State Fiscal Highlights
· The Commission on Minority Health is required to establish, maintain, and promote a Lupus Education and Awareness Program. The bill creates the Lupus Education and Awareness Fund and allows the Commission to accept gifts, grants, and donations from various entities to fulfill the program's requirements. As such, the establishment and implementation of the program will depend on the Commission's ability to secure grants and donations.
· The Commission is required to establish an intergovernmental council to oversee the Lupus Education and Awareness Program. Members of the council are to be representatives from appropriate Ohio departments and agencies. Since the council members will be state employees, duties associated with the council will likely be absorbed as part of their jobs.
· The Commission is required to establish an advisory panel to advise the Commission and the intergovernmental council on the implementation of the Lupus Education and Awareness Program. The Commission could experience a minimal increase in costs for member reimbursements for necessary and actual expenses.
· The Commission is to conduct a needs assessment and raise public awareness about lupus through a statewide campaign and the dissemination of information. The bill provides no funding for these requirements and the Commission will likely be unable to use funds collected and deposited into the Lupus Education and Awareness Fund for these expenses. According to the Commission, it is unlikely that these requirements could be done without additional funding.
Local Fiscal Highlights
· The Commission is to raise public awareness about lupus by disseminating information through certain local governmental entities such as local health departments, schools, hospitals, and others. Local governmental entities will likely distribute any materials in the same manner other awareness and/or public health materials are currently distributed. Thus, local governmental agencies may experience a negligible increase in administrative costs.
Detailed Fiscal Analysis
The bill creates the Lupus Education and Awareness Program within the Commission on Minority Health.
Lupus Education and Awareness Program
The bill requires the Commission on Minority Health to establish, maintain, and promote a Lupus Education and Awareness Program that focuses on minority populations and communities at risk for contracting lupus. The Commission must provide sufficient staff and appropriate training to carry out the program. It must also create two grant programs (one for health professionals and service providers affiliated with the Lupus Foundation of America and one for nonprofit organizations). The bill also requires the Commission to coordinate efforts with governmental entities, health and human services providers, and lupus organizations to maximize state resources. Additionally, the Commission is to identify and use other successful lupus education and awareness programs and obtain related materials and services from organizations with expertise and knowledge of lupus.
The bill creates the Lupus Education and Awareness Fund and allows the Commission to accept gifts, grants, and donations from various entities to fulfill the program's requirements. The Commission can accept grants from the federal government and must seek any federal waiver that may be necessary to maximize funds from the federal government. The bill does not specifically appropriate any other funds for the program. As such, the establishment and implementation of the program will depend on the Commission's ability to secure grants and donations. The Commission is currently looking for funding opportunities. However, it is unknown at this time if funding opportunities are available.
In the last budget, the Commission received GRF appropriations totaling approximately $115,000 in each fiscal year to support the existing Lupus Grant Program. According to the Commission, grants awarded through this program are used primarily for support group activities. The community-based agencies receiving these grants provide support and resources to individuals with lupus, their caregivers, and their providers. All grantees are required to address educational issues for patients, the public, and professionals. For example, grantees sponsor monthly support group meetings led by a trained facilitator and provide a referral list of area facilities and physicians that offer medical treatment for lupus-related medical conditions. According to the Commission, the Lupus Education and Awareness Program created in the bill will be more comprehensive in activity and scope than the Lupus Grant Program.
Intergovernmental council
The bill requires the Commission to establish an intergovernmental council to oversee the Lupus Education and Awareness Program. The council is to include representatives from appropriate Ohio departments and agencies. The bill outlines the duties of the council, one of which is to prepare an annual report, which is to be submitted to the General Assembly, describing state-sponsored lupus education initiatives and new recommendations for new lupus education initiatives. Since the council members are state employees, duties associated with the council will likely be absorbed as part of their jobs.
Advisory panel
The bill requires the Commission to establish a panel to advise the Commission and the intergovernmental council on the implementation of the Lupus Education and Awareness Program. The members of the panel are to be appointed by the Commission and must have familiarity with lupus and lupus-related issues. Members will serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses. The Commission will experience a minimal increase in costs associated with any reimbursements of members.
Needs assessment and program administration
The bill requires the Commission to conduct a needs assessment to, among other things, identify the level of statewide health professional and public awareness about lupus and the educational and support service needs of health care providers and individuals with lupus. Additionally, the Commission is to develop and maintain a directory of lupus-related services and providers with specialization in lupus. The information is to be disseminated to all stakeholders. The Commission is required to raise public awareness about lupus. The activities are to include a statewide campaign through public service announcements, advertisements, and posters, and the dissemination of information through local health departments, schools, area agencies on aging, employer wellness programs, hospitals, etc. The bill provides no funding for these requirements and the Commission will likely be unable to use funds collected and deposited into the Lupus Education and Awareness Fund for these expenses. According to the Commission, it is unlikely that these requirements could be done without additional funding.
The Commission is required to distribute lupus information to certain local governmental agencies. Local governmental agencies will likely distribute any materials in the same manner other awareness and/or public health materials are currently distributed. Thus, local governmental agencies may experience a negligible increase in administrative costs.
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