SB 212 DE

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Became Law

Like Senate Bill No. 212, Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 212 codifies the Bureau of Health Equity (BHE) in the Division of Public Health, which includes the Office of Minority Health and the Office of Women’s Health. The purpose of the BHE is to ensure that everyone in Delaware will achieve their full health potential by eliminating health disparities, particularly among all racial and ethnic minority groups. The BHE works with communities to address social determinants of health, focusing on prevention, health, and wellness in the broader population instead of treatment focused on individuals. Health disparities are preventable differences in the quality of health or health care between 2 or more groups of people based on a shared characteristic of the individuals within each group, such as race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status and the differences between the groups regarding access to health care or burdens, prevalence, or incidence of disease or violence. Delaware has been recognized nationally for successfully reducing some health disparities, including being the first state to virtually erase racial disparities in colorectal cancer screening and treatment, by combining individual patient assistance from nurse navigators and care coordinators with community-based outreach efforts that used trusted messengers, including leaders of faith-based communities. However, 10 years after achieving this success with colorectal cancer screening and treatment, many health disparities remain in Delaware. Codifying the BHE ensures that this critical work continues. In addition, this Act identifies the Primary Care Reform Collaborative and the Office of Value-Based Health Care Delivery as state entities that the BHE should collaborate with because these entities are addressing health disparities through insurance payments to providers. This Act also makes technical corrections to § 7905 of Title 29. Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 212 differs from Senate Bill No. 212 as follows: • Changes the Delaware Code designation for the BHE to § 7905B to avoid confusion with § 7905A in Chapter 79A of Title 29. • Revises the definition of “health disparity”. • Adds that a purpose of the BHE is to promote conditions that are vital to promote health and well-being. • Removes the requirement that the BHE provide training on cultural competency because this is no longer a function that the BHE has the expertise or staff to provide.

• Darius J. Brown Democratic · primary
• Kendra Johnson Democratic · primary
• Sherry Dorsey Walker · primary
• Russell Huxtable Democratic · primary
• S. Elizabeth Lockman Democratic · primary
• Spiros Mantzavinos Democratic · primary
• Marie Pinkney Democratic · primary
• Nicole Poore Democratic · primary
• David P. Sokola Democratic · primary
• Bryan Townsend Democratic · primary
• John "Jack" Walsh Democratic · primary
• Franklin D. Cooke Democratic · primary
• Sean M. Lynn Democratic · primary
• Sarah McBride · primary

1. Mar 11, 2024 Adopted in lieu of the original bill SB 212, and Assigned to Elections & Government Affairs Committee in Senate · upper
2. Mar 13, 2024 Reported Out of Committee (Elections & Government Affairs) in Senate with 4 On Its Merits · upper
3. Mar 20, 2024 Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 NOT VOTING · upper
4. Mar 21, 2024 Assigned to Administration Committee in House · lower
5. May 22, 2024 Reported Out of Committee (Administration) in House with 5 On Its Merits · lower
6. Jun 25, 2024 Passed By House. Votes: 40 YES 1 ABSENT · lower
7. Aug 12, 2024 Signed by Governor · executive