(1)The executive director of the department shall design and implement a hepatitis
C program to:
(a)Coordinate with local public health officials, health-care professionals,
public institutions, and community organizations to identify high risk populations,
including those associated with currently understood means of transmission, to
assist in implementing a model screening process, and to provide information on
referral services or to otherwise assist in obtaining treatment for those with
hepatitis C infection;
(b)Educate and provide outreach services related to hepatitis C to the
general public. At a minimum, public education on these issues shall be designed
to:
(I)Provide basic information about the prevalence, transmission, risks, care,
and treatment of hepatitis C;
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(1) The executive director of the department shall design and implement a hepatitis
C program to:
(a) Coordinate with local public health officials, health-care professionals,
public institutions, and community organizations to identify high risk populations,
including those associated with currently understood means of transmission, to
assist in implementing a model screening process, and to provide information on
referral services or to otherwise assist in obtaining treatment for those with
hepatitis C infection;
(b) Educate and provide outreach services related to hepatitis C to the
general public. At a minimum, public education on these issues shall be designed
to:
(I) Provide basic information about the prevalence, transmission, risks, care,
and treatment of hepatitis C;
(II) Provide information about co-infection with hepatitis C and the
implications of co-infection for other similarly transmitted diseases;
(III) Provide information on screening services available in the community;
(IV) Coordinate with national public education efforts related to the
identification and notification of recipients of blood from hepatitis C virus positive
donors;
(V) Stimulate interest among and coordinate with community-based
organizations to sponsor community forums and to undertake other appropriate
community outreach activities; and
(VI) Employ public communication strategies, including the print media,
radio, television, video, internet, and any other appropriate form of communication.
(2) The program described in subsection (1) of this section shall be
implemented within available appropriations. If available appropriations are
inadequate to fund the entire program described in subsection (1) of this section,
the program shall be implemented in stages, commencing with the coordination
with local public health officials, health-care professionals, public institutions and
community organizations, as described in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this
section, and followed by the education of the general public, as described in
paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section.
(3) The department is authorized to enter into contracts that are necessary
for the implementation and operation of the program.
(4) After implementation of subsection (1) of this section, if funding is
available, the executive director of the department shall have the authority to
implement a system to:
(a) Collect and analyze reports of cases of hepatitis C, without regard to the
distinction between chronic and acute;
(b) Investigate all reported cases of hepatitis C and maintain records of
possible sources of transmission;
(c) Prepare a statistical report on the numbers and types of reported
hepatitis C cases; and
(d) Report cases to the CDC to the extent permitted by the CDC.
(5) Repealed.