(a)The department shall allocate funds to local health jurisdictions for sexually transmitted disease prevention and control activities in accordance, to the extent possible, with the following:
(1)Local health jurisdictions shall be prioritized based on population and incidence of sexually transmitted diseases.
(2)Funds shall be allocated to prioritized local health jurisdictions in a manner that balances the need to spread funding to as many local health jurisdictions, community-based organizations, and nonprofit health care providers as possible and the need to provide meaningful activities to each recipient. No less than 50 percent of the funds allocated to local health jurisdictions shall be
provided to, or used to support activities in partnership with, community-based organ
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(a)
The department shall allocate funds to local health jurisdictions for sexually transmitted disease prevention and control activities in accordance, to the extent possible, with the following:
(1)
Local health jurisdictions shall be prioritized based on population and incidence of sexually transmitted diseases.
(2)
Funds shall be allocated to prioritized local health jurisdictions in a manner that balances the need to spread funding to as many local health jurisdictions, community-based organizations, and nonprofit health care providers as possible and the need to provide meaningful activities to each recipient. No less than 50 percent of the funds allocated to local health jurisdictions shall be
provided to, or used to support activities in partnership with, community-based organizations or nonprofit health care providers, provided that there are community-based organizations or nonprofit health care providers in the jurisdiction that can conduct the activities and provide these services consistent with this section.
(3)
Each local health jurisdiction shall demonstrate to the department that the community-based organization or nonprofit health care provider that receives funding under this section has done all of the following:
(A)
Identified priority target populations.
(B)
Satisfactorily described its outreach protocols.
(C)
Included community resources for prevention and control activities.
(D)
Engaged representatives from impacted communities in the development of outreach activities.
(4)
Local health jurisdiction shall use these funds to facilitate expanded access to sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinical services, including, but not limited to, LBGTQ+ populations, including those who face confidentiality barriers in using their health coverage to receive STI testing, treatment, and related care.
(5)
The department shall develop measures for each local health jurisdiction funded pursuant to this section to demonstrate accountability.
(b)
In awarding funds pursuant to subdivision (a), the department shall authorize local health jurisdictions to include innovative and impactful prevention and control activities, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1)
Voluntary screening for sexually transmitted diseases among inmates and wards of county adult and juvenile correctional facilities. The department may provide assistance or guidance to the local health jurisdiction if necessary to secure participation by other county agencies.
(2)
Technology, telehealth, and digital platforms and applications to enhance immediate access to screening, testing, and treatment, as well as partner activities in order to speed activities and to reduce administrative costs.
(3)
State-of-the-art testing modalities that ensure swift and accurate screening for, and diagnosis of, sexually transmitted diseases.
(4)
Community-based testing and disease investigation.
(5)
Integrated services for STIs, viral hepatitis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and drug overdose, to the extent they improve health outcomes for people living with, or at risk for, STIs.
(6)
Material support, including, but not limited to, sleeping bags, tarps, shelter, clothing items, and hygiene kits, to people living with, or at risk for, STIs for purposes consistent with this section.
(c)
The department may use funds to support capacity building assistance for purposes consistent with this section, including integrated services for STIs, viral hepatitis, HIV, and drug overdose, to the extent they improve health outcomes for people living with, or at risk for, STIs.
(d)
The department shall monitor activities in funded local health jurisdictions, based on the accountability measures
required under paragraph(5) of subdivision (a), in order to assess the effectiveness of prevention and control activities efforts.
(e)
It is the intent of the Legislature that the activities identified in this section are to enhance the activities that are already provided. Therefore, nothing in this section shall be construed to require the department to replace existing activities with the activities provided for in subdivision (a) or to prevent the department from adding new activities as may be appropriate.
(f)
This section shall be operative only if funds are explicitly appropriated in the annual Budget Act specifically for purposes of this section.