Powers and duties of Task Force and Department.
1. The Task Force for the Fund for a Healthy Nevada shall:
(a) Conduct public hearings to accept public testimony from a wide variety of sources and perspectives regarding existing or proposed programs that:
(1) Promote public health;
(2) Improve health services for children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities;
(3) Reduce or prevent the use of tobacco;
(4) Reduce or prevent the abuse of and addiction to alcohol and drugs; and
(5) Offer other general or specific information on health care in this state.
(b) Establish a process to evaluate the health and health needs of the residents of this state and a system to rank the health problems of the residents of this state, including, without limitation, the specific health problems that are endemic to urban and rural communities.
(c) Reserve not more than 30 percent of all revenues deposited in the Fund for a Healthy Nevada each year for direct expenditure by the Department to pay for prescription drugs and pharmaceutical services for senior citizens pursuant to NRS 439.635 to 439.690, inclusive, and to fund in whole or in part any program established pursuant to NRS 422.274 or 422.2745. From the money reserved to the Department pursuant to this paragraph, the Department may subsidize all of the cost of policies of health insurance that provide coverage to senior citizens for prescription drugs and pharmaceutical services pursuant to NRS 439.635 to 439.690, inclusive, and fund in whole or in part any program established pursuant to NRS 422.274 or 422.2745. The Department shall consider recommendations from the Task Force for the Fund for a Healthy Nevada in carrying out the provisions of NRS 439.635 to 439.690, inclusive, and administering any program established pursuant to NRS 422.274 or 422.2745. The Department shall submit a quarterly report to the Governor, the Task Force for the Fund for a Healthy Nevada and the Interim Finance Committee regarding the general manner in which expenditures have been made pursuant to this paragraph and the status of the program.
(d) Reserve not more than 30 percent of all revenues deposited in the Fund for a Healthy Nevada each year for allocation by the Aging Services Division of the Department in the form of grants for existing or new programs that assist senior citizens with independent living, including, without limitation, programs that provide:
(1) Respite care or relief of family caretakers;
(2) Transportation to new or existing services to assist senior citizens in living independently; and
(3) Care in the home which allows senior citizens to remain at home instead of in institutional care.
Ê The Aging Services Division of the Department shall consider recommendations from the Task Force for the Fund for a Healthy Nevada concerning the independent living needs of senior citizens.
(e) Allocate, by contract or grant, for expenditure not more than 20 percent of all revenues deposited in the Fund for a Healthy Nevada each year for programs that prevent, reduce or treat the use of tobacco and the consequences of the use of tobacco.
(f) Allocate, by contract or grant, for expenditure not more than 10 percent of all revenues deposited in the Fund for a Healthy Nevada each year for programs that improve health services for children.
(g) Allocate, by contract or grant, for expenditure not more than 7.5 percent of all revenues deposited in the Fund for a Healthy Nevada each year for programs that improve the health and well-being of persons with disabilities. In making allocations pursuant to this paragraph, the Task Force shall, to the extent practicable, allocate the money evenly among the following three types of programs:
(1) Programs that provide respite for persons caring for persons with disabilities;
(2) Programs that provide positive behavioral supports to persons with disabilities; and
(3) Programs that assist persons with disabilities to live safely and independently in their communities outside of an institutional setting.
(h) Reserve not more than 2.5 percent of all revenues deposited in the Fund for a Healthy Nevada each year for direct expenditure by the Department to fund in whole or in part any program established pursuant to NRS 422.2745. The Department shall consider recommendations from the Task Force for the Fund for a Healthy Nevada in administering any program established pursuant to NRS 422.2745.
(i) Maximize expenditures through local, federal and private matching contributions.
(j) Ensure that any money expended from the Fund for a Healthy Nevada will not be used to supplant existing methods of funding that are available to public agencies.
(k) Develop policies and procedures for the administration and distribution of contracts, grants and other expenditures to state agencies, political subdivisions of this state, nonprofit organizations, universities and community colleges. A condition of any such contract or grant must be that not more than 8 percent of the contract or grant may be used for administrative expenses or other indirect costs. The procedures must require at least one competitive round of requests for proposals per biennium.
(l) To make the allocations required by paragraphs (e), (f) and (g):
(1) Prioritize and quantify the needs for these programs;
(2) Develop, solicit and accept applications for allocations;
(3) Conduct annual evaluations of programs to which allocations have been awarded; and
(4) Submit annual reports concerning the programs to the Governor and the Interim Finance Committee.
(m) Transmit a report of all findings, recommendations and expenditures to the Governor and each regular session of the Legislature.
2. The Task Force may take such other actions as are necessary to carry out its duties.
3. The Department shall take all actions necessary to ensure that all allocations for expenditures made by the Task Force are carried out as directed by the Task Force.
4. To make the allocations required by paragraph (d) of subsection 1, the Aging Services Division of the Department shall:
(a) Prioritize and quantify the needs of senior citizens for these programs;
(b) Develop, solicit and accept grant applications for allocations;
(c) As appropriate, expand or augment existing state programs for senior citizens upon approval of the Interim Finance Committee;
(d) Award grants or other allocations;
(e) Conduct annual evaluations of programs to which grants or other allocations have been awarded; and
(f) Submit annual reports concerning the grant program to the Governor and the Interim Finance Committee.
5. The Aging Services Division of the Department shall submit each proposed grant which would be used to expand or augment an existing state program to the Interim Finance Committee for approval before the grant is awarded. The request for approval must include a description of the proposed use of the money and the person or entity that would be authorized to expend the money. The Aging Services Division of the Department shall not expend or transfer any money allocated to the Aging Services Division pursuant to this section to subsidize any portion of the cost of policies of health insurance that provide coverage to senior citizens for prescription drugs and pharmaceutical services pursuant to NRS 439.635 to 439.690, inclusive, or to pay for any program established pursuant to NRS 422.274 or 422.2745.
6. The Department, on behalf of the Task Force, shall submit each allocation proposed pursuant to paragraph (e), (f) or (g) of subsection 1 which would be used to expand or augment an existing state program to the Interim Finance Committee for approval before the contract or grant is awarded. The request for approval must include a description of the proposed use of the money and the person or entity that would be authorized to expend the money.
Last modified: February 26, 2006