§2482. Hypertension control program; establishment

A. The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health hereinafter referred to as the "secretary" shall establish within the department a hypertension control program which shall have central authority and responsibility for the development of a statewide system of community based high blood pressure control programs.

B. The secretary shall establish the criteria for the implementation of the program and shall promulgate all necessary rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of this Chapter except that no rule shall be made to limit the program to Medicaid eligibles.

C. The services established in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter shall be provided through screening and maintenance program centers which shall be established and located in each of the eight state planning districts to be determined by the secretary. The office of health services and environmental quality or its successor shall be the central office of the program.

D. The department, where feasible, shall implement the hypertension control program for each district by incorporating the services to be offered within existing health unit programs. In no case shall the program duplicate services offered through existing health unit programs, parish councils on aging, and other cooperating agencies in the given district.

E. The secretary shall take any action he deems necessary including the provision of advisory and technical assistance and the development of training and educational programs to assist qualified individuals and agencies to develop comprehensive and coordinated hypertension programs.

F. The secretary is authorized to:

(1) Enter into necessary contracts and agreements with local governments, colleges, universities, associations, agencies, corporations, and individuals for the development and expansion of community hypertension programs.

(2) Gather data relative to the detection of high blood pressure and the incidence of heart disease.

(3) Promote programs of professional education for physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, and public health professionals relative to the prevention, detection, and control of high blood pressure and the rehabilitation of victims of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease which result from uncontrolled hypertension.

(4) Conduct scientific investigation into the prevention, cause, detection, and control of high blood pressure.

(5) Develop more effective methods for the screening, evaluation, and control of hypertension.

(6) Apply for and accept any grant of money from the federal government or any other source available for the purposes of this Chapter.

Acts 1984, No. 701, §1.