GRANTS FOR ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES

(a) Subject to the availability of funds, the department shall administer a program under which appropriated money may be granted to counties, municipalities, public health districts, and other political subdivisions for use by the counties, municipalities, public health districts, and other political subdivisions to provide or pay for essential public health services. (b) The grants authorized by Subsection (a) shall be distributed equally between urban and rural areas of the state. (c) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules governing: (1) the allocation formula for grants awarded under this section; (2) the manner in which a municipality, county, public health district, or other political subdivision applies for a grant; (3) the procedures for awarding grants; and (4) the minimum essential public health services to be provided under the grant and other standards applicable to the services to be provided under the grant. (d) A municipality, county, public health district, or other political subdivision that receives a grant under this section, in consultation with the department, shall develop a plan to evaluate the effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of the essential public health services that are provided under the grant. The plan must: (1) identify the outcomes that are intended to result from the use of the grant money and establish a mechanism to measure those outcomes; and (2) establish performance standards for the delivery of essential public health services and a mechanism to measure compliance with those standards. (e) The governing body of the municipality, the commissioners court of the county, or the members of a public health district may appoint a local health board to monitor the use of the money received under this section. (f) A public health board established under Section 121.034 or 121.046 may serve as the local health board authorized under Subsection (e). (g) The governing body of the municipality or the commissioners court of a county may serve as the local health board authorized under Subsection (e). If the governing body of the municipality or the commissioners court of the county elects to serve as the local health board, the governing body or commissioners court may appoint an advisory committee to advise the governing body or commissioners court with respect to the use of the money granted under this section. (h) Chapter 783, Government Code, and standards adopted under that chapter control if applicable to a grant made under this section.