Ch. 149                                    2003 LAWS OF MARYLAND

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL, AND OTHER HIGH RISK GROUPS, INCLUDING,
BUT NOT LIMITED TO, HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AND PERSONS EMPLOYED IN
PRIMARY CARE SETTINGS OR HEALTH CARE FACILITIES, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, AT
A MINIMUM, INFORMATION ON RISK FACTORS, THE VALUE OF EARLY DETECTION,
AND THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR TREATING HEPATITIS C;

(2) PROMOTING PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF
HEPATITIS C SCREENING, PREVENTION, AND TREATMENT SERVICES AMONG
PERSONS AT HIGH RISK FOR HEPATITIS C AS DETERMINED BY THE ADVISORY BOARD
BASED ON DATA PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND
PREVENTION AND OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY
THE ADVISORY BOARD;

(3) DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR HEALTH CARE
PROFESSIONALS IN REGARD TO THE EPIDEMIOLOGY, NATURAL HISTORY,
DETECTION, AND TREATMENT OF HEPATITIS C, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE
INFORMATION ABOUT COINFECTION WITH HCV AND HIV AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF
COINFECTION FOR HIV OR AIDS TREATMENT;

(4) DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL MEASURES
TARGETED AT SPECIFIC GROUPS, INCLUDING ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO EDUCATE
YOUTH ABOUT THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF INFECTION WITH HCV;

(5) COLLABORATING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO
DEVELOP SCREENING SERVICES TO IDENTIFY HCV POSITIVE INMATES WHO ARE
LIKELY TO BE RELEASED WITHIN A PERIOD OF 1 YEAR AND TO PROVIDE
COUNSELING AND TREATMENT OPTIONS TO REDUCE THE POTENTIAL HEALTH RISK
TO THE COMMUNITY FROM THESE PERSONS;

(6) EVALUATING EXISTING HEPATITIS C SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE
COMMUNITY AND ASSESSING THE NEED FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY AND
ACCESSIBILITY OF THESE SERVICES;

(7) ESTABLISHING PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO PROMOTE
OUTREACH AND INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT HEPATITIS C AMONG EMPLOYERS,
ORGANIZED LABOR, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, HEALTH INSURERS, AND
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND COALITIONS;

(8) IDENTIFYING FUNDS OR OTHER RESOURCES FROM PRIVATE
NONPROFIT OR FOR PROFIT SOURCES OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO
EFFECTUATE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES DEVELOPED AS PROVIDED FOR IN THIS
SUBTITLE;

(9) DEVELOPING A PLAN TO COORDINATE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE
PROGRAM WITH SERVICES PROVIDED SEPARATELY TO SPECIFIC POPULATIONS,
INCLUDING VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES, PERSONS
PARTICIPATING IN PRIVATE OR PUBLIC DRUG ABUSE OR ALCOHOL TREATMENT
PROGRAMS, AND PERSONS WITH HIV; AND

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