WASHINGTON STATUTES AND CODES

43.70.516 - Public health -- Department's duties.

Public health — Department's duties.

(1) The department shall accomplish the tasks included in subsection (2) of this section by utilizing the expertise of varied interests, as provided in this subsection.

     (a) In addition to the perspectives of local health jurisdictions, the state board of health, the Washington health foundation, and department staff that are currently engaged in development of the public health services improvement plan under RCW 43.70.520, the secretary shall actively engage:

     (i) Individuals or entities with expertise in the development of performance measures, accountability and systems management, such as the University of Washington school of public health and community medicine, and experts in the development of evidence-based medical guidelines or public health practice guidelines; and

     (ii) Individuals or entities who will be impacted by performance measures developed under this section and have relevant expertise, such as community clinics, public health nurses, large employers, tribal health providers, family planning providers, and physicians.

     (b) In developing the performance measures, consideration shall be given to levels of performance necessary to promote uniformity in core public health functions of statewide significance among all local health jurisdictions, best scientific evidence, national standards of performance, and innovations in public health practice. The performance measures shall be developed to meet the goals and outcomes in RCW 43.70.512. The office of the state auditor shall provide advice and consultation to the committee to assist in the development of effective performance measures and health status indicators.

     (c) On or before November 1, 2007, the experts assembled under this section shall provide recommendations to the secretary related to the activities and services that qualify as core public health functions of statewide significance and performance measures. The secretary shall provide written justification for any departure from the recommendations.

     (2) By January 1, 2008, the department shall:

     (a) Adopt a prioritized list of activities and services performed by local health jurisdictions that qualify as core public health functions of statewide significance as defined in RCW 43.70.514; and

     (b) Adopt appropriate performance measures with the intent of improving health status indicators applicable to the core public health functions of statewide significance that local health jurisdictions must provide.

     (3) The secretary may revise the list of activities and the performance measures in future years as appropriate. Prior to modifying either the list or the performance measures, the secretary must provide a written explanation of the rationale for such changes.

     (4) The department and the local health jurisdictions shall abide by the prioritized list of activities and services and the performance measures developed pursuant to this section.

     (5) The department, in consultation with representatives of county governments, shall provide local jurisdictions with financial incentives to encourage and increase local investments in core public health functions. The local jurisdictions shall not supplant existing local funding with such state-incented resources.