1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to health; directing the commissioner of 
  1.3             health to provide a grant to study and implement 
  1.4             culturally relevant methods of improving the health of 
  1.5             African-American men with hypertension; appropriating 
  1.6             money. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [GRANT PROGRAM FOR CULTURAL WELLNESS.] 
  1.9      The commissioner of health shall provide a two-year grant 
  1.10  to an organization to study and implement methods to improve 
  1.11  wellness among African-American men with hypertension, through a 
  1.12  focus on the impact culture and heritage have on lifestyle and 
  1.13  perspectives on good health.  The organization awarded the grant 
  1.14  must: 
  1.15     (1) provide its services to an inner-city population; 
  1.16     (2) have developed guidelines and standards for 
  1.17  practitioners to provide care within the context of their 
  1.18  culture; 
  1.19     (3) use a team approach to provide services to persons with 
  1.20  diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and chronic stress; 
  1.21     (4) provide a personalized, goal-oriented approach to 
  1.22  wellness, through the use of classes, groups, consultations with 
  1.23  cultural practitioners, healthy practices, ceremonies, and 
  1.24  celebrations; and 
  1.25     (5) be able to provide a one-to-one private sector match 
  1.26  for grant dollars received.  
  2.1      The organization awarded the grant shall present to the 
  2.2   commissioner, by September 1, 2000, a report documenting use of 
  2.3   the grant funds and identifying successful, culturally relevant 
  2.4   methods of improving the health of African-American men with 
  2.5   hypertension. 
  2.6      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.7      $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.8   commissioner of health for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, 
  2.9   to provide the first year of grant funding to an organization to 
  2.10  study and implement culturally relevant methods of improving the 
  2.11  health of African-American men with hypertension.