the timeframe of certain steps of DPH’s scope of practice review
process for health care professions; requires DPH to establish a scope of practice review
committee to determine whether it should regulate midwives who are ineligible for nurse-
midwife licensure and report its findings to the Public Health Committee
§ 15 — STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS FOR NURSING
Expands the duties of the State Board of Examiners for Nursing; requires DPH, instead of
the board, to post a list of all approved nursing education programs for registered nurses
and licensed practical nurses; and eliminates a requirement that DPH adopt regulations
on adult education practical nursing training programs offered in high schools
§ 18 — CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE) FOR OPTOMETRISTS
Explicitly allows online CE classes; increases, from six to ten, the number of CE credit
hours that can be earned without attending in-person
§§ 19 & 20 — MINOR AND TECHNICAL CHANGES
Makes technical changes to statutory provisions on (1) outpatient mental health treatment
provided to minors without parental consent and (2) physician assistant licensure
§ 21 — EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD
REPORT
Changes, from December 31 to April 1, the date by which the DPH commissioner must
annually report to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Advisory Board on specified
information on EMS calls; delays the date the next report is due until April 1, 2023
§ 22 — AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES
Expands the statutory definition of “authorized emergency vehicle” to include all
authorized EMS vehicles, instead of only ambulances, as under current law
§§ 31-32 — ONLINE PAYMENTS FOR VITAL RECORDS
Specifies DPH must approve any locally allowed online payment methods
§ 33 — STATE FOOD CODE
Generally exempts from the state’s model food code requirements, certain owner-occupied
bed and breakfast establishments and noncommercial functions, such as bake sales and
potluck suppers at educational, religious, political, or charitable organizations
§ 34 — TECHNICAL CHANGE
Corrects a reference to statutes on the Clean Water Fund
§ 35 — CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS
Establishes minimum and maximum amounts of CE earned online
§ 36 — SOCIAL WORKER MINIMUM STAFFING REQUIREMENTS IN
NURSING HOMES
Specifies that existing law’s minimum social worker staffing requirement in nursing
homes of one social worker per 60 residents is a number of hours that must vary
proportionally based on the number of residents in the home; allows the DPH
commissioner to implement policies and procedures while adopting minimum staffing
requirements in regulation
§§ 37-38 — STATEWIDE HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 3 4/19/22
Allows the Office of Health Strategy executive director to implement policies and
procedures while adopting regulations to (1) administer the Statewide Health Information
Exchange and (2) require certain health care institutions and providers to connect to and
participate in the exchange
§ 40 — DOULA ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Requires DPH, within available resources, to establish an 18-member Doula Advisory
Committee to develop recommendations on (1) certification requirements for doulas and
(2) standards for recognizing training programs that meet the certification requirements
§ 41 — SAFE HARBOR LEGISLATION
Requires the DPH commissioner to (1) study whether the state should adopt “safe harbor”
legislation allowing certain unlicensed practitioners to provide alternative health care
services and (2) report to the Public Health Committee by January 1, 2023
BACKGROUND
SUMMARY
This bill makes various substantive, minor, and technical changes in
Department of Public Health (DPH)-related statutes and programs.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Various, see below.
§§ 1-8 — CHRONIC DISEASE HOSPITALS
Adds a definition for “chronic disease hospital” to the statute on health care institution
licensure and makes related technical and conforming changes to various public health
statutes
The bill adds a statutory definition for “chronic disease hospital,” to
the statute on the licensure of health care institutions. Under the bill, as
under current law, these hospitals are long-term hospitals that have
facilities, medical staff, and all personnel necessary to diagnose, treat,
and care for chronic diseases.
The bill also makes related technical and conforming changes to
various public health statutes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2022
§§ 1, 23-30, & 39 — CLINICAL LABORATORIES
Adds clinical laboratories to the statutory definition of “health care institution” to reflect
current practice and allows the DPH commissioner to waive regulations for these
laboratories under limited conditions
Definition 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 4 4/19/22
The bill adds clinical laboratories to the statutory definition of “health
care institution.” In doing so, it extends to these laboratories statutory
requirements for health care institutions regarding, among other things,
DPH licensure, inspection, and complaint investigation requirements.
(In practice, clinical laboratories are already subject to state and federal
regulation.)
As under current law, the bill defines a “clinical laboratory” as a
facility or other area used for microbiological, serological, chemical,
hematological, immuno-hematological, biophysical, cytological,
pathological, or other examinations of human bodily fluids, secretions,
excretions, or excised or exfoliated tissues. The examinations must be
used to provide information for (1) diagnosing, preventing, or treating
a human disease or impairment; (2) assessing human health; or (3)
assessing the presence of drugs, poisons, or other toxicological
substances.
