135.143 - PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TEAMS.

        135.143  PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TEAMS.
         1.  The department shall approve public health response teams to
      supplement and support disrupted or overburdened local medical and
      public health personnel, hospitals, and resources.  Assistance shall
      be rendered under the following circumstances:
         a.  At or near the site of a disaster or threatened disaster
      by providing direct medical care to victims or providing other
      support services.
         b.  If local medical or public health personnel or hospitals
      request the assistance of a public health response team to provide
      direct medical care to victims or to provide other support services
      in relation to any of the following incidents:
         (1)  During an incident resulting from a novel or previously
      controlled or eradicated infectious agent, disease, or biological
      toxin.
         (2)  After a chemical attack or accidental chemical release.
         (3)  After an intentional or accidental release of radioactive
      material.
         (4)  In response to a nuclear or radiological attack or accident.

         (5)  Where an incident poses a high probability of a large number
      of deaths or long-term disabilities in the affected population.
         (6)  During or after a natural occurrence or incident, including
      but not limited to fire, flood, storm, drought, earthquake, tornado,
      or windstorm.
         (7)  During or after a man-made occurrence or incident, including
      but not limited to an attack, spill, or explosion.
         2.  The department shall provide by rule a process for
      registration and approval of public health response team members and
      sponsor entities and shall authorize specific public health response
      teams, which may include but are not limited to disaster assistance
      teams and environmental health response teams.  The department may
      expedite the registration and approval process during a disaster,
      threatened disaster, or other incident described in subsection 1.
         3.  A member of a public health response team acting pursuant to
      this division of this chapter shall be considered an employee of the
      state under section 29C.21 and chapter 669, shall be afforded
      protection as an employee of the state under section 669.21, and
      shall be considered an employee of the state for purposes of workers'
      compensation, disability, and death benefits, provided that the
      member has done all of the following:
         a.  Registered with and received approval to serve on a public
      health response team from the department.
         b.  Provided direct medical care or other support services
      during a disaster, threatened disaster, or other incident described
      in subsection 1; or participated in a training exercise to prepare
      for a disaster or other incident described in subsection 1.
         4.  The department shall provide the department of administrative
      services with a list of individuals who have registered with and
      received approval from the department to serve on a public health
      response team.  The department shall update the list on a quarterly
      basis, or as necessary for the department of administrative services
      to determine eligibility for coverage.
         5.  Upon notification of a compensable loss, the department of
      administrative services shall seek funding from the executive council
      for those costs associated with covered workers' compensation
      benefits.  
         Section History: Recent Form
         2003 Acts, ch 33, §4, 11; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §286; 2005 Acts, ch
      89, §9; 2009 Acts, ch 37, §7, 8
         Referred to in § 29C.20