NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1979 SESSION
CHAPTER 996
HOUSE BILL 999
AN ACT TO CREATE THE NORTH CAROLINA ARTHRITIS PROGRAM AND COMMITTEE.
Whereas, the U.S. Public Health Service has indicated that 500,000 persons in North Carolina suffer from arthritis; and
Whereas, the annual cost of arthritis in North Carolina from lost wages and medical bills approaches three hundred twenty-five million dollars ($325,000,000); and
Whereas, although a cure for arthritis is not yet known, many of the effects of this disease can be controlled through public and professional education, early detection, adequate treatment, and lifetime monitoring to those persons found with this disease; and
Whereas, there is a critical shortage of properly trained health professionals and allied health professionals in North Carolina for arthritis prevention, treatment, care and rehabilitation programs; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. Chapter 143B of the General Statutes of North Carolina is hereby amended by adding to Article 3. a new Part 16 to read as follows:
"Part 16. North Carolina Arthritis Program Committee.
"§ 143B-184. North Carolina Arthritis Program Committee, creation, composition. — (a) There is created the North Carolina Arthritis Program Committee. The committee shall consist of 12 members to be appointed by the Secretary of Human Resources as follows:
(1) one person nominated by the President of the N.C. Medical Society,
(2) one person nominated by the Dean of the Bowman Gray School of Medicine,
(3) one person nominated by the Dean of the Duke University School of Medicine,
(4) one person nominated by the Dean of the East Carolina University School of Medicine,
(5) one person nominated by the Dean of The University of North Carolina School of Medicine,
(6) two persons nominated by the North Carolina National Health Agency Committee,
(7) one person who suffers from arthritis,
(8) one person who suffers from arthritis, or the brother, sister, parent, child, or spouse of a person who suffers from arthritis,
(9) one person representing the profession of nursing,
(10) one person representing the profession of occupational therapy,
(11) one person representing the profession of physical therapy.
(b) The secretary shall make the appointments provided in subdivisions (a)(1) through (a)(6) from a list of not to exceed five persons submitted by each nominating agency or individual.
(c) The secretary shall designate one member as chairman. Each member shall serve a four-year term. The initial appointments of members shall be as follows: the secretary shall appoint the appointees designated in subdivisions (a)(1) through (a)(4) for initial terms of two years; the appointees designated in subdivisions (a)(5) through (a)(7) for initial terms of three years; and the appointees designated in subdivisions (a)(8) through (a)(11) for initial terms of four years. At the end of the respective terms of office of the initial members of the committee, the appointment of their successors shall be for terms of four years and until their successors are appointed and qualified. A vacancy occurring before the expiration of a term shall be filled in the same manner as provided for in the original appointment and the appointee shall serve the unexpired term.
(d) The committee shall meet semiannually and at such other times as called by the chairman of the committee.
(e) The Secretary shall have the power to remove any member from the committee for misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeasance in accordance with G.S. 143B-13.
(f) The members of the committee shall receive per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 138-5.
(g) All clerical and other services required by the committee shall be supplied by the Secretary of Human Resources within budget limitations.
"§ 143B-185. Duties of Committee. — The committee shall consider the entire problem of arthritis, including research, education and services furnished arthritis victims. The committee shall have the power and the duty to recommend to the Secretary of Human Resources a long‑range arthritis plan, policy guidance, and public accountability of the plan. The committee shall report annually to the Governor its findings and recommendations, and shall advise the Governor about the Arthritis Program authorized by G.S. 130-187.1."
Sec. 2. Chapter 130 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article 18A to read as follows:
"Article 18A.
"Arthritis Program.
"§ 130-187.1. Establishment of Arthritis Program. — There is hereby established a North Carolina Arthritis Program which shall be administered by the Secretary of Human Resources. The purposes of the comprehensive Arthritis Program shall be: (1) to improve professional education for physicians and allied health professionals, including nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and social workers; (2) to conduct programs of public education and information; (3) to provide detection and treatment programs and services for the at-risk population of North Carolina; (4) to utilize the services available at the State medical schools; existing arthritis rehabilitation centers; existing local arthritis clinics and agencies; (5) to develop an arthritis outreach clinical system; (6) to develop and train personnel at clinical facilities for diagnostic work-up, laboratory analysis, and consultations with primary physicians regarding patient management; (7) arthritis diseases and; (8) to develop the epidemiology studies to determine the frequency and distribution of the disease."
Sec. 3. There is appropriated from the General Fund of the State to the Division of Health Services, Department of Human Resources the sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for fiscal year 1979-1980 and the sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for fiscal year 1980-1981 for the North Carolina Arthritis Program and for operation of the North Carolina Arthritis Program Committee, and shall be in addition to all funds appropriated to the Department of Human Resources for any program.
Sec. 4. This act shall become effective July 1, 1979.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 8th day of June, 1979.