The bill also makes related technical and conforming changes to
various public health statutes.
Waivers
Additionally, the bill allows the DPH commissioner to:
1. waive regulations affecting clinical laboratories if she determines
that doing so would not endanger a patient’s health, safety, or
welfare;
2. impose waiver conditions assuring patients’ health, safety, and
welfare; and
3. revoke the waiver if she finds that someone’s health, safety, or
welfare has been jeopardized.
Existing law already allows the commissioner grant waivers for other
health care institutions under these same conditions. Under existing law
and the bill, she cannot grant a waiver that would result in a violation
of the state fire safety or building code. 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 5 4/19/22
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2022, except provisions on waivers are
effective upon passage.
§§ 1 & 42-45 — ALCOHOL OR DRUG TREATMENT FACILITIES
Replaces the term “alcohol or drug treatment facility” with “behavioral health facility” in
several statutes to reflect current practice
The bill removes the statutory definition for “alcohol or drug
treatment facility” and replaces this term with “behavioral health
facility” in several statutes. (Under current practice, these facilities are
licensed and regulated as behavioral health facilities.)
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2022
§ 6 — CENTRAL SERVICE TECHNICIANS
Allows central service technicians to obtain certification as a registered CST from a
successor organization to the International Association of Healthcare Central Service
Material Management
Existing law generally requires anyone who practices as a central
service technician (CST) to, among other things, be certified as either a
(1) sterile processing and distribution technician by the Certification
Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution, Inc. or (2) registered CST
by the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Material
Management (IAHCSMM).
For the latter, the bill allows CSTs to also obtain certification from a
successor organization to IAHCSMM (the organization is currently
changing its name).
By law, CSTs decontaminate, prepare, package, sterilize, store, and
distribute reusable medical instruments or devices in a hospital or
outpatient surgical facility, either as an employee or under contract.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2022
§ 9 — ALBERT J. SOLNIT CHILDREN’S CENTER
Makes a technical change to specify that Albert J. Solnit Children’s Center and its
psychiatric residential treatment facility units are not exempt from DPH licensure
Existing law exempts from DPH licensure Department of Children
and Families (DCF)-licensed (1) substance abuse treatment facilities and 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 6 4/19/22
(2) maternity homes that offer care to pregnant women, new mothers,
and their newborns.
The bill specifies that this exemption does not apply to Albert J. Solnit
Children’s Center and its psychiatric residential treatment facility units
(“South Campus”). (Existing law requires that DPH license these
facilities.)
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 10 — STRIKE CONTINGENCY STAFFING PLAN
Requires health care institutions, when notified that their employees intend to strike, to
include a staffing plan as part of the strike contingency plan they must file with DPH
By law, a licensed health care institution must file a strike
contingency plan with the DPH commissioner if the institution is
notified by a labor organization representing its employees of its
intention to strike.
The bill requires each institution, as part of the strike contingency
plan, to include its staffing plan for at least the first three days of the
strike. This must include the names and titles of the people who will
provide services during this period.
Under existing law, these institutions must submit their strike
contingency plans no later than five days before the date indicated for
the strike.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2022
§ 11 — NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATOR CONTINUING
EDUCATION
Adds infection prevention and control to the mandatory topics for nursing home
administrators’ continuing education
The bill adds infection prevention and control to the mandatory
topics for nursing home administrators’ continuing education. It makes
a corresponding change adding courses offered or approved by the
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology to
those that meet continuing education requirements for nursing home
administrators. 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 7 4/19/22
By law, nursing home administrators must complete at least 40 hours
of continuing education every two years, starting with their first license
renewal. Existing law requires that the education include training in
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia symptoms and care.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 12 & 13 — MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION BY UNLICENSED
PERSONNEL
Allows a registered nurse to delegate certain medication administration to home health
aides and hospice aides who obtain certification from DCF or DDS, in addition to those
certified by DPH, as under current law
The bill allows a registered nurse (RN) to delegate the administration
of non-injected medications to home health aides and hospice aides who
are currently certified by the departments of Children and Families
(DCF) or Developmental Services (DDS), in addition to those certified
by DPH, as under current law.
Under current law, unchanged by the bill:
1. RNs cannot delegate medication administration to these
unlicensed personnel if a prescribing practitioner requires a
medication to be administered only by a licensed nurse;
2. unlicensed personnel must renew their certification every three
years; and
3. residential care homes that admit residents requiring medication
administration assistance must employ a sufficient number of
unlicensed personnel certified by DPH, DCF, or DDS to perform
this function.
