GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2009

S                                                                                                                                                     1

SENATE BILL 240

 

 

Short Title:        Fund High Priority Public Health Initiatives.

(Public)

Sponsors:

Senators Purcell,  Atwater, Dorsett, Forrester, Malone; Kinnaird, McKissick, and Swindell.

Referred to:

Appropriations/Base Budget.

February 19, 2009

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to appropriate funds to implement high priority Public Health initiatives, as recommended by the public health study commission.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of thirty‑six million five hundred sixty‑seven thousand five dollars ($36,567,005) for the 2009‑2010 fiscal year and the sum of thirty‑one million one hundred forty‑five thousand nine hundred seventy‑two dollars ($31,145,972) for the 2010‑2011 fiscal year.   Funds appropriated by this act shall be used to supplement and not supplant existing State, federal, county, or other funds allocated for the identified purpose. These funds shall be used to implement high priority initiatives of the Public Health Study Commission, and shall be allocated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, in the following amounts for the purposes indicated:

(1)        $18,200,000 in the 2009‑2010 fiscal year and $18,200,000 in the 2010‑2011 fiscal year  for noncategorical General Aid to County funds to build capacity for the 10 essential public health services in local health departments statewide.

(2)        $3,829,454 in the 2009‑2010 fiscal year and $3,829,454 in the 2010‑2011 fiscal year for Childhood Obesity Prevention to continue funding interventions in preschools, schools, communities, faith organizations, and health care settings that promote and support physical activity and healthy eating; and continue funding worksite chronic disease/obesity prevention programs for State employees.

(3)        $209,138   in the 2009‑2010 fiscal year and $199,304 in the 2010‑2011 fiscal year for counselors for HIV‑positive inmates released from State prisons to ensure that they are referred to HIV provider agencies for case management.

(4)        $5,000,000  in the 2009‑2010 fiscal year and $5,000,000 in the 2010‑2011 fiscal year  to hire 83 additional school nurses to work toward the goal of achieving a statewide school nurse to student ratio of 1:750.

(5)        $247,000 in the 2009‑2010 fiscal year and $247,000 in the 2010‑2011 fiscal year to improve birth outcomes by expanding utilization of 17‑Alpha Hydroxy Progesterone Caproate for low-income women to reduce recurrent preterm births; and by expanding and strengthening current statewide initiatives addressing SIDS risk reduction, Safe Sleep, and secondhand smoke exposure for women of reproductive age and their families.

(6)        $709,296 in the 2009‑2010 fiscal year and $1,418,592 in the 2010‑2011 fiscal year  to maintain compliance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in providing protection for children against influenza as part of the State's universal immunization program.

(7)        $86,756 in the 2009‑2010 fiscal year and $86,756 in the 2010‑2011 fiscal year to continue screening, public awareness, and other preventive efforts of the Diabetes and Kidney Programs.

(8)        $6,883,179 in the 2009‑2010 fiscal year and $1,815,684 in the 2010‑2011 fiscal year to hold the Early Intervention Program harmless for the loss of revenues associated with the rate reduction of Targeted Case Management services.

(9)        $352,182 in the 2009‑2010 fiscal year and $349,182 in the 2010‑2011 fiscal year for gonorrhea/chlamydia testing among men in local health department Sexually Transmitted Disease clinics.

(10)      $1,000,000 in the 2009‑2010 fiscal year for operation of the North Carolina Tobacco Quitline. These funds shall be used to maximize funding from the State alliance project being underwritten by the American Legacy Foundation to promote tobacco‑use cessation for adults.

(11)      $50,000 for the 2009‑2010 fiscal year to support further operation of the Stroke Advisory Council so that the Council may continue to identify and address the issues needed to establish a coordinated system of stroke care for the State and to improve stroke care provided in the State.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2009.