BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 673
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 4, 2011

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

             AB 673 (John A. Pèrez) - As Introduced:  February 17, 2011 

          Policy Committee:                              HealthVote:12-5

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill adds consideration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and 
          transgender (LGBT) communities to the mission of the Office of 
          Multicultural Health (OMH) within the Department of Public 
          Health (DPH).

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Estimated annual ongoing General Fund costs to DPH of $100,000 
          for an additional position in OMH to perform duties related to 
          the LGBT community.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . Health and social policy organizations report that 
            members of the LGBT population experience worse health 
            outcomes than their heterosexual counterparts.  By ensuring 
            LGBT communities are considered by the OMH, this bill intends 
            to highlight and address health disparities experienced by 
            this population.  

          2)Office of Multicultural Health  . OMH was created in August 1993 
            by Executive Order W-58-93, and in 1999 was established in 
            statute in AB 1107 (Cedillo), Chapter 146, Statutes of 1999.  
            OMH is a shared policy office within the Director's Office of 
            the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Department of 
            Health Care Services (DHCS) and serves as an advisor to both 
            departments and a liaison between DPH, DHCS, and outside 
            stakeholders. The mission of OMH is to increase the capacity 
            of DPH and DHCS programs, health care providers, and 
            ethnic/racial communities to reduce health disparities and 
            improve the provision of and access to health care among 








                                                                  AB 673
                                                                  Page  2

            California's diverse population groups. 

             Existing law requires OMH to perform various duties related 
            the racial and ethnic communities it considers, including 
            strategic planning, coordination of pilot projects to improve 
            health outcomes, and communication and consultation with 
            relevant stakeholders groups.  OMH is also required to report 
            to the Legislature on a biennial basis. 

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081