191.980. Missouri area health education centers program established--council established, membership, term--authority of council--duties--report required.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

191.980. Missouri area health education centers program established--council established, membership, term--authority of council--duties--report required.

Missouri area health education centers program established--councilestablished, membership, term--authority of council--duties--reportrequired.

191.980. 1. The "Missouri Area Health Education Centers" program ishereby established as a collaborative partnership of higher educationalinstitutions and regional area health education centers and other entitiesthat have entered into a written agreement with the program. These highereducational institutions and regional area health education centers shallbe those that are recognized as program offices or regional centers by thefederal area health education centers program pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Section294a. The program is designed to improve the supply, distribution,availability, and quality of health care personnel in Missouri communitiesand promote access to primary care for medically underserved communitiesand populations.

2. The Missouri area health education centers council is herebyestablished within the department of health and senior services. Thecouncil shall consist of twelve members that are residents of Missouri.The members of the council shall include:

(1) The director of the department of health and senior services orthe director's designee;

(2) The commissioner of the department of higher education or thecommissioner's designee;

(3) Two members of the senate appointed by the president pro temporeof the senate;

(4) Two members of the house of representatives appointed by thespeaker of the house of representatives; and

(5) Six members to be appointed by the governor with the advice andconsent of the senate, four of whom shall represent the federallyrecognized regional area health education centers and two of whom shallrepresent the federally recognized higher educational institution programoffices. Each representative of the regional area health education centersshall be a member of the governing or advisory board of a regional centerand shall be nominated jointly by the chairs of the governing or advisoryboards of all such centers. No two representatives shall be members of thesame regional center governing or advisory board. Each representative ofthe federally recognized higher educational institution program officesshall be an employee or faculty of a medical school in which a programoffice resides and shall be nominated jointly by the deans of all suchmedical schools. The two program office representatives shall not beemployees or faculty of the same medical school.

Members of the council shall be appointed by February 1, 2005. Of themembers first appointed to the council, six shall serve a term of fouryears and six shall serve a term of two years, and thereafter, membersshall serve a term of four years. Members shall continue to serve untiltheir successor is duly appointed and qualified. Any vacancy on thecouncil shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

3. The council shall have discretionary authority to monitor andrecommend policy direction for the Missouri area health education centersprogram, including policies to ensure that all applicable requirements ofthe federal area health education centers program are met.

4. The area health education centers program shall:

(1) Develop and enhance health careers recruitment programs forMissouri students, especially underrepresented and disadvantaged students;

(2) Enhance and support community-based training of healthprofessions students and medical residents;

(3) Provide educational and other programs designed to supportpracticing health professionals; and

(4) Collaborate with health, education, and human servicesorganizations to design, facilitate, and promote programs to improve accessto health care and health status in Missouri.

5. The Missouri area health education centers council shall reportannually to the governor and the general assembly on the status andprogress of the Missouri area health education centers program.