CHAPTER 186
GOVERNMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL
641—186.1(135A) Purpose. The governmental public health advisory council shall advise and make policy recommendations to the department, the director of the department, and the state board of health regarding the governmental public health system. The council is intended to support the goal that Iowa’s governmentally sponsored public health systems be effective, efficient, well-organized, and well-coordinated to have the greatest impact on the improvement of health status for all Iowans.
[ARC 9246B, IAB 12/1/10, effective 1/5/11; ARC 2931C, IAB 2/1/17, effective 3/8/17]
641—186.2(135A) Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
“Academic institution” means an institution of higher education in the state which grants degrees in public health or another health-related field and is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency as determined by the United States Secretary of Education. For purposes of this definition, “accredited” means a certification of the quality of the institution of higher education.
“Council” means the governmental public health advisory council as established in Iowa Code section 135A.4.
“Department” means the Iowa department of public health.
“Designated local public health agency” means an entity that is either governed by or contractually responsible to a local board of health and designated by the local board.
“Director” means the director of the Iowa department of public health.
“Governmental public health system” means local boards of health, the state board of health, designated local public health agencies, the state hygienic laboratory, and the department.
“Local board of health” means a county or district board of health.
“Organizational capacity” means the governmental public health infrastructure that must be in place in order to deliver public health services.
“Public health system” means all public, private, and voluntary entities that contribute to the delivery of public health services within a jurisdiction.
[ARC 9246B, IAB 12/1/10, effective 1/5/11; ARC 2931C, IAB 2/1/17, effective 3/8/17]
641—186.3(135A) Roles and responsibilities of the council. The council shall provide guidance to the department regarding the governmental public health system.
	186.3(1) A governmental public health advisory council is established to do all of the following:
	a. 	Advise the department and make policy recommendations to the director of the department and the state board of health concerning implementation of Iowa Code chapter 135A.
	b. 	Propose to the director public health standards that may be utilized by the governmental public health system.
	c. 	Develop and implement processes for longitudinal evaluation of the public health system including collection of information about organizational capacity and public health service delivery.
	d. 	Determine what process and outcome improvements in the governmental health system are attributable to voluntary accreditation.
	e. 	Assure that the evaluation process is capturing data to support key research in public health system effectiveness and health outcomes.
	f. 	Develop and make recommendations for improvements to the public health system.
	g. 	Make recommendations for resources to support the public health system.
	h. 	Review rules developed and adopted by the state board of health under Iowa Code chapter 135A and make recommendations to the department for revisions to further promote implementation of Iowa Code chapter 135A and modernization of the governmental public health system.
	i. 	Form and utilize subcommittees as necessary to carry out the duties of the council.
	j. 	Annually submit a report on the activities of the council to the state board of health by July 1.
	186.3(2) Recommendations from the council shall be provided to the director in writing.
[ARC 9246B, IAB 12/1/10, effective 1/5/11; ARC 2931C, IAB 2/1/17, effective 3/8/17]
641—186.4(135A) Officers.
	186.4(1) The officers of the council shall be a chairperson and vice chairperson.
	a. 	The officers shall be elected at the first meeting each September.
	b. 	Vacancy in the office of chairperson shall be filled by the vice chairperson.
	c. 	Vacancy in the office of vice chairperson shall be filled by election at the next regularly scheduled meeting after the vacancy occurs.
	186.4(2) Duties of officers.
	a. 	The chairperson of the council shall preside at all meetings of the council.
	b. 	Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern all meetings.
	c. 	If the chairperson is absent or unable to act, the vice chairperson shall perform the duties of the chairperson. When so acting, the vice chairperson shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the chairperson.
	d. 	The vice chairperson shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned by the chairperson.
[ARC 9246B, IAB 12/1/10, effective 1/5/11; ARC 2931C, IAB 2/1/17, effective 3/8/17]
641—186.5(135A) Members of the council.
	186.5(1) The director, pursuant to Iowa Code section 135A.4, shall appoint members of the council.
	a. 	The membership of the council shall consist of all of the following members who satisfy all of the following requirements:
	(1)	Twelve members who represent various subfields of public health. These members shall provide geographical representation from all areas of the state. Each of these members shall be an employee of a designated local board of public health. Such members shall include a minimum of one local public health administrator and one physician member of a local board of health.
	(2)	Two members who are representatives of the department.
	(3)	The director of the state hygienic laboratory at the University of Iowa, or the director’s designee.
