71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 1091
 
                         House Bill 2267
 
Ordered printed by the Speaker pursuant to House Rule 12.00A (5).
  Presession filed (at the request of Governor John A. Kitzhaber,
  M.D., for Department of Human Services)
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Declares public health policy of Oregon.
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to public health policy.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1.  { + (1) It is the policy of the State of Oregon
that the health of the public be promoted to the greatest extent
possible through the public health system. The public health
system prevents epidemics and the spread of disease. It promotes
and encourages healthy environments, behaviors and communities
for healthy people. The public health system also responds to
public health emergencies, assists communities in recovery and
strives to ensure the quality and accessibility of health
services. It is recognized that medical care alone is not
sufficient to keep our communities healthy.
  (2)(a) State and local governmental entities have the
responsibility to ensure that a public health system is in place
to perform public health activities.
  (b) The Health Division of the Department of Human Services is
the state public health agency responsible for overall
coordination and monitoring of the public health system. The
division is also responsible for providing technical assistance
and consultation to local public health administrators.
  (c) Local public health administrators are responsible for the
delivery of public health services and for the coordination of
public health services at the local level.
  (3) The public health system, based in state and local
government, collaborates with other agencies, private health care
providers, community-based organizations, the business community
and the general public in achieving its goals.
  (4)(a) The primary functions of the public health system are to
assess the health of communities, develop policies to improve the
health of communities and to ensure that quality health services,
both public and private, are provided to the communities of this
state.
  (b) Assessing the health of communities includes, but is not
limited to, monitoring health status to identify community health
problems, diagnosing and investigating health problems and
hazards in the community, and conducting reviews or research for
the purpose of identifying and disseminating innovative solutions
to health problems.
  (c) Developing policies to improve the health of communities
includes, but is not limited to, informing and educating people
about health issues, mobilizing community partnerships to
identify and solve health problems, and developing policies and
plans to support individual and community health efforts.
  (d) Ensuring that quality health services are provided to
communities includes, but is not limited to, enforcing laws and
rules that protect health and ensure safety, linking people to
needed personal health services, ensuring the provision of health
services when they are otherwise unavailable, ensuring a
competent public and personal health care workforce, and
evaluating the effectiveness, accessibility and quality of
personal and community health services. + }
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