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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="20-1403" title_number="20" title_name="Miscellaneous Health Provisions" subtitle_number="14" subtitle_name="Health Equity Resource Communities">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>On or before July 1, 2021, the Commission shall establish a Health Equity Resource Community Advisory Committee.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The duties of the Advisory Committee include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Providing initial and ongoing assistance and guidance regarding program evaluation and data collection metrics for Health Equity Resource Communities and health equity research practitioners;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Assisting the Commission in preparing the required annual report described in § 20–1408(b) of this subtitle and § 19–2112 of this article;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Proposing strategies for tax incentives and loan repayments to assist Health Equity Resource Communities in achieving their mission; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Providing guidance, as determined by the Commission, to the Commission as necessary to implement the provisions of this subtitle.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Advisory Committee consists of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Chair of the Community Health Resources Commission or the Chair’s designee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Director of the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, or the Director’s designee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Three members appointed by the Governor, including:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>One individual representing the Maryland Department of Health; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>One individual with expertise in health care financing;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Three members appointed by the President of the Senate, including:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>One individual with expertise in the social determinants of health; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>One individual who is a member of the general public residing in an area that has been or may be designated a Health Equity Resource Community; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House, including:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>One individual with expertise in health equity; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>One individual who is a member of the general public residing in an area that has been or may be designated a Health Equity Resource Community.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Collectively, the members of the Advisory Committee shall have knowledge of the following:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Existing or potential health disparities in the State;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Groups of residents negatively affected by health disparities;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Systems, policies, and methods likely to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Effective prevention services;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>Health care costs, trends, and drivers;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>Clinical health services research;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>Consumer or patient perspectives; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="viii">
        <text>Innovative ways to address social determinants of health through the use of community health workers.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>To the extent practicable and consistent with federal and State law, the membership of the Advisory Committee shall reflect the racial, ethnic, geographic, and gender diversity of the State.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Chair of the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission shall chair the Advisory Committee.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The term of a member of the Advisory Committee is 4 years.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commission shall stagger the terms of the initial appointed members.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the remainder of that term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The Commission may remove an appointed member for incompetence, misconduct, or failure to perform the duties of the position.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>A member of the Advisory Committee:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>May not receive compensation as a member of the Advisory Committee; but</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Advisory Committee shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>On or before January 1, 2022, hold an initial meeting; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Meet at least once every 6 months thereafter.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>The Commission may convene working or advisory groups to facilitate the implementation of this subtitle that shall include individuals who reside in an area that has been or may be designated as a Health Equity Resource Community.</text>
  </level>
</section>
