SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1586 FILED ON: 1/13/2009
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 811
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Susan C. Fargo
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To the Honorable Senate and House of
Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:
An Act to establish community based grant programs to eliminate r
acial and ethnic health disparities in the Commonwealth.
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PETITION OF:
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Name:
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District/Address:
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Susan C. Fargo
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Third Middlesex
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Byron Rushing
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9th Suffolk
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Alice K. Wolf
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25th Middlesex
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Denise Provost
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27th Middlesex
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Ellen Story
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3rd
Hampshire
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Gloria L. Fox
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7th Suffolk
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John W. Scibak
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2nd Hampshire
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Benjamin Swan
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11th Hampden
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Elizabeth A. Malia
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11th Suffolk
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William Lantigua
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16th Essex
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Steven J. D'Amico
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4th Bristol
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Tom Sannicandro
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7th Middlesex
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Kay Khan
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11th Middlesex
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Ruth B.
Balser
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12th Middlesex
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Mark C. Montigny
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Second Bristol and Plymouth
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Benjamin Swan
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11th Hampden
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the Year Two Thousand and Nine
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An Act to establish community based grant programs to
eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities in the Commonwealth.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 111N of the General Laws is her
eby amended by adding the following section:–
Section 7.
(a) The office shall, subject to appropriation, administer a community-based agency disparities reduction grant program. The grants shall support efforts by community-based agencies to eliminate rac
ial and ethnic health disparities among predominantly underserved populations, including efforts addressing social factors integral to such disparities. Grants shall be awarded following a competitive application process. In awarding grants, the office sha
ll give priority to programs replicable by other community-based agencies. Grants shall be provided to a broad range of agencies that support diverse communities throughout the state. No community-based agency may receive more than one grant concurrently.
All grants shall include an evaluation component.
(b) The program shall provide grants to community-based agencies and non-profit community organizations to address key disparities issues including but not limited to: the social
and economic barriers that
impact health outcomes, the development of a diverse healthcare workforce across wide range of healthcare professions, increasing the access, utilization and quality of healthcare services, and supporting community health workers to facilitate the use of
health and human services
(c) For the purposes of this section, a “community-based agency” shall include agencies that provide direct services, education, or support to underserved populations, including community health centers and hospitals, social
service organizations, community nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, faith based organizations and other non-governmental agencies and other organizations as defined by the office.
