§ 23-14-3. Childhood disease fund established — Uses of the fund.
(a) There is established a separate fund within the general fund to be called the childhood
disease fund which shall be administered by the general treasurer in accordance with
the same laws and fiscal procedures as the general funds of the state. The fund shall
consist of sums collected as a result of the taxpayer check-off as provided for in
section 44-30-2.3. The general treasurer is authorized to accept any grant, devise, bequest, donation,
gift, or assignment of money, bonds, or other valuable securities for deposit in and
credit of the childhood disease fund.
(b) The monies received under this chapter and § 44-30-2.3 shall be made available by the treasurer annually by September 30 to qualified organizations
and shall be distributed equally among all qualified organizations certified by the
department of health for the funding year.
(c) Upon distribution to qualified organizations, the monies shall be used exclusively
for child disease victims and their families for eligible services and emergency services.
Provided, however, that qualified organizations shall seek and are entitled to reimbursement
from a health insurance program or publicly funded assistance program, for emergency
services when the cost of emergency services would normally be provided for by the
respective program.
(d) Any eligible organization which seeks qualified organization status for a funding
year shall submit an application to the department of health not later than July 15
of the year for which they seek status. The application must include:
(1) The specific nature of the eligible and/or emergency services the eligible organization
is proposing to provide and which group or classification(s) of child disease victims
the services are proposed to be provided to;
(2) Eligible services that the eligible organization has provided in the past year or
is currently providing and the annual cost of the services;
(3) Whether the monies sought under this chapter will be used to fund new or existing
programs for eligible services; and
(4) Any other information the department of health deems necessary to facilitate the purposes
of this chapter.
(e) Upon receipt of the annual application from eligible organizations as provided in
this section, the director of the department of health shall review each application
to determine if it complies with the intent and requirements of this chapter. Upon
a finding by the director of the department of health that the application complies
with the intent and requirements of this chapter, the director of the department of
health shall certify that the eligible organization has been designated as a qualified
organization for the funding year. The director of the department of health shall
provide notice of approval or denial of certification not later than September 15
to each eligible organization that has submitted an annual application.
(f) The director of the department of health is authorized to promulgate any rules or
regulations and prescribe forms necessary to facilitate the provisions of this chapter.