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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="18-903" title_number="18" title_name="Disease Prevention" subtitle_number="9" subtitle_name="Catastrophic Health Emergency Disease Surveillance and Response Program">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In accordance with procedures to be adopted by the Department, the Secretary, in consultation with health care facilities, may require health care facilities to develop and implement contingency plans addressing:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Staff training needs;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Stockpiling of equipment, medication, and supplies necessary to address a catastrophic health emergency;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Treatment and decontamination protocols;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The coordination of services with other public and private entities; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>Any other area that the Secretary determines is necessary to assist in the early detection and treatment of an individual exposed to a deadly agent.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>To the extent feasible, the procedures to be adopted by the Department under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be consistent with accreditation requirements of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>After consulting with the appropriate licensing board, the Secretary:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Shall publish protocols to assist health care practitioners in developing plans to respond to a catastrophic health emergency; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>May, if necessary, require health care practitioners to implement the plans developed under item (1) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Secretary shall coordinate with the health occupations boards to develop a process to license, certify, or credential both licensed health care practitioners and out–of–state health care practitioners who may be needed to respond to a catastrophic health emergency.</text>
  </level>
</section>
