House File 548 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  MASCHER

                                       (COMPANION TO LSB 2497SS
                                        BY APPEL)


    Passed House, Date               Passed Senate,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to resources for families with premature infants.
  2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  3 TLSB 2497HH 83
  4 pf/nh/14

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  135.175  PREMATURE INFANTS ==
  1  2 RESOURCES.
  1  3    1.  By January 1, 2010, the department shall develop
  1  4 written educational publications or provide linkages to
  1  5 existing resources, to provide information and support to
  1  6 families with infants who are born at less than thirty=seven
  1  7 weeks gestational age.
  1  8    2.  The department shall, to the greatest extent possible,
  1  9 ensure that the information is provided in a manner that is
  1 10 accessible and understandable to parents notwithstanding their
  1 11 socioeconomic status, educational level, gender, or age.
  1 12    3.  The department may consult with appropriate
  1 13 organizations, agencies, and programs including those that
  1 14 focus on premature infants or pediatric health care in
  1 15 developing the written educational publications and in
  1 16 providing linkages to the existing resources under this
  1 17 section.
  1 18    4.  The department shall make the information available to
  1 19 families through various types of media and through a variety
  1 20 of sources including but not limited to the department's
  1 21 internet website, local public health departments, empowerment
  1 22 areas, the HOPES=HFI program, child health providers, maternal
  1 23 care providers, hospitals, health care provider locations,
  1 24 public and private programs that focus on infant, child, and
  1 25 maternal health, and other appropriate entities.
  1 26                           EXPLANATION
  1 27    This bill directs the department of public health, by
  1 28 January 1, 2010, to develop written educational publications
  1 29 or to provide linkages to existing resources, to provide
  1 30 information and support to families with premature infants.
  1 31 The information is to be provided in a manner that is
  1 32 accessible and understandable to parents notwithstanding their
  1 33 socioeconomic status, educational level, gender, or age.  The
  1 34 bill directs the department to consult with other appropriate
  1 35 organizations, agencies, and programs including those that
  2  1 focus on premature infants or pediatric health care in
  2  2 developing the written educational publications and in
  2  3 providing linkages to the existing resources, and directs the
  2  4 department to make the information available through various
  2  5 types of media and through a variety of sources including the
  2  6 department's internet website and other existing appropriate
  2  7 entities.
  2  8 LSB 2497HH 83
  2  9 pf/nh/14