Strategies to Extend Health Care Access to Vulnerable Populations

Mobile Health Clinics
SB842 (Senator Favola)
Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to, as part of its broader initiative to support the development and implementation of programs that support telehealth, include broadband access services for mobile health clinics as a priority for broadband nondeployment programs using federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program funding to the extent approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. 

Community Health Workers
SB981 (Senator Hashmi)
Directs the Department of Health to submit a report on certified community health workers to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Appropriations and the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget.

Telehealth
SB843 (Senator Favola)
Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to develop a plan and estimate costs for expanding eligibility criteria under Medicaid for remote patient monitoring for individuals with chronic conditions and to report such plan and cost estimate to the Joint Commission on Health Care.

SB1037 (Senator Pekarsky)
Directs each school board to consider, for the purpose of increasing access to health care services for students, developing and implementing policies for permitting any public school student in the school division to schedule and participate in telehealth services, including mental health teletherapy services pursuant to a memorandum of understanding with a nationally recognized school-based telehealth provider developed in accordance with applicable law, on school property during regular school hours with parental consent.

SB1038 (Senator Pekarsky)
Directs the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to develop and disseminate best practice educational training for health care providers on how to conduct telehealth visits for patients with disabilities.

SB1039 (Senator Pekarsky)
Requires the Department of Corrections and the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to develop and implement policies for the accommodation in local, regional, state, and community correctional facilities of inmate participation in telehealth appointments, which shall include designating a private space for such telehealth appointments to occur. 

HB1945 (Delegate Reaser)
Directs each school board to consider, for the purpose of increasing access to health care services for students, developing and implementing policies for permitting any public school student in the school division to schedule and participate in telehealth services on school property during regular school hours with parental consent.

(Strategies to Extend Health Care Access to Vulnerable Populations study report.)

 

Strategies to Strengthen the Anesthesia Workforce in Virginia

SB882 (Senator Locke)
Establishes criteria for the licensure of anesthesiologist assistants and directs the Board of Medicine to adopt regulations governing the practice of anesthesiologist assistants. The bill provides that no person shall use or assume the title "anesthesiologist assistant" or hold himself out as an anesthesiologist assistant unless such person holds a license as an anesthesiologist assistant issued by the Board.

(Strategies to Strengthen the Anesthesia Workforce in Virginia study report.)