A. For the purpose of representing the interests of health planning regions and performing health planning activities at the regional level, there are hereby created such regional health planning agencies as may be designated by the Board of Health.

Terms Used In Virginia Code 32.1-122.05

  • Board: means the State Board of Health. See Virginia Code 32.1-122.01
  • Commissioner: means the State Health Commissioner. See Virginia Code 32.1-122.01
  • Consumer: means a person who is not a provider of health care services. See Virginia Code 32.1-122.01
  • Department: means the Virginia Department of Health. See Virginia Code 32.1-122.01
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Provider: means a licensed or certified health care practitioner, a licensed health care facility or service administrator, or an individual who has a personal interest in a health care facility or service as defined in the Virginia Conflict of Interests Act (§ 2. See Virginia Code 32.1-122.01
  • Regional health planning agency: means the regional agency, including the regional health planning board, its staff and any component thereof, designated by the Board to perform the health planning activities set forth in this chapter within a health planning region. See Virginia Code 32.1-122.01
  • Regional health planning board: means the governing board of the regional health planning agency as described in § 32. See Virginia Code 32.1-122.01
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
  • State Health Plan: means the document so designated by the Board, which may include analysis of priority health issues, policies, needs, methodologies for assessing statewide health care needs, and such other matters as the Board shall deem appropriate. See Virginia Code 32.1-122.01

B. Each regional health planning agency shall be governed by a regional health planning board to be composed of not more than thirty residents of the region. The membership of the regional health planning boards shall include, but not be limited to, consumers, providers, a director of a local health department, a director of a local department of social services or welfare, a director of a community services board, a director of an area agency on aging and representatives of health care insurers, local governments, the business community and the academic community. The majority of the members of each regional health planning board shall be consumers. Consumer members shall be appointed in a manner that ensures the equitable geographic and demographic representation of the region. Provider members shall be solicited from professional organizations, service and educational institutions and associations of service providers and health care insurers in a manner that assures equitable representation of provider interest.

The members of the regional health planning boards shall be appointed for no more than two consecutive terms of four years or, when appointed to fill an unexpired term of less than four years, for three consecutive terms consisting of one term of less than four years and two terms of four years. The boards shall not be self-perpetuating. The Board of Health shall establish procedures requiring staggered terms. The composition and the method of appointment of the regional health planning boards shall be established in the regulations of the Board of Health. In addition, the Board of Health shall require, pursuant to regulations, each regional health planning board to report and maintain a record of its membership, including, but not limited to, the names, addresses, dates of appointment, years served, number of consecutive and nonconsecutive terms, and the group represented by each member. These membership reports and records shall be public information and shall be published in accordance with the regulations of the Board.

C. An agreement shall be executed between the Commissioner, in consultation with the Board of Health, and each regional health planning board to delineate the work plan and products to be developed with state funds. Funding for the regional health planning agencies shall be contingent upon meeting these obligations and complying with the Board’s regulations.

D. Each regional health planning agency shall assist the Board of Health by: (i) conducting data collection, research and analyses as required by the Board; (ii) preparing reports and studies in consultation and cooperation with the Board; (iii) reviewing and commenting on the components of the State Health Plan; (iv) conducting needs assessments as appropriate and serving as a technical resource to the Board; (v) identifying gaps in services, inappropriate use of services or resources and assessing accessibility of critical services; (vi) reviewing applications for certificates of public need and making recommendations to the Department thereon as provided in § 32.1-102.6; and (vii) conducting such other functions as directed by the regional health planning board. All regional health planning agencies shall demonstrate and document accountability for state funds through annual budget projections and quarterly expenditure and activity reports that shall be submitted to the Commissioner. A regional health planning agency may designate membership and activities at subarea levels as deemed appropriate by its regional health planning board. Each regional health planning board shall adopt bylaws for its operation and for the election of its chairman and shall maintain and publish a record of its membership and any subarea levels as required by this section and the regulations of the Board of Health.

1989, cc. 617, 633; 2002, cc. 83, 398.