Program Enhancements and Other Adjustments
Department of Public Health

The new Department of Public Health (DPH) is charged with protecting and promoting the health status of Californians through programs and policies that use population-wide interventions. The DPH programs prevent chronic diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, environmental and occupational diseases and communicable diseases, such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The DPH licenses and certifies health care facilities; protects the public from consuming unsafe drinking water; manages and regulates the safety of food, drugs, medical devices and radiation sources; and operates vital public health laboratories. The DPH is responsible for the state's public health disaster and emergency response preparedness. The DPH also operates family health programs, such as the Women, Infants and Children program, maternal, child and adolescent health and genetic disease testing and related services. The DPH is responsible for managing the state's public health information, including vital statistics.


LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION
 The Licensing and Certification (L and C) program promotes the highest quality of medical care in community settings and facilities by enforcing state licensing and federal certification requirements. The program encourages provider-initiated compliance and quality of care improvement activities, initiates licensing and certification changes to improve cost-effectiveness, promotes partnerships between public and private health care providers to improve quality of care and access to new technologies and responds to California's changing demographics.

The Governor's Budget includes $84.2 million ($6.3 million General Fund) for L and C, which reflects a net increase of $19.3 million (a decrease of $10.1 million General Fund) above the Budget Act of 2006. The Governor's Budget includes:

  • Accelerated implementation of the statutory requirement for the program to become fee-supported, resulting in General Fund savings of $7.2 million in 2007-08 and $3.6 million in 2008-09.
  • $7.2 million L and C Program Fund and 42.7 positions to implement Chapter 647, Statutes of 2006 (SB 1301) related to the reporting of and follow up on adverse events in hospitals.
  • $2.5 million L and C Program Fund and 15.2 positions to conduct periodic licensing surveys of long-term care facilities, pursuant to Chapter 895, Statutes of 2006 (SB 1312).
  • $0.7 million ($0.4 million L and C Program Fund and $0.4 million Federal Funds) and 5.7 positions to provide legal and administrative support for the 155.5 new L and C staff included in the Budget Act of 2006.
  • $0.2 million and 1.4 positions in DPH and $0.5 million ($0.3 million General Fund) and 4.3 positions in DHCS to ensure hospitals apply fair pricing to uninsured and underinsured patients, pursuant to Chapter 755, Statutes of 2006 (AB 774).

GENETIC DISEASES
 The Genetic Disease Branch, within Primary Care and Family Health, screens newborns and pregnant women for genetic and congenital disorders in a cost-effective and clinically efficient manner. The screening programs provide testing, follow-up and early diagnosis of disorders to prevent adverse outcomes or minimize the clinical effects of such disorders.

The Governor's Budget includes $118.7 million from the Genetic Disease Testing Fund, a net increase of $21.0 million above the Budget Act of 2006. The Governor's Budget includes $4.2 million from the proposed Birth Defects Monitoring Fund, $16.1 million from the Genetic Disease Testing Fund and 5.7 positions to implement Chapter 484, Statutes of 2006 (SB 1555), which expands research efforts and prenatal screenings for birth defects.


PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
 Public and environmental health programs protect the health and safety of consumers served by various licensed or regulated facilities and services. The Governor's Budget provides $2.9 million from a variety of fee-supported special funds and 23.8 positions to address increased workload and improve the timeliness of the licensing and inspection of drug and medical device manufacturers and retailers, x-ray machines, small water systems, water system operators and food canneries. In addition, the Governor's Budget includes:

  • $2.1 million General Fund and 8.5 positions to enhance the state's response capabilities to foodborne illnesses such as E. coli. State public health officials provided extensive investigative and laboratory support as a result of recent E. coli and other foodborne illness outbreaks, and given the health and economic impact of these incidents, the Administration believes it is important to secure adequate resources to quickly respond to and investigate the source of future outbreaks. This funding will establish trained investigator teams to investigate foodborne illnesses and outbreaks and enhance the state's capacity to test food and environmental samples.
  • $2.0 million General Fund to provide additional local assistance funding to increase surveillance staff for HIV reporting activities and help California retain critical federal funding. Chapter 20, Statutes of 2006 (SB 699) requires health care providers and laboratories to report cases of HIV to local health departments using patient names and requires local health departments to report unduplicated HIV cases by name to the DPH. These requirements align state law with federal requirements. Prior to enrollment of Chapter 20, the state used a code-based system. This funding will accelerate the conversion process necessitated by these new data collection and reporting requirements to support the state's continued receipt of $50 million in federal grants.
  • $1.6 million General Fund, $0.4 million L and C Program Fund and 13.3 positions to implement the Hospital Infectious Disease Control Program, pursuant to Chapter 526, Statutes of 2006 (SB 739). Infectious diseases in hospitals are estimated to cost the state $3.1 billion annually. This proposal will implement measures designed to prevent various hospital-associated infections by providing DPH with resources to develop infection control guidelines, provide consultation with health care facilities to implement the guidelines, conduct epidemiological and statistical support on health care infection data and perform laboratory analysis of hospital-associated infections, illnesses and outbreaks.
  • $1.2 million General Fund and 2.8 positions for the DPH to begin implementation of an environmental contaminant biomonitoring program, pursuant to Chapter 599, Statutes of 2006 (SB 1379). This funding will support a contract to develop a sampling design and establish parameters for this program. This proposal is a collaborative effort that also includes $0.2 million General Fund for the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and $0.1 million General Fund for the Department of Toxic Substances Control.
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CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS for Health and Human Services Back to Top

 Major Accomplishments in 2006-07
 Proposed HHS Spending for 2007-08
 Program Enhancements and Other Adjustments
  Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs
  Department of Health Care Services
 image of black pointing arrowDepartment of Public Health
  Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board
  Department of Developmental Services
  Department of Mental Health
  Department of Child Support Services
  Department of Social Services
  State-Local Program Realignment
PRINTABLE BUDGET DOCUMENTS Back to Top
Budget Summary - Health and Human Services (pdf * - 261K) -
Provides this entire Health and Human Services Chapter in pdf format.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Back to Top
Proposed Budget Detail - Health and Human Services
Displays Proposed Budget Detail information for Health and Human Services.