ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                             Ch. 319

MINORITY POPULATIONS AND TO SUPPORT ONGOING COMMUNITY-BASED
PROGRAMS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE RACIAL AND ETHNIC
HEALTH DISPARITIES IN THE STATE;

(8)      DEVELOP CRITERIA FOR THE AWARDING OF GRANTS FOR PROGRAMS
THAT ARE DESIGNED TO IMPROVE MINORITY HEALTH CARE;

(9)      REVIEW EXISTING LAWS AND REGULATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THEY
FACILITATE THE PROVISION OF ADEQUATE HEALTH CARE TO THE MINORITIES OF
THIS STATE;

(10)    RECOMMEND TO THE SECRETARY ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO
EXISTING LAWS AND REGULATIONS DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THE ADEQUATE
PROVISION OF HEALTH CARE TO MINORITIES IN THIS STATE;

(11) EXAMINE THE FINANCING AND ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES FOR
MARYLAND'S MINORITY POPULATIONS;

(12)    (11) IDENTIFY AND REVIEW HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE
PREVENTION STRATEGIES RELATING TO THE LEADING HEALTH CAUSES OF DEATH
AND DISABILITY AMONG MINORITY POPULATIONS;

(13) (12) DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT MODEL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS IN RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES FOR HEALTH
AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS AND TO IMPROVE THE ACCESS, ACCEPTABILITY, AND USE
OF PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES;

(14)    (13) DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MOST EFFECTIVE
MEANS OF PROVIDING OUTREACH TO RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO ENSURE THEIR MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION IN
PUBLICLY FUNDED HEALTH BENEFITS PROGRAMS;

(15) (14) DEVELOP A STATEWIDE PLAN FOR INCREASING THE NUMBER
OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS WHICH INCLUDES
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FINANCING MECHANISMS AND RECRUITMENT
STRATEGIES NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THE PLAN;

(16) (15) WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
OF MEDICINE, NURSING, PHARMACY, AND DENTISTRY IN THIS STATE AND OTHER
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS TO DEVELOP COURSES WITH
CULTURAL COMPETENCY, SENSITIVITY, AND HEALTH LITERACY, THAT ARE
DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES IN
HEALTH CARE ACCESS, UTILIZATION, TREATMENT DECISIONS, QUALITY, AND
OUTCOMES;

(17) (16) WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE MARYLAND HEALTH CARE
DISPARITIES INITIATIVE, THE MORGAN-HOPKINS CENTER FOR HEALTH DISPARITIES
SOLUTIONS, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND DISPARITY PROJECT, THE
MONUMENTAL CITY MEDICAL SOCIETY, FACULTY AND RESEARCHERS AT
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, AND AS WELL AS OTHER
EXISTING ALLIANCES OR PLANS, TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE RACIAL AND ETHNIC
DISPARITIES IN THE STATE;

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