Proposed Language for Legislation

*DRAFT* (Revised 01/14/02)

Disaster Medical Standards Project 2000-2001

1797.153 (a)  The board of supervisors of each county may develop a medical and health disaster system. (b) A Medical and Health disaster system shall include the following preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation functions:

(1)       Development and maintenance of medical and health disaster plans, policies, and procedures for the operational area

(2)       Assessment of immediate medical needs

(3)       Management Coordination of disaster medical and health resources

(4)       Management Coordination of patient distribution and medical evacuations

(5)       Coordination with hospital inpatient and emergency care providers

(6)       Coordination with out-of-hospital medical care providers

(7)       Coordination of pre-hospital emergency services

(8)       Coordination of the establishment of temporary field treatment sites

(9)       Health surveillance and epidemiological analyses of community health status

(10)    Assurance of food safety

(11)    Regulation Assurance of safety to public from to control  exposure of persons to hazardous agents

(12)      Collaboration with the local county mental health agency

(13)    Provision of medical and health public information and protective action recommendations

(14)    Provision or coordination of vector control services

(15)    Assurance of drinking water safety

(16)    Assurance of the safe management of liquid, solid, and hazardous wastes

(17)    Investigation and control of communicable disease

(c) The board of supervisors of each county shall appoint a Medical Health Operational Area Coordinator (MHOAC).  A Medical Health Operational Area Coordinator  MHOAC shall be a county health officer, a county health director, an administrator of a local EMS agency, or a medical director of a local EMS agency.  The Medical/Health Operational Area CoordinatorMHOAC shall coordinate the development of the county disaster medical and health system.

(d) In the event of a local, state, or federal declaration of emergency, the Medical Health Operational Area CoordinatorMHOAC shall coordinate disaster medical and health activities resources within the operational area, and be the point of contact for  coordination with the Regional Disaster Medical/Health Coordinator (RDMHC), the state Department of Health Services and the state Emergency Medical Services Authority.

(e) By December 31, 2003, the Department of Health Services and the Emergency Medical Services Authority shall develop regulations or and guidelines by which disaster medical and health preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation functions are to be evaluated and carried out.

(f) The regulations shall include establishment of an advisory committee to advise the Department of Health Services and EMS Authority on all matters relating to disaster medical and health planning, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities.

(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to revoke or alter the current authorities assigned to the Department of Health Services or the EMS Authority to promulgate regulations through existing statute.

(h)  Notwithstanding Section 17610 of the Government Code, if the commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.  If the statewide cost of the claim for reimbursement does not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000), reimbursement shall be made from the State Mandates Claims Fund.