GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1991 SESSION

CHAPTER 299
HOUSE BILL 499

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE MISSION AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  Article 1 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes is amended by adding the following new section to read:
"§ 130A-1.1.  Mission and essential services.
(a)	The General Assembly recognizes that unified purpose and direction of the public health system is necessary to assure that all citizens in the State have equal access to essential public health services.  The General Assembly declares that the mission of the public health system is to promote and contribute to the highest level of health possible for the people of North Carolina by:
(1)	Preventing health risks and disease;
(2)	Identifying and reducing health risks in the community;
(3)	Detecting, investigating, and preventing the spread of disease;
(4)	Promoting healthy lifestyles;
(5)	Promoting a safe and healthful environment;
(6)	Promoting the availability and accessibility of quality health care services through the private sector; and
(7)	Providing quality health care services when not otherwise available.
(b)	As used in this section, the term 'essential public health services' means those services that the State shall assure because they are essential to promoting and contributing to the highest level of health possible for the citizens of North Carolina.  The Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources shall attempt to assure within the resources available to it that the following essential public health services are available and accessible to all citizens of the State, and shall account for the financing of these services:
(1)	Health Support:
a.	Assessment of health status, health needs, and environmental risks to health;
b.	Patient and community education;
c.	Public health laboratory;
d.	Registration of vital events;
(2)	Environmental Health:
a.	Lodging and institutional sanitation;
b.	On-site domestic sewage disposal;
c.	Water and food safety and sanitation; and
(3)	Personal Health:
a.	Child health;
b.	Chronic disease control;
c.	Communicable disease control;
d.	Dental public health;
e.	Family planning;
f.	Health promotion and risk reduction;
g.	Maternal health.
The Commission for Health Services shall determine specific services to be provided under each of the essential public health services categories listed above.
(c)	The General Assembly recognizes that there are health-related services currently provided by State and local government and the private sector that are important to maintaining a healthy social and ecological environment but that are not included on the list of essential public health services required under this section.  Omission of these services from the list of essential public health services shall not be construed as an intent to prohibit or decrease their availability.  Rather, such omission means only that the omitted services may be more appropriately assured by government agencies or private entities other than the public health system.
(d)	The list of essential public health services required by this section shall not be construed to limit or restrict the powers and duties of the Commission for Health Services or the Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources as otherwise conferred by State law."
Sec. 2. This act becomes effective October 1, 1991.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 17th day of June, 1991.

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James C. Gardner
President of the Senate

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Daniel Blue, Jr.
Speaker of the House of Representatives