Chronic diseases; direct Health Department to establish WISEWOMAN and WISEMAN programs in certain counties.

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To: Public Health and Human
Services
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Hines

HOUSE BILL NO. 74

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 41-3-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
DIRECT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ESTABLISH THE WISEWOMAN 2
AND WISEMAN PROGRAMS TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCES OF CERTAIN CHRONIC 3
DISEASES AMONG MISSISSIPPIANS THROUGH EDUCATION, PREVENTION AND 4
EARLY SCREENING AND DETECTION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PROGRAMS SHALL 5
BE IMPLEMENTED IN EACH COUNTY THAT IS LOCATED WHOLLY OR PARTIALLY 6
WEST OF INTERSTATE 55; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 41-3-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
41-3-13. (1) The Legislature makes the following findings: 11
(a) Chronic diseases are among the most prevalent, 12
costly and preventable of all health problems. 13
(b) Screening tests are currently available that can 14
detect heart disease, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal 15
cancer, prostate cancer and other chronic diseases early, when 16
they can be most effectively treated, managed or controlled. 17
(c) The risk factors for many chronic diseases can be 18
addressed and reduced through education about those risk factors 19
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and the importance of actions that can be taken for prevention of 20
chronic diseases. 21
(d) People should partner with their health care 22
providers to have their risk factors assessed, monitored and 23
managed in accordance with national guidelines, and should be 24
educated about the signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke 25
and the importance of getting help quickly at the onset of those 26
symptoms. 27
(e) Mississippi should have programs that are 28
specifically designed to reduce the incidences of chronic diseases 29
among our population. 30
(2) The State Department of Health * * * shall establish the 31
WISEWOMAN * * * program and the WISEMAN * * * program, the 32
purposes and goals of which are to reduce the incidences of 33
certain chronic diseases among Mississippians through education, 34
prevention and early screening and detection. * * * The WISEWOMAN 35
and WISEMAN programs shall be implemented in each county that is 36
located wholly or partially west of Interstate 55. The focus of 37
the WISEWOMAN * * * program shall be heart disease, stroke, breast 38
cancer, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer in women, and the 39
focus of the WISEMAN * * * program shall be heart disease, stroke, 40
prostate cancer, colorectal cancer and diabetes in men. At a 41
minimum, the WISEWOMAN and WISEMAN * * * programs shall: 42
(a) Provide for education about healthy behaviors and 43
how to reduce the risk factors for those chronic diseases; 44
H. B. No. 74 *HR31/R618* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: Chronic diseases; direct Health Department
to establish WISEWOMAN and WISEMAN programs in
certain counties.
(b) Provide for screening and testing to detect those 45
chronic diseases early when they can be effectively treated, 46
managed or controlled; and 47
(c) Be directed toward those populations at greatest 48
need and be based on a foundation of scientific evidence. 49
(3) In implementing the WISEWOMAN and WISEMAN * * * 50
programs, the department shall contract with public or private 51
clinics or agencies that have demonstrated success in reducing 52
incidences of those chronic diseases through education, prevention 53
and early screening and detection. 54
(4) The department shall seek and apply for grants from the 55
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public or 56
private entities to obtain funding for the WISEWOMAN and 57
WISEMAN * * * programs. 58
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 59
and after July 1, 2026. 60