The bill also makes related technical and conforming changes to
provisions requiring DPH to adopt regulations to carry out the
medication administration delegation provisions.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2022
2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 8 4/19/22
§ 14, 16 & 17 — SCOPE OF PRACTICE REVIEW
Reduces, by two weeks, the timeframe of certain steps of DPH’s scope of practice review
process for health care professions; requires DPH to establish a scope of practice review
committee to determine whether it should regulate midwives who are ineligible for nurse-
midwife licensure and report its findings to the Public Health Committee
Existing law establishes a process to review requests from
representatives of health care professions seeking to establish or revise
a scope of practice prior to consideration by the legislature. Within
available appropriations, DPH appoints members to scope of practice
review committees (see BACKGROUND).
The bill moves up deadlines for certain steps in this process as shown
in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Scope of Practice Review Step Deadlines
Scope of Practice Review Step Deadline Under
Current Law
Deadline Under
the Bill
DPH must notify the Public Health Committee and
post on its website any scope of practice request it
receives
September 15 September 1
Representatives of health care professions directly
impacted by a submitted scope of practice request
may submit an impact statement to DPH and
provide a copy to the requestor
October 1 September 15
Requestor must submit a written response to an
impact statement to DPH and the entity that
provided the statement
October 15 October 1
DPH commissioner must establish and appoint
members to a scope of practice review committee
November 1 October 15
The bill also makes related conforming changes.
Midwife Scope of Practice Review
Additionally, the bill requires the DPH commissioner to conduct a
scope of practice review, under the existing process for scope of practice
review committees, to determine whether DPH should regulate
midwives who are ineligible for nurse-midwife licensure. The
commissioner must report the committee’s findings and
recommendations to the Public Health Committee by February 1, 2023. 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 9 4/19/22
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 15 — STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS FOR NURSING
Expands the duties of the State Board of Examiners for Nursing; requires DPH, instead of
the board, to post a list of all approved nursing education programs for registered nurses
and licensed practical nurses; and eliminates a requirement that DPH adopt regulations
on adult education practical nursing training programs offered in high schools
The bill codifies current practice by expanding the duties of the State
Board of Examiners for Nursing to explicitly include (1) approving
nursing schools in the state that prepare individuals for state licensure
and (2) where possible, consulting with nationally recognized
accrediting agencies when doing so.
The bill also requires DPH, instead of the board, to post on the
department’s website a list of all approved nursing education programs
for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses.
Additionally, the bill eliminates the requirement that DPH adopt
regulations on adult education practical nursing training programs
offered in high schools or through the Technical Education and Career
System (i.e., technical high schools) for students without a high school
diploma. (In practice, these programs have all closed.)
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 18 — CONTINUING EDUCATI ON (CE) FOR OPTOMETRISTS
Explicitly allows online CE classes; increases, from six to ten, the number of CE credit
hours that can be earned without attending in-person
Currently, optometrists must earn at least 20 hours of CE during each
annual registration period, of which up to six can be earned through a
home study or distance learning program. The bill specifies that online
education is an allowed means of earning CE credit.
The bill increases to 10 hours the amount of CE credit that
optometrists can earn through courses that are not in-person. But it
limits to:
1. five hours the amount of CE credit that can be earned through
asynchronous online education, distance learning, or home study 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 10 4/19/22
programs and
2. ten hours the amount of CE credit that can be earned though
synchronous online education that includes opportunities for
live instruction.
Under the bill, “synchronous online education” is a live online class
conducted in real time. “Asynchronous online education” is a program
in which (1) the instructor, learner, and other participants are not
engaged in the learning process at the same time; (2) there is no real-
time interaction between participants and instructors; and (3) the
educational content is created and made available for later
consumption.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§§ 19 & 20 — MINOR AND TECHNICAL CHANGES
Makes technical changes to statutory provisions on (1) outpatient mental health treatment
provided to minors without parental consent and (2) physician assistant licensure
Current law requires physician assistants to receive at least two hours
of training every six years in post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide risk,
depression, grief, and suicide prevention administered by the American
Association of Physician Assistants. The bill makes a minor change to
instead reference the American Academy of Physician Assistants and
allows trainings administered by any successor organization to the
academy.
The bill also makes technical changes to statutory provisions on (1)
providing outpatient mental health treatment to minors without
parental consent and (2) other physician assistant licensure
requirements.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 21 — EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD
REPORT
Changes, from December 31 to April 1, the date by which the DPH commissioner must
annually report to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Advisory Board on specified
information on EMS calls; delays the date the next report is due until April 1, 2023 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 11 4/19/22
The bill changes, from December 31 to April 1, the date by which the
DPH commissioner must annually report to the Emergency Medical
Services Advisory Board. It also delays the date the next report is due
until April 1, 2023.
