(a) There is a Statewide Public Health Component in the Program.
(b) The purpose of the Statewide Public Health Component is to maximize the effectiveness of the anti-tobacco initiatives in the State by authorizing the Department to take steps to ensure that the Program is implemented in a coordinated and integrated manner throughout the State.
(c) Subject to subsections (d) and (e) of this section and as necessary to ensure a coordinated and integrated statewide effort to implement tobacco use prevention and cessation programs, the Department may develop and implement statewide anti-tobacco initiatives that are consistent with the findings and recommendations of the Task Force Report and the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding best practices for comprehensive tobacco control programs as they relate to statewide programs, including programs that support the implementation of the Local Public Health Component.
(d) (1) To implement this section, the Department may issue a request for proposal, distribute a grant, or enter into a contract.
(2) The request for proposal, grant, or contract shall state with specificity the objectives and performance criteria that will be used to measure the success of the Program to which the request for proposal, grant, or contract relates.
(3) If the Department issues a request for proposal to select an entity to implement an initiative under this section, the Department shall use the criteria established in § 13-1003(e)(5) of this subtitle as a guide in administering the request for proposal process.
(e) (1) Except as provided under paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Department may not spend any of the money that is allocated to the Statewide Public Health Component in the State budget until after the Baseline Tobacco Study is completed.
(2) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph and before the Baseline Tobacco Study is completed, the Department may use money that is allocated to the Statewide Public Health Component in the State budget for fiscal year 2001 to distribute grants that will be used to provide outreach and start-up technical assistance to communities for the purpose of organizing participation in community health coalitions.
(ii) The Department shall use at least $750,000 of the money that is allocated to the Statewide Public Health Component in the State budget for fiscal year 2001 to provide outreach and start-up technical assistance to African American communities in the State for the purpose of organizing participation in community health coalitions that are formed under § 13-1008(b), § 13-1109(c), or § 13-1115(b) of this title.