community hospital beds. An increase in substance abuse funding includes about $11 million to expand preven- tion and treatment of neonatal absti- nence syndrome. A rider to the budget ties potential
funds for tobacco cessation to federal funding in response to last year’s Eb- ola scare. If DSHS receives more than $20.27 million in federal funding relat- ed to Ebola prevention, planning, and treatment during 2016–17, the depart- ment will transfer an equal amount of general revenue toward strategies for public health preparedness, chronic disease prevention, and tobacco ces- sation. DSHS will allocate those funds as it sees fit toward pediatric asthma management, potentially preventable adult hospitalizations, expanded to- bacco prevention services, diabetes prevention, and funding for the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force. The legislature also provided a
healthy funding increase for women’s health, according to Janet P. Realini, MD, president of Healthy Futures of Texas and chair of the Texas Women’s Healthcare Coalition. Healthy Futures of Texas works to prevent teen and unplanned pregnancies. Dr. Realini was pleased with the
outcome of the budget allocations for women’s preventive health care. In the 2016–17 budget, the state’s Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will receive $262 million in general revenue funds for women’s health and family planning, an in- crease of $47.5 million. “Our goal, really, is for all women
in Texas to have access to the preven- tive care, including contraception, that they need,” she said. “So I think this session really was very positive to- ward that.” Dr. Realini says one concern is a
looming consolidation of three health care programs. The budget moves two DSHS programs — the Expanded Pri- mary Care Program and the Family Planning Program — over to HHSC, which already oversees the Texas Women’s Health Program. HHSC will
August 2015 TEXAS MEDICINE 47
PUBLIC HEALTH IN ACTION
Gov. Greg Abbott signed measures that addressed a num- ber of the Texas Public Health Coalition’s priorities for the 2015 legislative session, including:
• Continue to store childhood immunization data for post- high school education and employment needs — House Bill 2171 by Rep. J.D. Shefield. DO (R-Gainesville), allows for consent to store childhood immunization records in the ImmTrac registry through age 26.
• Support regulation of electronic cigarettes as tobacco products, including prevention of youth access — Senate Bill 97 by Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen) criminal- izes the sale of e-cigarettes to people younger than 18 or to others who intend to deliver e-cigarettes to minors.
• Preserve and support expanded funding for chronic dis- ease prevention — House Bill 1, the budget bill for 2016–17, includes a rider tying potential chronic disease prevention funding to federal funds the Texas Department of State Health Services receives for Ebola prevention.
Tobacco use in Texas
High school students who smoke Percentage of male high school students who use smokeless or spit tobacco
Kids who become new daily smokers each year
Packs of cigarettes kids buy or smoke each year
Adults in Texas who smoke Source: Tobacco-Free Kids, October 2014
212,000 (14.1%) 13.9%
24,200 64.1 million 3,085,500 (15.9%)
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