By law, the report must include the number of emergency medical
services (EMS) calls received during the year; response times; level of
EMS required; names of EMS providers responding; and the number of
passed, cancelled, and mutual aid calls.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 22 — AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES
Expands the statutory definition of “authorized emergency vehicle” to include all
authorized EMS vehicles, instead of only ambulances, as under current law
The bill broadens the statutory definition of “authorized emergency
vehicle” as used in the laws establishing those vehicles’ rights and
motorists’ responsibilities with respect to them (e.g., generally, these
vehicle drivers may exceed posted speed limits and motorist must pull
to the right when the vehicle is using its sirens or lights).
The bill expands the definition to include all authorized emergency
medical services vehicles, instead of only ambulances, as under current
law. In doing so, it includes invalid coaches, advanced emergency
technician-staffed intercept vehicles, and paramedic-staffed intercept
vehicles licensed or certified by DPH to provide emergency medical
care.
Under current law, unchanged by the bill, authorized emergency
vehicles also include fire and police department vehicles.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§§ 31-32 — ONLINE PAYMENTS FOR VITAL RECORDS
Specifies DPH must approve any locally allowed online payment methods
The bill specifies that if a registrar of vital statistics allows online
payments for vital records (e.g., a birth certificate), the DPH
commissioner or her designee must approve any associated 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 12 4/19/22
requirements. Under the bill, this applies to payments for short- and
long-form birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, and
original birth certificates.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 33 — STATE FOOD CODE
Generally exempts from the state’s model food code requirements, certain owner-occupied
bed and breakfast establishments and noncommercial functions, such as bake sales and
potluck suppers at educational, religious, political, or charitable organizations
Existing law requires DPH, by January 1, 2023, to adopt the federal
Food and Drug Administration’s Food Code as the state’s food code
regulating food establishments. The bill exempts from the food code’s
requirements:
1. owner-occupied bed-and-breakfast establishments (a) with no
more than 16 occupants, (b) with no provisions for cooking or
warming food in guest rooms, (c) where breakfast is the only
meal offered, and (d) that notify guests that food is prepared in
a kitchen unregulated by the local health department and
2. noncommercial functions, including bake sales or potluck
suppers at educational, religious, political, or charitable
organizations.
Under current law, these entities must comply with the food code
but are exempt from having to employ a certified food protection
manger and any related reporting requirements.
Existing law, unchanged by the bill, requires that sellers at
noncommercial functions maintain the food under the temperature, pH
level, and water acidity level conditions that inhibit the growth of
infectious or toxic microorganisms (CGS § 21a-115).
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 34 — TECHNICAL CHANGE
Corrects a reference to statutes on the Clean Water Fund
The bill corrects a reference to statutes concerning the Clean Water 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 13 4/19/22
Fund in a provision limiting the types of funds the Green Bank’s
Environmental Infrastructure Fund may receive.
§ 35 — CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS
Establishes minimum and maximum amounts of CE earned online
Existing law allows licensed psychologists to earn up to five of their
ten annually required CE credits through online classes, distance
learning, or home study. The bill specifies that the five-hour cap applies
to asynchronous online classes, distance learning, and home study.
The bill additionally requires psychologists to earn at least five hours
of CE credit through synchronous online education. (In doing so, it only
allows licensees to complete up to five of their required 10 CE credits in
person.)
Under the bill, “synchronous online education” is a live online class
conducted in real time. “Asynchronous online education” is a program
in which (1) the instructor, learner, and other participants are not
engaged in the learning process at the same time; (2) there is no real-
time interaction between participants and instructors; and (3) the
educational content is created and made availab le for later
consumption.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 36 — SOCIAL WORKER MINIMUM STAFFING REQUIREMENTS IN
NURSING HOMES
Specifies that existing law’s minimum social worker staffing requirement in nursing
homes of one social worker per 60 residents is a number of hours that must vary
proportionally based on the number of residents in the home; allows the DPH
commissioner to implement policies and procedures while adopting minimum staffing
requirements in regulation
Current law requires DPH to establish minimum staffing level
requirements for social workers in nursing homes of one full-time social
worker per 60 residents. The bill specifies that this requirement is a
number of hours based on this ratio that must vary proportionally based
on the number of residents in the home (e.g., a home with 90 residents
would require 1.5 full-time social workers instead of two). 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 14 4/19/22
Existing law, unchanged by the bill, also requires DPH to modify
minimum nursing home staffing requirements to include (1) at least
three hours of direct care per resident per day and (2) recreational staff
at levels the commissioner deems appropriate. She must also adopt
regulations to implement these requirements.
