The department shall: (a) Establish criteria for eligibility for the prenatal testing program. Eligibility shall include definition of conditions and circumstances that result in a high risk of a detectable genetic disorder or birth defect. (b) (1) Develop an education program designed to educate physicians and surgeons and the public concerning the uses of prenatal testing and the availability of the program. (2) (A) Include information regarding environmental health in the California Prenatal Screening Program patient educational information. This environmental health information shall include the following statement: âWe encounter chemicals and other substances in everyday life that may affect your developing fetus. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce your exposure to these potentially harmful substances at home, in the workplace, and in the environment. Many Californians are unaware that a number of everyday consumer products may pose potential harm. Prospective parents should talk to their doctor and are encouraged to read more about this topic to learn about simple actions to promote a healthy pregnancy.â (B) The department shall include in the patient educational information links to educational materials derived from peer-reviewed materials based on the best available evidence relating to environmental health and reproductive toxins. (C) The department shall post the environmental health information described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) on its Internet Web site. (D) The department shall send a notice to all distributors of the patient educational information informing them of the change to that information. In the notice, the department shall encourage obstetrician-gynecologists and midwives to discuss environmental health with their patients and to direct their patients to the appropriate page or pages in the patient educational information to provide their patients with additional information. (E) In order to minimize costs, the environmental health information described in this paragraph shall be included when the patient educational information is otherwise revised and reprinted. (F) The department may modify the language in the patient educational information after consultation with medical and scientific experts in the field of environmental health and reproductive toxins. (c) Ensure that genetic counseling be given in conjunction with prenatal testing at the approved prenatal diagnosis centers. (d) Designate sufficient prenatal diagnosis centers to meet the need for these services. Prenatal diagnosis centers shall have equipment and staff trained and capable of providing genetic counseling and performing prenatal diagnostic procedures and tests, including the interpretation of the results of the procedures and tests. (e) Administer a program of subsidy grants for approved nonprofit prenatal diagnosis centers. The subsidy grants shall be awarded based on the reported number of low-income women referred to the center, the number of prenatal diagnoses performed in the previous year at that center, and the estimated size of unmet need for prenatal diagnostic procedures and tests in its service area. This subsidy shall be in addition to fees collected under other state programs. (f) Establish any rules, regulations, and standards for prenatal diagnostic testing and the allocation of subsidies as the director deems necessary to promote and protect the public health and safety and to implement the Hereditary Disorders Act (Section 27). (g) (1) The department shall expand prenatal screening to include all tests that meet or exceed the current standard of care as recommended by nationally recognized medical or genetic organizations, including, but not limited to, inhibin. (2) The prenatal screening fee increase for expanding prenatal screening to include those tests described in paragraph (1) is forty dollars ($40). (3) The department shall report to the Legislature regarding the progress of the prog
‹ Prev All California sections Next ›
Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.