EMS/Trauma: Drowning Update

each year beginning in 2022.

The Council must: • Consult with experts on rare diseases and solicit public comment to assist in developing recommendations on improving the treatment of rare diseases in this state. • Develop recommended strategies for academic research institutions in this state to facilitate continued research on rare diseases. • Develop recommended strategies for health care providers to be informed on how to more efficiently recognize and diagnose rare diseases in order to effectively treat patients. • Provide written input and feedback to the DOH, the Medicaid program, and other state agencies on specified matters.

HB 183: Office of Minority Health

In Florida, minority populations experience higher rates of illness and death from health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, specific cancers, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, mental health, asthma, and obesity. The Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, housed within the Department of Health (DOH), is responsible for helping to improve health and healthcare outcomes for racial and ethnic minority communities by developing or advancing policies, programs, and practices that address health, social, economic, environmental, and other factors that impact health. Under current law, the Office must be headed by a Senior Health Equity Officer, who must administer the Closing the Gap grant program in a manner that maximizes the impact of the grants in achieving health equity.

HB 183 requires the Office to develop and promote statewide implementation of policies, programs, and practices that increase health equity for racial and ethnic minority populations in Florida. The bill requires the Office to work with other state agencies, organizations, and providers to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through data analysis and the development of health policies and programs that will help eliminate health disparities. The bill requires one representative from each county health department to serve as a minority health liaison and requires minority health liaisons to assist the Office in the implementation of the bill. The bill also authorizes the Office to serve as a liaison to and assist the federal Offices of Minority Health and Regional Health Operations, as appropriate.

HB 1381: Maternal Health Outcomes

HB 1381 allows the Closing the Gap (CTG) grant program to fund projects directed at decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in severe maternal morbidity and other maternal outcomes. The bill also adds maternal health programs to existing community-based programs the DOH is required to coordinate. The bill creates telehealth minority maternity care pilot programs in Duval and Orange Counties to expand the capacity for positive maternal health outcomes in racial and ethnic minority populations. The pilot programs are required to use telehealth or coordinate with prenatal home visiting programs to provide services and education to eligible pregnant women and provide training to participating health care practitioners and other perinatal professionals. The bill requires that legislative appropriated funds for the CTG grant program be used to fund the pilot programs. The bill also requires that the DOH’s Division of Community Health Promotion and Office of Minority Health and Health Equity work together to apply for available federal funds to assist in the implementation of the bill.

HB 701: Behavioral Health Care Services

Building on FCEP’s focus of increasing access to mental health coverage, especially as we struggle to find patients access to care outside the ED, HB 701 requires the Department of Financial Services (DFS) to submit a report, by January 31, 2022, to the Legislature and the Governor regarding complaints received from insureds and subscribers about the adequacy of coverage and access to mental health services through their individual or group health insurance policies or health maintenance organization (HMO) contracts.

Further, the bill requires insurers and HMOs to provide insureds and subscribers a direct notice regarding the federal and state coverage requirements for mental health services, as well as contact information for the Division of Consumer Services within the DFS. Insurers and HMOs are also required to make this information available on their website.

HB 673: DNA Evidence Collection

HB 673 creates “Gail’s Law” to require FDLE, subject to an appropriation and no later than July 1, 2023, to create and maintain a statewide database tracking the location, processing status, and storage of each Sexual Assault Kits (SAK or rape kits) collected after the database is implemented.

The database must be accessible by law enforcement, alleged victims, and alleged victims’ parents, guardians, or other representatives. The database must track the status of a SAK from its collection throughout the criminal justice process all the way through the kit’s destruction. The bill requires FDLE to adopt rules and specified entities to participate in the database in accordance with those rules. The bill also requires FDLE to ensure that every victim or victim’s representative is notified that the database exists and is provided with instructions on how to use it. Under the bill, a victim must be notified when the analysis of his or her SAK results in a DNA match, but such notification must not release any identifying information of the match. The bill authorizes FDLE to phase in participation according to region, volume of kits, and other criteria, but requires all entities in the chain of custody to fully participate in the statewide database no later than one year after it is created. The bill also requires FDLE to apply for any available grant funds to assist in implementing the database.