Section 122440 - Funding for hepatitis C virus (HCV) monitoring, prevention, testing, and linkage to and retention in care activities(a)(1)(A) The State Department of Public Health shall allocate funds to local health jurisdictions to provide hepatitis C virus (HCV) activities and other activities that improve HCV health outcomes, including, but not limited to, monitoring, prevention, testing, and linkage to and retention in care activities for the most vulnerable and underserved individuals living with, or at high risk for, HCV infection. Activities may include integrated services for viral hepatitis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, sexually transmitted infections, and drug overdose to the extent they improve health outcomes for the most vulnerable and underserved individuals living with, or at high risk for, HCV infection.(B)Local health jurisdictions shall be prioritized based on factors that indicate a need for HCV monitoring, prevention, testing, and linkage to and retention in care activities.(C)Funds shall be allocated to prioritized local health jurisdictions in a manner that balances the need to spread funding to as many local health jurisdictions and community-based organizations as possible and the need to provide meaningful activities to each recipient. No less than 50 percent of the funds allocated to local health jurisdictions shall be provided to, or used to support activities in partnership with, community-based organizations for purposes consistent with this section, provided that there are community-based organizations in the jurisdiction that are able to provide these activities and demonstrate expertise, history, and credibility working successfully in engaging the most vulnerable and underserved individuals living with, or at high risk for, HCV infection.(D)The department shall develop measures for each local health jurisdiction funded pursuant to this section to demonstrate accountability.(E)Local health jurisdictions and community-based organizations may use funds to provide material support, including, but not limited to, sleeping bags, tarps, shelter, clothing items, and hygiene kits, to individuals described in subparagraph (A) for purposes consistent with this section.(2)The department may use funds to support capacity building assistance for purposes consistent with this section, including integrated services for viral hepatitis, HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and drug overdose, to the extent they improve health outcomes for the most vulnerable and underserved individuals living with, or at high risk for, HCV infection.(b)This section shall not be construed to require the department to replace existing activities with the activities provided for in subdivision (a) or to prevent the department from adding new activities as appropriate.(c)This section shall be operative only if funds are explicitly appropriated in the annual Budget Act specifically for purposes of this section.Ca. Health and Saf. Code § 122440
Amended by Stats 2022 ch 47 (SB 184),s 15, eff. 6/30/2022.Added by Stats 2019 ch 38 (SB 78),s 25, eff. 6/27/2019.