HBA-MPM H.B. 1864 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1864 By: Capelo Public Health 3/15/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Community health advisors, also known as promotoras, have assisted public health providers in serving individuals and communities in the border region for quite some time. Promotoras provide such services to health centers as assisting in daily clinical activities such as case conferences, patient education, referrals to other health and social services, and volunteer coordination. In the community, promotoras may conduct needs assessments, distribute surveys to identify barriers to health care delivery, and make home visits for patient education and follow-up. Additionally, through their bilingual skills, they help families talk to their health care providers. By 1998, at least 30 promotora projects operated in the Texas border region. The level of training promotoras receive varies, however, as the state has no uniform optional training program for these individuals. A uniform training program would enable a health care provider to know what training a promotora has received. H.B. 1864 establishes a temporary committee to study issues related to the development of a uniform Optional Promotora Outreach Program, which includes a standard curriculum for volunteers, a certification program for paid promotoras, the information a promotora should make available to the community, and a method to evaluate the success of the program. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. PURPOSE. Sets forth the purpose of this Act. SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS. Defines "committee" as the Optional Promotora Program Development Committee, "department" as the Texas Department of Health, "program " as the Optional Promotora Outreach Program, and "promotora" as a community health outreach volunteer who provides community services with regard to public health, public sanitation, and related matters, including providing information to and receiving information from members of a community. Includes persons who are not health care professionals in the definition of "promotion." SECTION 3. COMMITTEE. Requires the department to establish the committee to study the development of a framework for the program and to advise the governor and legislature regarding its findings and recommendations. Provides that the committee is composed of 12 members, and sets forth its composition. Makes Chapter 2110 (State Agency Advisory Committees), Government Code, inapplicable to the committee, except that Section 2110.005 (Agency-Developed Statement of Purpose; Reporting Requirements) does apply. Provides that a committee member is not entitled to compensation for committee service. Provides that reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in performing duties as a committee member by a member who is an officer or state government employee are reimbursed as expenses incurred in the performance of that member's duties as a state officer or employee. Entitles the two committee members currently serving as promotoras to reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses as provided by the General Appropriations Act and out of appropriations to the department. Provides that other committee members are not entitled to reimbursement expenses. Requires the department to provide staff support to the committee. Requires the committee to meet at the presiding officer's request and as provided by procedural rules or schedules adopted by the committee. SECTION 4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF COMMITTEE. Requires the committee to develop a framework for the program, including, at a minimum, the development of a standard training curriculum, an optional certification program for promotoras, standardized information that a promotora should make available to the community, and a method to evaluate the program's success. Requires the committee, in devising this framework, to consult with nationally recognized experts in the field of lay community health outreach workers and to evaluate the feasibility of seeking a federal waiver so that promotora services may be included as a reimbursable service provided under the state Medicaid program. Requires the committee to submit a report to the department, the governor, and the presiding officer of each house of the legislature that includes its findings and proposed framework for the program no later than November 1, 2000. SECTION 5. FUNDING. Requires the department to pay for costs of the committee's activities out of money appropriated to the department that may be used for that purpose. SECTION 6. EXPIRATION. Provides that the committee is abolished and this Act expires December 31, 2000. SECTION 7. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 8. Emergency clause.