[atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to arthritis prevention and control; and adding a new chapter to Title 70 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that:

(a) Arthritis encompasses more than one hundred diseases and conditions that affect joints, the surrounding tissues, and other connective tissues;

(b) One of the most common chronic conditions in the United States, arthritis affects nearly one of every six Americans, and will impact an estimated sixty million people by 2020;

(c) Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States, limiting daily activities for more than seven million citizens;

(d) Although prevailing myths inaccurately portray arthritis as an old person's disease, arthritis is a multigenerational disease, affecting roughly one-quarter of a million children, that has become one of the country's most pressing public health problems;

(e) This disease has a significant impact on quality of life, not only for the individual who experiences its painful symptoms and resulting disability, but also for family members and caregivers;

(f) compounding this picture are the enormous economic and social costs associated with treating arthritis and its complications, which are estimated at almost eighty billion dollars annually;

(g) Currently, the challenge exists to ensure delivery of effective, but often underutilized, interventions that are necessary in the prevention or reduction of arthritis-related pain and disability;

(h) Although there exists a large quantity of public information and programs about arthritis, it remains inadequately disseminated and insufficient in addressing the needs of specific diverse populations and other underserved groups;

(i) The arthritis foundation, the United States centers for disease control and prevention, and the association of state and territorial health officials have led the development of a public health strategy, the national arthritis action plan, to respond to this challenge; and

(j) Educating the public and the health care community throughout the state about this devastating disease is of paramount importance and is in every respect in the public interest and to the benefit of all residents of the state of Washington.

(2) The purposes of this chapter are:

(a) To create and foster a statewide program that promotes public awareness and increases knowledge about the causes of arthritis, the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate management, effective prevention strategies, and pain prevention and management;

(b) To develop knowledge and enhance understanding of arthritis by disseminating educational materials, information on research results, services provided, and strategies for prevention and control to patients, health professionals, and the public;

(c) To establish a solid scientific base of knowledge on the prevention of arthritis and related disability through surveillance, epidemiology, and prevention research;

(d) To utilize educational and training resources and services developed by organizations with appropriate expertise and knowledge of arthritis and to use available technical assistance;

(e) To evaluate the need for improving the quality and accessibility of existing community-based arthritis services;

(f) To heighten awareness about the prevention, detection, and treatment of arthritis among state and local health and human services officials, health professionals and providers, and policy makers;

(g) To implement and coordinate state and local programs and services to reduce the public health burden of arthritis;

(h) To adequately fund these programs on a state level; and

(i) To provide lasting improvements in the delivery of health care for individuals with arthritis and their families, thus improving their quality of life while also containing health care costs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The department of health must establish, promote, and maintain an arthritis prevention and control program in order to raise public awareness, educate consumers, educate and train health processionals, teachers, and human services providers, and for other purposes.

(2) The department of health must conduct a needs assessment to identify:

(a) Epidemiological and other public health research being conducted within the state;

(b) Available technical assistance and educational materials and programs nationwide and within the state;

(d) The needs of people with arthritis, their families, and caregivers;

(e) Educational and support service needs of health care providers, including physicians, nurses, managed care organizations, and other health care providers;

(f) The services available to a person with arthritis;

(g) The existence of arthritis treatment, self-management, physical activity, and other education programs; and

(h) The existence of rehabilitation services.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The secretary of health must:

(1) Provide sufficient staff to implement the arthritis prevention and control program;

(2) Provide appropriate training for staff of the arthritis prevention and control program;

(3) Identify the appropriate organizations to carry out the program;

(4) Base the program on the most current scientific information and findings;

(5) Work to increase and improve community-based services available to people with arthritis and their family members;

(6) Work with governmental offices, national voluntary health organizations and their local chapters, community and business leaders, community organizations, and health care and human services providers to coordinate efforts and maximize state resources in the areas of prevention, education, detection, pain management, and treatment of arthritis; and

(7) Identify and, when appropriate, use evidence-based arthritis programs and obtain related materials and services from organizations with appropriate expertise and knowledge of arthritis.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The department of health must coordinate an advisory panel on arthritis that will provide nongovernmental input regarding the arthritis prevention and control program created in section 2 of this act. Membership includes, but is not limited to, persons with arthritis, public health educators, medical experts on arthritis, providers of arthritis health care, persons knowledgeable in health promotion and education, and representatives of national arthritis organizations and their local chapters.

(2) The department of health must use, but is not limited to, strategies consistent with the national arthritis action plan and existing state planning efforts to raise public awareness and knowledge on the causes and nature of arthritis, personal risk factors, the value of prevention and early detection, ways to minimize preventable pain, and options for diagnosing and treating the disease.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. (1) The department of health may replicate and use successful arthritis programs and enter into either contracts or purchase materials or services, or both, from entities with appropriate expertise for such services and materials as are necessary to carry out the goals of the arthritis prevention and control program.

(2) The department of health may enter into agreements with national organizations with expertise in arthritis to implement parts of the arthritis prevention and control program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The secretary of health may accept grants, services, and property from the federal government, foundations, organizations, medical schools, and other entities as may be available for the purposes of fulfilling the obligations of this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The secretary of health must seek any federal waiver or waivers that may be necessary to maximize funds from the federal government to implement this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. This chapter may be known and cited as the arthritis prevention and control act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Sections 1 through 8 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 70 RCW.