(a) The Labor Commissioner, in consultation with the Commissioner of Public Health, shall encourage the development of occupational health clinics by making grants-in-aid to public and nonprofit organizations. Such grants-in-aid shall be used to facilitate the development and operation of such clinics, including, but not limited to, preproject development, site acquisition, development, improvement and operating expenses. Such grants-in-aid may be used for activities involved in occupational disease evaluation, treatment and prevention, particularly when such activities are not compensated by other sources. Priority for such grants-in-aid may be given to organizations providing services for working age populations, including, but not limited to, migrant and contingent workers, where health disparities or work structure interfere with the provision of occupational health care services. Such grants-in-aid shall not be used to compensate any occupational health clinic for any activities that utilize commercial services or involve grants or contracts received from an outside party. The commissioner shall consult with the Occupational Health Clinics Advisory Board prior to making any such grant. For purposes of this subsection, “contingent worker” means an individual whose employment is of a temporary and sporadic nature and may include, but not be limited to, an agricultural worker, an independent contractor, as defined in section 36a-485, or a day or temporary worker, as defined in section 31-57r.
(b) For an organization to qualify for a grant-in-aid under sections 31-396 to 31-403, inclusive, the occupational health clinic to be operated shall meet all of the following criteria: (1) Clinical directorship by a board certified or board eligible occupational health physician; (2) membership in, application to or plans for application to the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics; (3) availability of industrial hygiene or related services; (4) current involvement in or willingness to assist in the training of occupational health professionals; (5) capability to comply with the surveillance requirements and recommendations outlined in the report on Occupational Disease in Connecticut of 1989; (6) agreement to work with the Department of Public Health and the Labor Department to reduce the burden of occupational disease; (7) provision of assistance and medical consultative services to Connecticut OSHA; (8) cooperation with the Department of Public Health, Labor Department, Workers' Compensation Commission and state Insurance Commissioner to transfer granted occupational medicine costs to appropriate insurance and other private funding mechanisms; (9) agreement to attempt to educate medical professionals on use of the surveillance system; (10) agreement to compile and report surveillance data; and (11) cooperation with the Department of Public Health, Labor Department, Workers' Compensation Commission and state Insurance Commissioner to carry out the purposes of sections 31-396 to 31-403, inclusive.
(P.A. 90-226, S. 2, 10; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 15-47, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; (Revisor's note: The phrases “commissioner of labor” and “department of labor” in Subsecs. (a) and (b) were changed editorially by the Revisors to “labor commissioner” and “labor department”, respectively, in conformance with Sec. 31-1); P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 15-47 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re priority for grants-in-aid, replacing provision re activities included in corporate medicine or employee wellness program with provision re activities that utilize commercial services or involve grants or contracts received from outside party, adding definition of “contingent worker”, and making a technical change.