PRINTER'S NO. 313
No. 290 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BELFANTI, BLACKWELL, BUXTON,
CALTAGIRONE, CORRIGAN, CURRY, DeWEESE, FABRIZIO, LEVDANSKY,
STURLA, TIGUE, WASHINGTON, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GOODMAN,
HARHAI, JOSEPHS, LEACH, LEDERER, READSHAW, TANGRETTI, THOMAS,
YOUNGBLOOD, MANDERINO, MANN, McCALL, MELIO, S. MILLER,
PISTELLA, SANTONI, SHANER AND STETLER, FEBRUARY 8, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
FEBRUARY 8, 2005
AN ACT
1 Establishing an Office of Women's Health.
2 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
3 hereby enacts as follows:
4 Section 1. Short title.
5 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Women's
6 Health Act.
7 Section 2. Establishment.
8 The Office of Women's Health is hereby established within the
9 Department of Health.
10 Section 3. Strategy.
11 The Office of Women's Health shall develop a coordinated
12 State strategy for addressing the health-related needs of women.
13 Section 4. Powers.
14 The Office of Women's Health may do any of the following:
15 (1) Perform strategic planning within the Department of
1 Health to develop departmentwide plans for implementation of
2 goals and objectives for women's health.
3 (2) Conduct departmental policy analysis on specific
4 issues related to women's health.
5 (3) Coordinate pilot projects and planning projects
6 funded by the Commonwealth that are related to women's
7 health.
8 (4) Identify unnecessary duplication of services and
9 future service needs.
10 (5) Communicate and disseminate information and perform
11 a liaison function within the department and to providers of
12 health, social, educational and support services to women.
13 (6) Perform internal department staff training and
14 training of health care professionals to ensure more
15 linguistically and culturally appropriate care.
16 (7) Serve as a clearinghouse for information regarding
17 women's health data, strategies and programs that address
18 women's health issues, including pregnancy, breast and
19 cervical cancers, AIDS, osteoporosis and menopause, as well
20 as issues that impact women's health, including substance
21 abuse, domestic violence, housing, teenage pregnancy and
22 sexual assault.
23 (8) Encourage innovative responses by public and private
24 entities that are attempting to address women's health
25 issues.
26 (9) Provide technical assistance to counties, other
27 public entities and private entities seeking to obtain funds
28 for initiatives in women's health, including identification
29 of sources of funding and assistance with writing of grants.
30 Section 5. Information.
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1 (a) Provision.--The Department of Health shall place
2 priority on providing information to consumers, patients and
3 health care providers regarding women's gynecological cancers,
4 including signs and symptoms, risk factors, the benefits of
5 early detection through appropriate diagnostic testing and
6 treatment options.
7 (b) Elements.--The information may include, but is not
8 limited to, the following elements:
9 (1) Educational and informational materials in print,
10 audio, video, electronic or other media.
11 (2) Public service announcements and advertisements.
12 (c) Production.--
13 (1) The department may produce or contract with others
14 to develop the materials described in this section as the
15 Secretary of Health deems appropriate or may survey available
16 publications from, among other sources, the National Cancer
17 Institute and the American Cancer Society and may collect and
18 formulate a distribution plan and disseminate these
19 publications according to the plan. These materials may be
20 made available to the public free of charge.
21 (2) The department may require, as it deems appropriate,
22 health care providers to make these materials available to
23 patients.
24 (d) Consultation.--In exercising the powers under this
25 section, the Office of Women's Health shall consult with
26 appropriate health care professionals and providers, consumers,
27 patients or organizations representing them.
28 (e) Advisory council.--The department may appoint a Women's
29 Gynecological Cancer Information Advisory Council which may
30 include representation from health care professionals and
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1 providers, consumers, patients and other appropriate interests.
2 Members of the council shall receive no compensation for their
3 services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary
4 expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
5 Section 6. Regulations.
6 The Department of Health may promulgate any regulations
7 necessary to carry out the provisions of this act.
8 Section 10. Effective date.
9 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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