HBA-MPM S.B. 1289 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1289
By: Carona
Public Health
5/8/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The purpose of an injury prevention center is to reduce the incidence and
severity of injuries through education, public information, data
collection, community advocacy, and research. Senate Bill 1289 requires the
Texas Department of Health (TDH) to designate a model center for injury
prevention for the state and requires the model center to coordinate injury
prevention control activities for the state in the manner prescribed by TDH
rule.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Department of Health in
SECTION 1 (Section 780.002, Health and Safety Code) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 1289 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Texas
Department of Health (TDH) to designate a model center for injury
prevention for the state (model center). The bill establishes the criteria
an injury prevention center must meet in order to be designated as the
model center.  The bill provides that TDH's designation is for a five-year
period.  The model center is required to coordinate injury prevention
control activities for the state in the manner that TDH prescribes by rule.
TDH is authorized to adopt rules permitting the model center to provide
services for regions served by other injury prevention centers in Texas as
necessary to maximize efficient use of resources and provide appropriate
services.  The bill requires the model center to affiliate with a level
one, two, or three trauma center as defined by the American College of
Surgeons.  The bill requires the model center to work with communities and
neighborhoods to establish injury prevention priorities, help communities
define and implement interventions, maintain a best practices website,
develop links between electronic databases to provide data to community
entities, bring community entities together to address injury issues, and
undertake a continuing epidemiologic evaluation of the effectiveness of
community-based interventions in reducing the number and extent of injuries
and in reducing costs. 

S.B. 1289 requires the model center to serve as the statewide resource
center to provide:  

_assistance on how to develop and implement an injury prevention program;

_assistance on how to develop effective coalitions;

_public awareness campaigns on injury reductions; and 

_technical assistance on how to develop and implement an evaluation process
to determine the effectiveness of injury prevention interventions. 
  
The model center is required to develop and publish a statewide strategic
plan regarding the center's activities and ways to improve injury
prevention efforts in Texas. 

 S.B. 1289 authorizes the model center to conduct a research program to
improve treatment for trauma victims and to reduce the severity of trauma
injuries.  The center is authorized to accept gifts or grants to be used
for research.  TDH is authorized to approve grants to the model center
according to rules adopted under the provisions of this bill.  The bill
also authorizes TDH to accept gifts or grants for purposes related to the
model center. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.