	(4)	At least two representatives from academic institutions.
	(5)	Two members who serve on a county board of supervisors.
	(6)	At least one economist who has demonstrated experience in public health, health care, or a health-related field.
	(7)	At least one research analyst.
	(8)	Four nonvoting members who shall consist of four members of the general assembly, two from the senate and two from the house of representatives, with not more than one member from each chamber being from the same political party. The two senators shall be designated, one member each, by the majority leader of the senate after consultation with the president and by the minority leader of the senate. The two representatives shall be designated, one member each, by the speaker of the house of representatives after consultation with the majority leader of the house of representatives and by the minority leader of the house of representatives.
	(9)	One member of the state board of health who shall be a nonvoting member.
	b. 	Members shall serve for a term of two years and may be reappointed.
	c. 	Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointments were made for the balance of the unexpired term.
	186.5(2) A member’s designee shall meet the same criteria for which the member was appointed. The member shall notify the department when the designee will be in attendance. The designee shall have voting rights.
	186.5(3) Two consecutive unexcused absences of a member or designee shall be grounds for the director to consider dismissal of the council member and to appoint another. The department staff person assigned to the council is charged with providing notification of absences to the director.
[ARC 9246B, IAB 12/1/10, effective 1/5/11; ARC 2931C, IAB 2/1/17, effective 3/8/17]
641—186.6(135A) Meetings. The council shall hold a meeting at least quarterly. Notice of routine meetings and agenda should be made available to the members a minimum of five working days prior to the meeting.
	186.6(1) Persons wishing to submit materials for consideration by the council should submit the materials electronically to the department at least 14 days in advance of the scheduled meeting to ensure that members have adequate time to review the materials.
	186.6(2) Persons wishing to make a presentation to the council shall submit the request to the department not less than 14 days prior to the meeting. Presentations upon matters appearing on the agenda may be made either at the discretion of the chairperson or the department.
	186.6(3) All meetings are open to the public in accordance with the open meetings law, Iowa Code chapter 21.
	186.6(4) The council may conduct a meeting by electronic means pursuant to Iowa Code section 21.8.
	186.6(5) A simple majority of appointed members shall be considered a quorum.
	186.6(6) Any member or member’s designee who is unable to attend a meeting shall notify the department at least 24 hours prior to the start of a regularly scheduled meeting; a meeting may be canceled if a quorum will not be present.
	186.6(7) When a quorum is present, a position is carried by affirmative vote of the majority of those present.
	186.6(8) Minutes. Minutes of all meetings showing the date, time, place, members present, members absent, and the general topics discussed shall be kept. The minutes shall reflect the actions agreed upon by the members for topics requiring the members’ input or consensus.
[ARC 9246B, IAB 12/1/10, effective 1/5/11; ARC 2931C, IAB 2/1/17, effective 3/8/17]
641—186.7(135A) Conflict of interest. A conflict of interest exists when a member of the council participates in a way that directly affects the financial interests of the council member.
	186.7(1) To avoid conflict of interest issues, a council member who has a financial interest in an action must abstain from participating in the entire process including discussion and voting.
	186.7(2) Council members who have or think they may have a conflict of interest shall declare that there is or may be a conflict of interest and request a determination from the department.
	186.7(3) If a conflict of interest is determined to exist, a council member shall abstain from voting and shall be recorded as abstaining when votes are taken.
[ARC 9246B, IAB 12/1/10, effective 1/5/11; ARC 2931C, IAB 2/1/17, effective 3/8/17]
641—186.8(135A) Subcommittees. The council may designate one or more subcommittees to perform such duties as may be deemed necessary.
[ARC 9246B, IAB 12/1/10, effective 1/5/11; ARC 2931C, IAB 2/1/17, effective 3/8/17]
641—186.9(135A) Roles and responsibilities of the department. The department is the lead agency to administer Iowa Code chapter 135A. The department’s administration shall include evaluation of and quality improvement measures for the governmental health system.
[ARC 2931C, IAB 2/1/17, effective 3/8/17]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code sections 135A.2 to 135A.4, 135A.8 and 135A.9.
[Filed ARC 9246B (Notice ARC 9093B, IAB 9/22/10), IAB 12/1/10, effective 1/5/11]
[Filed ARC 2931C (Notice ARC 2822C, IAB 11/23/16), IAB 2/1/17, effective 3/8/17]