FL H0723

Defines "community health worker" as a front-line health care worker who is a trusted member of or has close understanding of the community served, including roles as liaisons between health care services and underserved communities.

Specifies community health worker duties including providing information on resources, social support, informal counseling, advocacy, first aid, blood pressure screening, community outreach, education on wellness and disease prevention, and coordination of care.

Establishes a 12-member Community Health Worker Task Force within a state college or university, consisting of one State Senator, one House Representative, one state official, six community health workers, and three representatives from the Florida Community Health Worker Coalition.

Requires the task force to develop recommendations for integrating community health workers into health care reform efforts, Medicaid managed care enrollment, health system navigation assistance, community health centers, and to standardize qualifications and skills for workers in state-supported health care programs.

Task force members serve without compensation or expense reimbursement, must meet at least quarterly with a seven-member quorum, and must submit a report to the Governor and Legislature by June 30, 2013.