SECTIONS 475 - California Statutes

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE

SECTION 475

475. (a) (1) The State Department of Health Services shall
establish a permanent Office of Binational Border Health to
facilitate cooperation between health officials and health
professionals in California and Mexico, to reduce the risk of disease
in the California border region, and in those areas directly
affected by border health conditions.
(2) The department shall administer the office, and shall seek
available public or private funding, or both, to support the
activities of the office.
(b) The Office of Binational Border Health shall convene a
voluntary community advisory group of representatives of border
community-based stakeholders to develop a strategic plan with
short-term, intermediate, and long-range goals and implementation
actions. The advisory group shall include no more than 12 California
representatives. The advisory group shall include, but not be limited
to, members from local government, hospitals, health plans,
community-based organizations, universities, Los Angeles, San Diego,
and Imperial County health departments, and a representative from an
association of local health officers specializing in border health
issues. The office shall invite and request appropriate participation
from representatives of the Baja California health department and
other Mexican health departments affected by border health issues.
Recommendations resulting from the strategic plan shall be developed
and shared in consultation with the California appointees to the
United States-Mexico Border Health Commission established pursuant to
Section 290n of Title 22 of the United States Code, including the
Director of Health Services. The office shall prepare an annual
border health status report, and shall submit it to the Director of
Health Services, the Legislature, and the Governor.