381.1015 Community Environmental Health Program; creation; purposes. - Florida Statutes

381.1015 Community Environmental Health Program; creation; purposes.

   (1) There is created the Community Environmental Health Program. The primary purpose of the program is to ensure the availability of public health services to members of low-income communities that may be adversely affected by contaminated sites located in or near the community. These services extend beyond health services that are currently provided pursuant to chapter 154 and include measures to address the health effects that are associated with exposure to environmental contamination.

   (2) The Department of Health shall establish a Community Environmental Health Advisory Board. The majority of board members shall be low-income residents. The board must also include representatives from the respective county health departments, health care professionals and providers, and elected officials. The board shall identify the community environmental health needs and types of services which should be provided.

   (3) As used in this section:

   (a) “Low-income community” means a contiguous grouping of residences with a significant portion of occupants who have a family income equal to or below 100 percent of the most recent federal poverty level and who are exposed to multiple sources of environmental contamination.

   (b) “Contaminated site” means any contiguous land, surface water, or groundwater areas that contain contaminants that may be harmful to human health or the environment and includes federal Superfund sites and state or federally designated Brownfield areas.

History. s. 3, ch. 98-304.