§16-5M-3. Interagency council on osteoporosis.

(a) There is hereby established the interagency council on osteoporosis. The director of public health shall chair the council. The council shall have representatives from appropriate state departments and agencies including, but not limited to, the entities with responsibility for aging, health care reform implementation, education, public welfare and women's programs.

(b) The council shall:

(1) Coordinate osteoporosis programs conducted by or through the bureau of public health;

(2) Establish a mechanism for sharing information on osteoporosis among all officials and employees involved in carrying out osteoporosis-related programs;

(3) Review and coordinate the most promising areas of education, prevention and treatment concerning osteoporosis;

(4) Assist the bureau of public health and other offices in developing and coordinating plans for education and health promotion on osteoporosis;

(5) Establish mechanisms to use the results of research concerning osteoporosis in the development of relevant policies and programs; and

(6) Prepare a report that describes educational initiatives on osteoporosis and transmit the report to the Legislature and the Governor and make the report available to the public.

(c) The council shall establish and coordinate the advisory panel on osteoporosis which will provide nongovernmental input regarding the program. Membership shall include, but is not limited to, persons with osteoporosis, public health educators, osteoporosis experts, providers of osteoporosis health care, persons knowledgeable in health promotion and education and representatives of national osteoporosis organizations or their state and regional affiliates.