For day 11 of Better Speech and Hearing Month, I will be outlining state legislation that connects to cultural competence. Yesterday, I discussed federal legislation that connects to cultural competence. Today’s article is a broader extension of that topic. Please note that not all of these laws were passed. However, I view them as good examples of equitable, culturally sensitive state legislation in healthcare. That is why I am sharing them today!
State Legislation
Below is an overview of proposed state legislation I am discussing today.
| AB 2659 California State Legislation |
| HB 1616/SB 2103 Hawaii State Legislation |
| SB 194/SR 45 Indiana State Legislation |
| HB 1404 Maryland State Legislation |
| HB 1957 Massachusetts State Legislation |
| HF 1904 Minnesota State Legislation |
| HF 2131 Minnesota State Legislation |
| HF 2402/SB 2087 Minnesota Stage Legislation |
| AB 385 New Jersey State Legislation |
| AB 1092 New Jersey State Legislation |
| SB 69 New Mexico State Legislation |
| SM 51 New Mexico State Legislation |
| AB 802 New York State Legislation |
| AB 1186/SB 2348 NYS Legislation |
| AB 2471/SB 793 NYS Legislation |
| B 572 Washington DC Legislation |
State Legislation on Increasing Health Access
California, AB 2659 Requires the director of Statewide Health Planning and Development to adopt regulations relating to the designation of health access zones and for the purpose of targeting state resources to reduce health disparities and increase access to primary care for the state’s growing Medi Cal population. Allows a credit against the personal tax income for each net increase in qualified full time health access zone employees.
State Legislation on Reducing Health Disparities
- Hawaii, HB 1616 / SB 2103 Updates the Hawaii State Planning Act objectives for health to include a commitment to eliminating health disparities by explicitly identifying and addressing social determinants of health. Outlines state policy to prioritize programs, services, interventions and activities that address social determinants of health to reduce health disparities of Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders and Filipinos.
- Minnesota, HF 2131 Requires MNsure to establish a minority ombudsperson to work with minority communities to assist in navigating MNsure and to collaborate with the councils of color. Requires the health commissioner award grants to minority-run health care professional associations to provide collaborative mental, holistic and culturally competent health care services to minority residents and collaborate on recruitment, training and placement of minority health care providers. Establishes a health care disparities task force to research ways to eradicate health care disparities. Sets task force priorities.
Minnesota, HF 2402 / SB 2087 Amends existing law to require the commissioner to award grants to minority run health care professional associations to provide the following: collaborative mental health services to minority residents; collaborative, holistic, and culturally competent health care services in communities with high concentrations of minority residents; and to collaborate on recruitment, training, and placement of minorities with health care providers.
- New Jersey, AB 385 Establishes the Disparities in Treatment of Persons with Disabilities in Underrepresented Communities Commission. Outlines duties, including conducting a study and reporting on the disparate treatment received by persons of a racial or ethnic minority with disabilities. Requires an annual report.
- New Mexico, SB 69 Directs the director of the office of African American affairs to create and implement a one-year pilot program in Bernalillo county to reduce infant mortality and enhance maternal health among African American residents. Requires implementation by July 1, 2014, and a report and recommendations by Nov. 1, 2015.
- Washington, D.C., B 572 Establishes a commission on health disparities to examine health disparities in the District, produce reports on their findings and advise the department of health, the Council of the District of Columbia and the mayor on the best ways to address health disparities that exist in the District of Columbia.
State Legislation on Cultural Competency Training
- Indiana, SB 194 Requires an individual seeking licensure in a health care profession to complete cultural competency training. Outlines training requirements.
- Maryland, HB 1404 Requires certain health care professionals complete continuing education, including on health care disparities, cultural and linguistic competency, and health literacy.
- New Mexico, SM 51 Requests that every state-funded entity adopt a policy to increase racial equity and address institutional racism by January 1, 2015.
- New York State, AB 2471 / SB 793 Requires cultural awareness and competence training for all medical professionals as part of their licensing requirements.
State Legislation on Health Literacy
- Massachusetts, HB 1957 Requires the Department of Public Health implement a program for health literacy in healthcare facilities, pharmacies and health centers. Maintains that cultural competency enables organizations to work effectively in cross-cultural situations and developing and implementing a framework of cultural competence in health systems is an extended process that ultimately serves to reduce health disparities and improve access to high-quality health care. From Joint Committee on Public Health: Accompanied Study Order HB 4147.
State Legislation on Interpretation Services
- Minnesota, HF 1904 Defines spoken language healthcare interpreter services. Provides minimum qualifications for healthcare interpreters to be included in the database of individual spoken language healthcare interpreters; provides continuing education requirements.
- New York State, AB 802 Requires insurance policy providers to maintain a database of health care providers that offer foreign language services. To Assembly Committee on Insurance.
State Legislation on Anti-Racism
- New Mexico, SM 51 Requests that every state-funded entity adopt a policy to increase racial equity and address institutional racism by January 1, 2015.
- New York State, AB 1186 / SB 2348 Require state agencies, boards and commissions that collect demographic data on ethnic origin to use separate categories for each major Asian and Pacific Islander group.
This was day 11 of Better Speech and Hearing month. We discussed an overview of U.S. State Legislation that relates to cultural competency and healthcare.
If you missed the first ten days of BHSM, click here to check them out.
Come back tomorrow to learn more about cultural sensitivity as an SLP. For more cultural sensitivity tips, make sure to subscribe to my SLP Survival Newsletter!
