GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 626

Short Title:  Office of Women's Health.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Forrester; Cochrane, Lucas, Perdue, and Winner.

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Referred to:  Children and Human Resources.

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April 1, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, AND NATURAL RESOURCES THE OFFICE OF WOMEN'S HEALTH.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  The title of Article 5 of Chapter 30 of the General Statutes reads as rewritten:
"Maternal and Child Health and Women's Health."
Section 2. Article 5 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes is amended by adding the following new Part to read:
"Part 8.  Office of Women's Health.
"§ 130A-131.19.  Office of women's health established.
(a)	There is established in the Department the Office of Women's Health.  The purpose of the office is to expand the State's public health concerns and focus to include a comprehensive outlook on the overall health status of women.  The primary goals of the Office shall be the prevention of disease and improvement in the quality of life for women over their entire lifespan.  The Department shall develop strategies for achieving these goals, which shall include but not be limited to:
(1)	Developing a strategic plan to improve public services and programs targeting women;
(2)	Conducting policy analyses on specific issues related to women's health;
(3)	Facilitating communication among the Department's programs and between the Department and external women's health groups and community-based organizations;
(4)	Building public health awareness and capacity regarding women's health issues by providing a series of services including evaluation, recommendation, technical assistance, and training; and
(5)	Developing initiatives for modification or expansion of women-oriented services with the intent of establishing meaningful public/private partnerships in the future.
(b)	The Office shall study the feasibility of establishing initiatives for:
(1)	Early intervention services for women infected with HIV;
(2)	Outreach, treatment, and follow-up services to women at high risk for contracting sexually transmitted diseases; and
(3)	Development and expansion of emergency and transitional shelter programs for victims of domestic violence.
In conducting the study the Department shall take into consideration related services already in place in the Department and at the local level."
Section 3. The Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources shall report to the 1997 General Assembly, 1998 Regular Session, upon its convening, on the implementation of the Office of Women's Health.  The Department's report shall include recommendations for legislation necessary to fully implement or enhance the effectiveness of the Office of Women's Health.
Section 4. The Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources shall implement this act using funds available to it for the 1997-98 and 1998-99 fiscal years.
Section 5. This act becomes effective July 1, 1997.