MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2014 Regular Session
To: Public Health and Human Services
By: Representative Currie
AN ACT TO PROHIBIT LICENSED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS FROM SUPERVISING ANY PUBLICLY FUNDED COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER OR PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANT; TO PROHIBIT STATE AGENCIES FROM PROVIDING FOR THE LICENSING, CERTIFICATION OR CREDENTIALING OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS OR PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANTS WHO ARE EMPLOYEES OF STATE AGENCIES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section:
(a) "Community health worker" means an individual who promotes health or nutrition within the community in which the individual resides:
(i) By serving as a liaison between communities and health care agencies;
(ii) By providing guidance and social assistance to community residents;
(iii) By enhancing community residents' ability to effectively communicate with health care providers;
(iv) By providing culturally and linguistically appropriate health or nutrition education;
(v) By advocating for individual and community health;
(vi) By providing referral and follow-up services or otherwise coordinating care; and/or
(vii) By proactively identifying and enrolling eligible individuals in federal, state, local, private or nonprofit health and human services programs.
(b) "Personal care assistant" means an individual who provides essential supports and services to older adults or individuals with physical, intellectual and/or developmental disabilities to help them with their activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living and/or therapeutic care needs in order to enable them to reside safely and more independently in their homes and participate in their communities.
(2) Individuals who are licensed by the State of Mississippi to practice a health care profession or occupation shall not be authorized to supervise any community health worker or personal care assistant who is compensated with state or federal funds for performing the defined functions of the position, or who is an employee or contract employee of an employer that receives state or federal funds that are used in a program in which the community health worker or personal care assistant performs the defined functions of the position.
(3) No agency, department, institution or official of the state may provide for the licensing, certification or credentialing of community health workers or personal care assistants who are employees or contract employees of any agency, department or institution of the state.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.