Bill Summary: SF2309 - Local Public Health System Modifications

• Redefines "community health board" as the governing body for local public health in Minnesota, replacing the previous "board of health" terminology throughout statute; allows boards to comprise single counties, multiple contiguous counties, or limited single cities.

• Establishes six areas of public health responsibility: adequate local infrastructure, healthy communities and behaviors, communicable disease prevention, environmental health protection, emergency preparedness and response, and health services assurance.

• Defines ten essential public health services including monitoring health status, diagnosing health problems, educating communities, mobilizing partnerships, developing policies, enforcing regulations, linking people to services, maintaining workforce competency, evaluating services, and contributing to health research.

• Creates new positions and duties including community health services administrators meeting established personnel standards and requiring medical consultants to advise community health boards; mandates community health assessments and improvement plans every five years.

• Implements performance management and accountability systems requiring community health boards to report annual performance measures to the commissioner, with funding eligibility dependent on meeting established requirements under the local public health grant program.