The bill allows the DPH commissioner to implement policies and
procedures while in the process of adopting the new staffing
requirements in regulation. She must publish notice of intent to adopt
the regulation in the eRegulations system within 20 days after
implementing them. Under the bill, the policies and procedures are
valid until the final regulations are adopted.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§§ 37-38 — STATEWIDE HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE
Allows the Office of Health Strategy executive director to implement policies and
procedures while adopting regulations to (1) administer the Statewide Health Information
Exchange and (2) require certain health care institutions and providers to connect to and
participate in the exchange
The bill allows the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) executive director
to implement policies and procedures while in the process of adopting
regulations to (1) administer the Statewide Health Information
Exchange and (2) require certain health care institutions and providers
to connect to and participate in the exchange. Under the bill, the
executive director must publish notice of the intent to adopt the
regulations within 20 days after implementing them. The policies and
procedures are valid until final regulations take effect.
By law, OHS has administrative authority over the Statewide Health
Information Exchange, which among other things, must allow real-time,
secure access to patient health information across all provider settings.
Under existing law, providers must begin the process of connecting
to and participating in the exchange:
1. for hospitals, within one year after the exchange began (it became
operational May 3, 2021), and 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 15 4/19/22
2. for health care providers with compatible electronic health
records systems, two years after the exchange began.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 40 — DOULA ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Requires DPH, within available resources, to establish an 18-member Doula Advisory
Committee to develop recommendations on (1) certification requirements for doulas and
(2) standards for recognizing training programs that meet the certification requirements
The bill requires the DPH commissioner, within available resources,
to establish an 18-member Doula Advisory Committee within the
department to develop recommendations on (1) requirements for initial
and renewal doula certification, including training, experience, and
continuing education requirements, and (2) standards for recognizing
doula training program curricula sufficient to satisfy the certification
requirements. Under the bill, a doula is a trained, nonmedical
professional who provides physical, emotional, and informational
support, virtually or in person, to a pregnant person before, during, and
after birth.
Membership
Under the bill, the DPH commissioner, or her designee is the
chairperson of the advisory committee. Additional members include (1)
the commissioners of social services, mental health and addiction
services, and early childhood, or their designees and (2) 14 members
appointed by the DPH commissioner, or her designee, as follows:
1. seven actively practicing doulas in the state;
2. one licensed nurse-midwife who has experience working as a
doula;
3. one representative of an acute care hospital, appointed in
consultation with the Connecticut Hospital Association;
4. one representative of an association representing hospitals and
health-related organizations in the state;
5. one licensed health care provider who specializes in obstetrics 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 16 4/19/22
and has experience working with a doula;
6. one representative of a community-based doula training
organization;
7. one representative of a community-based maternal and child
health organization; and
8. one member with expertise in health equity.
Review Committee
The bill requires the advisory committee, by January 15, 2023, to
establish a Doula Training Program Review Committee to (1) conduct a
continuous review of doula training programs and (2) provide a list of
approved doula training programs in Connecticut that meet the
advisory committee’s certification requirements.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 41 — SAFE HARBOR LEGISLATION
Requires the DPH commissioner to (1) study whether the state should adopt “safe harbor”
legislation allowing certain unlicensed practitioners to provide alternative health care
services and (2) report to the Public Health Committee by January 1, 2023
The bill requires the DPH commissioner to study whether the state
should adopt “safe harbor” legislation and report to the Public Health
Committee by January 1, 2023.
Under the bill, this legislation would allow alternative health
practitioners who are not licensed, certified, or registered to provide
traditional health care services in the state to provide alternative health
care services without violating state laws on unlicensed medical
practice. These services include, at a minimum, aromatherapy, energetic
healing, healing touch, herbology or herbalism, meditation and mind-
body practices, polarity therapy, reflexology, and Reiki.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
BACKGROUND
Scope of Practice Review Committees 2022HB-05500-R000528-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 17 4/19/22
By law, DPH must appoint members to scope of practice review
committee to evaluate scope of practice requests from representatives of
health care professions. The committees consist of (1) the DPH
commissioner or her designee (who serves as the committee chairperson
and in a non-voting capacity), (2) two members representing the
profession making the request, and (3) two members recommended by
each person or entity that submitted a written impact statement to
represent the professions directly impacted by the request. DPH may
also appoint additional members representing health care professions
with a close relationship to the underlying scope of practice request
(CGS § 19a-16e).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Health Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 30 Nay 0 (03/30/2022)