AN ACT Relating to regional health promotion and disease prevention districts; adding new sections to chapter 43.70 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

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

(1) The current system of health care and public health has been remarkably successful in identifying and reducing or eradicating many contagious or infectious diseases that were major public health threats in years past.

(2) Much of the illness and injury in recent years is the result of heart disease, substance abuse, cancer, accidents, and other conditions that can be prevented if individuals modify their personal behaviors and lifestyles.

(3) State, local, and private agencies have been established to plan and deliver social and health services to the public and to those who do not have the means to pay for care, but these services are designed to arrest, treat, or cure illnesses and injuries, not to prevent them or the conditions under which they are known to spread.

(4) Many methods known to reduce risk factors are not being promoted sufficiently to prevent the spread of these diseases.

(5) No entity in state or local government is presently charged with responsibility to determine the risk factors that lead to the diseases that are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality or to take action to reduce them, to promote health, and to prevent illness.

(6) These activities are essential to the protection and promotion of public health and should be pursued by local health departments and the state department of health.

The purpose of this act is to provide a center within government to encourage individuals, voluntary community associations and groups, and others to take actions necessary to protect the health of individuals. The legislature does not intend to authorize the delivery of social or personal health care services through this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. There is established within the department of health a division of health promotion and disease prevention whose principal administrator shall report to the secretary. The division shall contain departmental functions that the secretary determines are most directly related to the promotion of health and the prevention of disease, consistent with the organizational principles set forth in RCW 43.70.020. The division shall collaborate with other entities within the department and other state, local, federal, and private agencies to use available information to:

(1) Identify the leading causes of illness and injury to Washington citizens;

(2) Isolate the causes and risk factors for these illnesses and injuries;

(3) Identify strategies that have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing these illnesses, injuries, causes, or risk factors;

(4) Act as a clearinghouse and consultive resource for local health departments and voluntary community associations that wish to implement these strategies;

(5) Request and receive funds, gifts, grants, or appropriations from the legislature, the federal government, or private sources to pursue the department's duties under this section;

(6) Assess and report on promising strategies to promote health and prevent disease; and

(7) Provide grants to local health departments to enable citizens and communities to adopt behaviors that have demonstrated effectiveness in promoting health and preventing illness or injury.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The department shall establish a state-wide system of regional health promotion and disease prevention districts as follows:

(1) The department shall designate six regional health promotion and disease prevention districts encompassing the state. In doing so, the department shall use the boundaries of the regional structures in place for the community services administration on January 1, 1988.

(2) The department shall request that a lead county within each region, which shall be the county with the largest population, prepare, through a cooperative effort of local health departments within the region, a regional organizational and service plan, which meets the requirements set forth in subsection (3) of this section. Efforts should be made to use existing plans, where appropriate. The plan should place emphasis on contracting with local voluntary organizations, community groups, and health care organizations within a region that have provided services similar to those mentioned in subsection (3) of this section and that have demonstrated an interest in providing any of the components listed in subsection (3) of this section. The plan shall also provide for support for existing programs and programs by schools, community colleges, and universities. If any of the counties within a region do not participate, it shall be the lead county's responsibility to develop the part of the plan for the nonparticipating county or counties. If all of the counties within a region do not participate, the department shall assume the responsibility.

(3) The regional health promotion and disease prevention plan shall be submitted by November 1990, and shall include:

(a) An identification of the causes and risk factors for illness and injury within the region;

(b) An identification of the efforts already underway to deal with them;

(d) The statement of new proven effective strategies to be implemented to promote health and prevent diseases which shall be signed by all health districts, county governments operating social services or juvenile courts, school districts, and community colleges in the region.

(4) Regional health promotion and disease prevention district plans may not include the delivery of direct social or health services.

(5) The department shall implement this section, consistent with available funds, by October 1, 1990, by establishing six health promotion and disease prevention districts. Available funding for regional health promotion and disease prevention districts shall be allocated in grants based on the number of persons residing within each region. The grants shall require a twenty-five percent local match.

(6) The state public health officer, as designated by the secretary of social and health services, shall make adequate efforts to publicize the existence and functions of the health promotion and disease prevention districts.

(7) If the department is not able to establish a district by an agreement solely with counties, it may contract with nonprofit agencies for any or all of the designated district responsibilities.

(8) The department shall reflect the funds necessary to implement this section in its departmental biennial budget request.

(9) The department shall submit an implementation plan to the appropriate committees of the legislature by July 1, 1990.

(10) The use of appropriate materials may be authorized by health promotion and disease prevention districts.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Sections 2 and 3 of this act are each added to chapter 43.70 RCW.