Bill > S1400

This bill aims to promote public health through the establishment of the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund. The key provisions are: 1. Creating the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund, which will be administered by the Department of Public Health and funded through various revenue sources, including appropriations, fines, and gifts/grants. At least 80% of the fund must be distributed through a competitive grant process to partnerships that include municipalities, community organizations, healthcare providers, and others to implement evidence-based community health strategies. 2. Establishing a Prevention and Wellness Advisory Board to provide guidance on the administration and allocation of the fund, as well as conducting periodic evaluations of the program's effectiveness in areas like reducing preventable health conditions, healthcare costs, and health inequities. 3. Requiring acute hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to assess a "prevention and wellness surcharge" on certain payments, with the revenue deposited into the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund. 4. Directing 10% of the revenue from the Marijuana Regulation Fund to be transferred annually to the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund. The bill aims to support community-based preventive services, address social determinants of health, and develop evidence-based strategies to improve public health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs in Massachusetts.