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AB-673 Office of Multicultural Health: LGBT communities.(2011-2012)

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Assembly Bill No. 673
CHAPTER 639

An act to amend Section 152 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to public health.

[ Approved by Governor  October 09, 2011. Filed with Secretary of State  October 09, 2011. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 673, John A. Pérez. Office of Multicultural Health: LGBT communities.
Existing law establishes the Office of Multicultural Health within the State Department of Public Health. Existing law requires the office to perform various duties on behalf of the State Department of Public Health and the State Department of Health Care Services relating to the state’s racial and ethnic communities.
This bill would require the office to also perform those duties with respect to the state’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 152 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

152.
 (a) The office shall do all of the following on behalf of the State Department of Health Care Services and the State Department of Public Health:
(1) Perform strategic planning within these departments to develop departmentwide plans for implementation of goals and objectives to close the gaps in health status and access to care among the state’s diverse racial and ethnic communities and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities.
(2) Conduct departmental policy analysis on specific issues related to multicultural health.
(3) Coordinate pilot projects and planning projects funded by the state that are related to improving the effectiveness of services to ethnic and racial communities and the LGBT communities.
(4) Identify the unnecessary duplication of services and future service needs.
(5) Communicate and disseminate information and perform a liaison function within the departments and to providers of health, social, educational, and support services to racial and ethnic communities and the LGBT communities. The office shall consult regularly with representatives from diverse racial and ethnic communities and the LGBT communities, including health providers, advocates, and consumers.
(6) Perform internal staff training, an internal assessment of cultural competency, and training of health care professionals to ensure more linguistically and culturally competent care.
(7) Serve as a resource for ensuring that programs keep data and information regarding ethnic and racial health statistics and information based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, strategies and programs that address multicultural health issues, including, but not limited to, infant mortality, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), child and adult immunization, asthma, unintentional and intentional injury, and obesity, as well as issues that impact the health of racial and ethnic communities and the LGBT communities, including substance abuse, mental health, housing, teenage pregnancy, environmental disparities, immigrant and migrant health, and health insurance and delivery systems.
(8) Encourage innovative responses by public and private entities that are attempting to address multicultural health issues.
(9) Provide technical assistance to counties, other public entities, and private entities seeking to obtain funds for initiatives in multicultural health, including identification of funding sources and assistance with writing grants.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the office shall biennially prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on the status of the activities required by this chapter.