135A.4 Governmental public health advisory council — legislative intent.

1. It is the intent of the general assembly that Iowa’s governmentally sponsored public health system be effective, efficient, well-organized, and well-coordinated in order to have the greatest impact on the improvement of health status for all Iowans. The governmental public health advisory council is intended to support this goal, and is established to provide recommendations to the director of the department to support improved organization and delivery of critical public health services across the state.

2. A governmental public health advisory council is established to advise the department and make policy recommendations to the director of the department concerning administration, implementation, and coordination of this chapter and to make recommendations to the department and the state board of health regarding the governmental public health system. The council shall meet at least quarterly. The council shall consist of no fewer than fifteen members and no more than twenty-eight members. The members shall be appointed by the director. The director may solicit and consider recommendations from professional organizations, associations, and academic institutions in making appointments to the council.

3. Council members shall serve for a term of two years and may be reappointed. Vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the original appointment.

4. The membership of the council shall consist of all of the following members who satisfy all of the following requirements:

a. Twelve members who represent various subfields of public health. These members shall provide geographical representation from all areas of the state. Each of these members shall be an employee of a designated local public health agency or member of a local board of health. Such members shall include a minimum of one local public health administrator and one physician member of a local board of health.

b. Two members who are representatives of the department.

c. The director of the state hygienic laboratory at the university of Iowa, or the director’s designee.

d. At least two representatives from academic institutions.

e. Two members who serve on a county board of supervisors.

f. At least one economist who has demonstrated experience in public health, health care, or a health-related field.

g. At least one research analyst.

h. Four nonvoting members who shall consist of four members of the general assembly, two from the senate and two from the house of representatives, with not more than one member from each chamber being from the same political party. The two senators shall be designated, one member each, by the majority leader of the senate after consultation with the president and by the minority leader of the senate. The two representatives shall be designated, one member each, by the speaker of the house of representatives after consultation with the majority leader of the house of representatives and by the minority leader of the house of representatives.

i. A member of the state board of health who shall be a nonvoting member.

5. The council may utilize other relevant public health expertise when necessary to carry out its roles and responsibilities.

6. The council shall do all of the following:

a. Advise the department and make policy recommendations to the director of the department and the state board of health concerning implementation of this chapter.

b. Propose to the director public health standards that may be utilized by the governmental public health system.

c. Develop and implement processes for longitudinal evaluation of the public health system including collection of information about organizational capacity and public health service delivery.

d. Determine what process and outcome improvements in the governmental public health system are attributable to voluntary accreditation.

e. Assure that the evaluation process is capturing data to support key research in public health system effectiveness and health outcomes.

f. Develop and make recommendations for improvements to the public health system.

g. Make recommendations for resources to support the public health system.

h. Review rules developed and adopted by the state board of health under this chapter and make recommendations to the department for revisions to further promote implementation of this chapter and modernization of the governmental public health system.

i. Form and utilize subcommittees as necessary to carry out the duties of the council.

j. Annually submit a report on the activities of the council to the state board of health by July 1.

2009 Acts, ch 182, §118, 126; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §27; 2016 Acts, ch 1026, §3