Office of Binational Border Health.

Existing law establishes an Office of Binational Border Health within the State Department of Public Health to facilitate cooperation between health officials and health professionals in California and Mexico, to reduce the risk of disease in the California border region, and in those areas directly affected by border health conditions. Existing law requires the office to convene a voluntary community advisory group with no more than 12 California representatives, including a representative from an association of local health officers specializing in border health issues. Existing law requires the advisory group to develop a strategic plan, and requires the office to prepare an annual border health status report and to submit the report to the Director of Public Health, the Legislature, and the Governor. This bill would require that 2 members of the advisory group represent local nonprofit organizations or community-based organizations that provide services related to border health, with one member from San Diego and one member from the Imperial Valley. The bill would require the advisory group to update the strategic plan every 2 years, and would require the plan to include, among other things, solutions to address challenges to binational cooperation and communication relating to health. The bill would require the office to post the strategic plan and any updates to the strategic plan on its Internet Web site. The bill would also require the office's annual border health status report to identify and recommend changes in law necessary to achieve the goals of the office.