Florida Senate - 2019                             CS for SB 1436
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Appropriations; and Senator Gibson
       
       
       
       
       
       576-04184-19                                          20191436c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to Closing the Gap grant proposals;
    3         amending s. 381.7354, F.S.; prohibiting the Department
    4         of Health from establishing a minimum amount or a
    5         maximum amount for Closing the Gap grants; requiring
    6         that the amount of each award be based on the merits
    7         of each application and that grants be awarded to
    8         applicants in various regions of the state; removing
    9         provisions related to Front Porch Florida Communities;
   10         amending s. 381.7355, F.S.; adding a priority area
   11         that may be addressed in a Closing the Gap grant
   12         proposal; providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Section 381.7354, Florida Statutes, is amended
   17  to read:
   18         381.7354 Eligibility.—
   19         (1) Any person, entity, or organization within a county may
   20  apply for a Closing the Gap grant and may serve as the lead
   21  agency to administer and coordinate project activities within
   22  the county and develop community partnerships necessary to
   23  implement the grant.
   24         (2) Persons, entities, or organizations within adjoining
   25  counties with populations of less than 100,000, based on the
   26  annual estimates produced by the Population Program of the
   27  University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research,
   28  may jointly submit a multicounty Closing the Gap grant proposal.
   29  However, the proposal must clearly identify a single lead agency
   30  with respect to program accountability and administration.
   31         (3) The department may not establish a minimum amount or a
   32  maximum amount for grants and shall determine the amount of each
   33  award based on the merits of the application. The department
   34  shall ensure that grants are awarded to applicants in various
   35  regions of the state In addition to the grants awarded under
   36  subsections (1) and (2), up to 20 percent of the funding for the
   37  Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: Closing the Gap
   38  grant program shall be dedicated to projects that address
   39  improving racial and ethnic health status within specific Front
   40  Porch Florida Communities.
   41         (4) Nothing in ss. 381.7351-381.7356 shall prevent a
   42  person, entity, or organization within a county or group of
   43  counties from separately contracting for the provision of racial
   44  and ethnic health promotion, health awareness, and disease
   45  prevention services.
   46         Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 381.7355, Florida
   47  Statutes, is amended to read:
   48         381.7355 Project requirements; review criteria.—
   49         (2) A proposal must include each of the following elements:
   50         (a) The purpose and objectives of the proposal, including
   51  identification of the particular racial or ethnic disparity the
   52  project will address. The proposal must address one or more of
   53  the following priority areas:
   54         1. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and
   55  infant mortality rates.
   56         2. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
   57  and mortality rates relating to cancer.
   58         3. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
   59  and mortality rates relating to HIV/AIDS.
   60         4. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
   61  and mortality rates relating to cardiovascular disease.
   62         5. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
   63  and mortality rates relating to diabetes.
   64         6. Increasing adult and child immunization rates in certain
   65  racial and ethnic populations.
   66         7. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in oral health
   67  care.
   68         8. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
   69  and mortality rates relating to sickle cell disease.
   70         9. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
   71  and mortality rates relating to Lupus.
   72         10. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity
   73  and mortality rates relating to Alzheimer’s disease and
   74  dementia.
   75         11.10.Improving Improve neighborhood social determinants
   76  of health, such as transportation, safety, and food access, as
   77  outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s
   78  “Tools for Putting Social Determinants of Health into Action.”
   79         (b) Identification and relevance of the target population.
   80         (c) Methods for obtaining baseline health status data and
   81  assessment of community health needs.
   82         (d) Mechanisms for mobilizing community resources and
   83  gaining local commitment.
   84         (e) Development and implementation of health promotion and
   85  disease prevention interventions.
   86         (f) Mechanisms and strategies for evaluating the project’s
   87  objectives, procedures, and outcomes.
   88         (g) A proposed work plan, including a timeline for
   89  implementing the project.
   90         (h) Likelihood that project activities will occur and
   91  continue in the absence of funding.
   92         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.