135.141 - DIVISION OF ACUTE DISEASE PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE -- ESTABLISHMENT -- DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT.

        135.141  DIVISION OF ACUTE DISEASE PREVENTION AND
      EMERGENCY RESPONSE -- ESTABLISHMENT -- DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT.
         1.  A division of acute disease prevention and emergency response
      is established within the department.  The division shall coordinate
      the administration of this division of this chapter with other
      administrative divisions of the department and with federal, state,
      and local agencies and officials.
         2.  The department shall do all of the following:
         a.  Coordinate with the homeland security and emergency
      management division of the department of public defense the
      administration of emergency planning matters which involve the public
      health, including development, administration, and execution of the
      public health components of the comprehensive plan and emergency
      management program pursuant to section 29C.8.
         b.  Coordinate with federal, state, and local agencies and
      officials, and private agencies, organizations, companies, and
      persons, the administration of emergency planning, response, and
      recovery matters that involve the public health.
         c.  Conduct and maintain a statewide risk assessment of any
      present or potential danger to the public health from biological
      agents.
         d.  If a public health disaster exists, or if there is
      reasonable cause to believe that a public health disaster is
      imminent, conduct a risk assessment of any present or potential
      danger to the public health from chemical, radiological, or other
      potentially dangerous agents.
         e.  For the purpose of paragraphs "c" and "d", an
      employee or agent of the department may enter into and examine any
      premises containing potentially dangerous agents with the consent of
      the owner or person in charge of the premises or, if the owner or
      person in charge of the premises refuses admittance, with an
      administrative search warrant obtained under section 808.14.  Based
      on findings of the risk assessment and examination of the premises,
      the director may order reasonable safeguards or take any other action
      reasonably necessary to protect the public health pursuant to rules
      adopted to administer this subsection.
         f.  Coordinate the location, procurement, storage,
      transportation, maintenance, and distribution of medical supplies,
      drugs, antidotes, and vaccines to prepare for or in response to a
      public health disaster, including receiving, distributing, and
      administering items from the strategic national stockpile program of
      the centers for disease control and prevention of the United States
      department of health and human services.
         g.  Conduct or coordinate public information activities
      regarding emergency and disaster planning, response, and recovery
      matters that involve the public health.
         h.  Apply for and accept grants, gifts, or other funds to be
      used for programs authorized by this division of this chapter.
         i.  Establish and coordinate other programs or activities as
      necessary for the prevention, detection, management, and containment
      of public health disasters, and for the recovery from such disasters.

         j.  Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A for the administration
      of this division of this chapter including rules adopted in
      cooperation with the Iowa pharmacy association and the Iowa hospital
      association for the development of a surveillance system to monitor
      supplies of drugs, antidotes, and vaccines to assist in detecting a
      potential public health disaster.  Prior to adoption, the rules shall
      be approved by the state board of health and the administrator of the
      homeland security and emergency management division of the department
      of public defense.  
         Section History: Recent Form
         2003 Acts, ch 33, §2, 11; 2003 Acts, ch 179, §157; 2005 Acts, ch
      89, §8; 2009 Acts, ch 37, §6; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §42