11-10-101 through 11-10-114 or the University of Wyoming or

11-10-101 through 11-10-114 or the University of Wyoming or Wyoming community colleges.

9-2-112. Division of vocational rehabilitation; cooperation with federal government in providing services to individuals with disabilities.

(a) The division shall cooperate with the federal government in implementing federal statutes pertaining to the purposes of this act, including the licensing of blind persons or other individuals with disabilities to operate small businesses on federal property. The division may adopt methods of administration necessary for the proper and efficient operation of agreements with the federal government and to secure the full benefits of the federal statutes.

(b) Upon designation by the governor, the division may perform functions and services for the federal government relating to individuals with a physical or mental disability other than those described in subsection (a) of this section.

9-2-113. Division of vocational rehabilitation; federal and state funds; custody and disbursement by state treasurer; gifts.

(a) The state treasurer is the custodian of all funds received from the federal government for vocational rehabilitation or to implement any agreements authorized by this act. The division of vocational rehabilitation shall disburse federal and state funds available for those purposes and submit receipt and acknowledgement to the state treasurer.

(b) The division may accept and use gifts for carrying out the purposes of this act. The gifts may be held, invested, reinvested and used in accordance with the conditions of the gift.

9-2-114. Division of vocational rehabilitation; services; persons eligible; extent provided at public cost; regulation as to selection of persons to be benefited; right to benefit not transferable.

(a) Vocational rehabilitation services shall be provided to eligible residents with disabilities and to other individuals with disabilities who are eligible under an agreement with another state or the federal government.

(b) Goods or services shall be provided at public cost only to the extent that the individual with disabilities requires financial assistance with respect thereto. However, the following services may be provided at public cost:

(i) Diagnostic and related services, including transportation, required for the determination of eligibility for service and of the nature and scope of the services to be provided;

(ii) Guidance; and

(iii) Job related services, including job search and placement, job retention services and follow-up services.

(c) If vocational rehabilitation services cannot be provided to all eligible individuals with disabilities, the division shall adopt, by regulation, a method for selecting those to whom services will be provided.

(d) The right of any individual to any benefit under this act is not transferable or assignable at law or in equity.

9-2-115. Division of vocational rehabilitation; preference given to eligible individuals with disabilities in operating small businesses on public property; new construction and remodeling; effect of preference on existing small businesses.

(a) Individuals with disabilities determined to be eligible by the division shall be given a contract bid preference on small contracts, where the small business was established pursuant to this act. The contract bid preference shall apply to small businesses on either public or private property which were established pursuant to this act.  (b) The administrator or governing body in charge of any public property, in cooperation with the division may construct a new facility or remodel a preexisting facility to accommodate a small business established pursuant to this act.

(c) The contract bid preference granted by this section does not affect the rights of persons currently operating a small business on public property and under a written contract with a specific renewal or termination date, until the renewal or termination date. After the renewal or termination date, the division shall bid out the small business contract and apply contract bid preferences where applicable.

9-2-116. Legislative findings; purposes.

The legislature finds that a shortage of primary care physicians and allied health providers exists in the state of Wyoming which limits the availability of adequate health care services for the citizens of the state who live in rural areas. The legislature further finds that the number of qualified physicians and allied health care providers can be increased to enhance the provision of rural health care services by the adoption of incentives to attract more primary care physicians and allied health care providers to communities experiencing these shortages. The legislature therefore enacts the Rural Health Care Act of 1993 to create an office of rural health care and to create a loan repayment program to repay education loans of primary care physicians and allied health care providers who practice for specified periods of time in designated communities which are experiencing shortages.

9-2-117. Office of rural health created; duties.

(a) The office of rural health is created within the department of health. The office shall:

(i) Serve as a clearinghouse for information on primary health care services in communities and rural areas of Wyoming and provide for dissemination of information by appropriate means to interested citizens of the state;

(ii) Provide technical assistance and consultation services to communities and rural areas, including hospitals located in these communities and rural areas, and thereby assist citizens' groups, local officials and health professionals to:  (A) Recruit and retain health care professionals and support personnel as required;

(B) Assess health care needs and priorities in rural areas;

(C) Identify sources of funding and programming, including information on rural health care districts;

(D) Establish strong working relationships with health care professionals throughout the state;

(E) Repealed by Laws 2016, ch. 37, § 2.

(F) Assist in the development of rural health clinics;

(G) Repealed by Laws 2016, ch. 37, § 2.

(iii) Contract, if necessary, with other entities to carry out duties prescribed under this section, and to conduct an active and ongoing recruitment program for physicians and other health care professionals, subject to the availability of funds, and to engage in the following activities:

(A) Assist communities in their effort to recruit and retain physicians and other health care professionals;

(B) Assist communities in the contact and evaluation of potential candidates;

(C) Conduct community studies to ascertain viable support for health care professionals;

(D) Assist physicians and other health care professionals and their families to find communities that will meet their needs and expectations;

(E) Maintain close liaison with government and private sources of health care providers;

(F) Assess the availability of health care providers in the state;

(G) Facilitate incorporation of mid-level providers into the state health delivery system.  (iv) Collaborate with state agencies, private health organizations and professional and community organizations in a continuing effort to improve needed rural, primary care and other health care services for the people of Wyoming;

(v) Administer the loan repayment programs created by W.S. 9-2-118 and 9-2-119;

(vi) In collaboration with the state health officer and the state chief information officer, represent the department of health in a consortium of state agencies, private health organizations and professional and community organizations to facilitate the operations of a statewide interoperable telemedicine/telehealth network using existing internet protocol based communication and videoconferencing infrastructure and telecommunication services to the extent possible. The consortium shall:

(A) Consist of members appointed by the director of the department of health, to include the Wyoming chief information officer or the officer's designee;

(B) Coordinate the development and promotion of statewide standards for an interoperable telemedicine/telehealth network and, where applicable, promote definitions and standards for statewide electronic health transactions;

(C) Promote and conduct education programs that inform network users that information communicated through the use of telemedicine/telehealth shall conform with state and federal privacy and security laws and information security programs established by the state chief information officer;

(D) Have the authority to seek funds for consortium operation and contract as needed to carry out its responsibilities.

(vii) In collaboration with the state health officer and the state chief information officer or their designees, coordinate with appropriate state agencies to establish incentives to implement, promote and facilitate the voluntary exchange of secure telemedicine/telehealth network information between and among individuals, entities and agencies that are providing and paying for services authorized under the Medicaid program, in conformity with rules adopted by the state chief information officer;  (viii) In collaboration with the state health officer and the state chief information officer or their designees, develop and promote a common direction for a statewide interoperable telemedicine/telehealth network among state agencies, in conformity with rules adopted by the department of enterprise technology services;

(ix) As required by W.S. 33-1-303(a)(iv) and in collaboration with the state health officer and the state chief information officer or their designees, collaborate with professional and occupational licensure boards concerning the promulgation of rules and definitions related to the practice of telemedicine/telehealth and the use of telemedicine/telehealth technologies.

9-2-118. Physician and dentist loan repayment program.

(a) The department is authorized to enter into agreements with physicians and dentists who have graduated from accredited residency programs to provide health care in this state. The agreements shall:

(i) Provide for the physician or dentist to practice medicine in a community of the state from among a list of communities developed by the department. A physician or dentist shall agree to provide medical care for the period of the contract in underserved areas of the state and shall accept patients qualified under the Medical Assistance and Services Act, Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act and the child health insurance program who seek medical care which the physician or dentist is qualified to provide;

(ii) Provide that the physician or dentist shall be repaid up to one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of outstanding educational loans the physician or dentist has acquired as a direct result of undergraduate or postgraduate educational training directly related to providing medical or dental services, not to exceed thirty thousand dollars ($30,000.00) per year, in exchange for practicing his profession under the terms of this section;

(iii) Require the physician or dentist to practice for a minimum of three (3) years under the agreement;

(iv) Repealed by Laws 2005, ch. 148, § 2.  (v) Contain other provisions the department deems necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purposes of this section.

(b) The department, in consultation with the appropriate licensing board and professional association, shall promulgate rules necessary to carry out the purposes of this section. In carrying out this section the department shall assess health care needs of the state by geographic areas and practice specialties and shall prioritize and enter into agreements under this section accordingly.

(c) The department may vary the terms of each agreement in accordance with this section based upon the community and the number of the physician's or dentist's patients whose cost of care is reimbursed under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act, the child health insurance program or the Wyoming Medical Assistance and Services Act.

(d) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 121, § 3.

9-2-119. Allied health care provider loan repayment program.

(a) The department is authorized to enter into agreements with health care providers licensed or certified to provide health care services in this state including, but not limited to, hospital, medical, surgical, dental, vision, nursing, radiology, mental health, speech language pathology and pharmaceutical services. The agreements shall:

(i) Require the health care provider to provide health care services in a community of the state from among a list of communities developed by the department. A health care provider shall agree to provide medical care for the period of the contract in underserved areas of the state and shall accept patients qualified under the Medical Assistance and Services Act, Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act and the child health insurance program who seek medical care which the health care provider is qualified to provide;

(ii) Provide that the health care provider shall be repaid up to one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of outstanding educational loans the provider has acquired as a direct result of undergraduate or postgraduate educational training directly related to providing medical services, not to exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) per year, in exchange for practicing under the terms of this section;

(iii) Require the health care provider to agree to provide health care services for a minimum of three (3) years under the agreement;

(iv) Repealed By Laws 2005, ch. 148, § 2.

(v) Contain other provisions the department deems necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purposes of this section.

(b) The department, in consultation with the appropriate licensing board and professional association, shall promulgate rules necessary to carry out the purposes of this section. In carrying out this section the department shall assess health care needs of the state by geographic areas and particular health care services required and shall prioritize and enter into agreements under this section accordingly.

(c) The department may vary the terms of each agreement in accordance with this section based upon the community and the number of the health care provider's patients whose cost of care is reimbursed under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act, the child health insurance program or the Wyoming Medical Assistance and Services Act.

(d) Repealed by Laws 2006, ch. 118 § 2.

(e) In selecting health care providers for agreements pursuant to this section, the department shall give priority when practical to qualified graduates of the University of Wyoming or a Wyoming community college.

9-2-120. Renumbered as 9-4-1203 by Laws 2000, Ch. 52, § 2.

9-2-121. Renumbered as 9-4-1204 by Laws 2000, Ch. 78, § 1.

9-2-122. Substance abuse control plan.

(a) The department of health shall develop a detailed, comprehensive substance abuse control plan for prevention, early intervention and treatment designed to curb alcohol and controlled substance abuse in the state of Wyoming.  (b) The department of health or contractor shall work, to the greatest extent feasible, in collaboration with the University of Wyoming statistical analysis center in determining appropriate data regarding early warning signs of substance abuse.

(c) The plan shall also recommend how the services of schools, community mental health centers, social service providers, local health care providers, law enforcement, corrections and any other entities presently available in the state of Wyoming can better serve the state in responding to substance abuse problems. The substance abuse control plan should decrease the potential overlapping of these services while maintaining a collaborative effort among state and local governmental entities and other organizations to assure maximum leveraging of resources, including people and money. The plan should identify and address the filling of gaps in the continuum of needed services. The substance abuse control plan shall also include recommendations to the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the state of Wyoming regarding programs and funding determinations which those entities may make.

(d) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 44, § 2.

9-2-123. Wyoming investment in nursing loan and grant program; eligibility criteria; procedures.

(a) There is created the Wyoming investment in nursing program administered by the Wyoming community college commission created under W.S. 21-18-201. The program shall be known as the WYIN program. Applicants shall be residents of this state or graduates of a Wyoming high school and may apply for loans from the WYIN program in accordance with this section.

(b) To qualify for a loan under the WYIN program, the applicant shall first:

(i) Be accepted into a nursing education program at a Wyoming community college, the University of Wyoming, or, in the case of a candidate for a doctoral degree, an institution providing the required nursing education courses under contract with the western interstate commission for higher education or in a distance nursing education program at a university that is regionally accredited; and

(ii) Apply for federal financial assistance and any employer-based financial assistance for which the applicant may be eligible. Wyoming community colleges shall allow students who apply for admission into an approved nurse aide training or nursing education program, and who will enroll in fewer than six (6) academic credit hours, to apply for federal financial assistance.

(c) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this program, loans under the WYIN program may be granted to applicants enrolled or planning to enroll in nursing education programs as follows:

(i) An applicant who is accepted into a Wyoming licensed practical nurse or registered nursing education program or a baccalaureate degree program in nursing may be eligible for a loan to pay the unmet need, as determined by the Wyoming community college commission or its designee, of attendance at the licensed practical nursing education program or the registered nursing education program leading to an associate's or baccalaureate degree;

(ii) A registered nurse with a baccalaureate degree who holds an unencumbered license with the Wyoming board of nursing and is accepted into a nursing education program at the University of Wyoming leading to a master's degree or doctorate level degree in nursing or nursing education may be eligible for a loan to pay the unmet need of attendance, as determined by the Wyoming community college commission or its designee, provided that in order to receive a loan for either program, the applicant shall agree to repay the loan by teaching nursing at a Wyoming community college or the University of Wyoming. If the applicant registered nurse is not accepted into a nursing education program at the University of Wyoming and upon approval of the Wyoming community college commission, the applicant registered nurse may be accepted into an accredited nursing education program at a university located outside of the state. Loans awarded for applicants accepted into programs outside of Wyoming shall not exceed the loan amounts available for programs at the University of Wyoming;

(iii) A registered nurse with a master's degree in nursing who holds an unencumbered license with the Wyoming board of nursing and is accepted into a nursing education program at an institution providing the required nursing education courses under contract with the western interstate commission for higher education or in a distance nursing education program at a university that is regionally accredited leading to a doctorate level degree in nursing may be eligible for a loan to pay the unmet need of attendance, as determined by the Wyoming community college commission or its designee, provided that in order to receive a loan for a doctorate level degree program, the applicant shall agree to repay the loan by teaching nursing at a Wyoming community college or the University of Wyoming.

(d) A loan provided under this section shall not exceed the cost of attendance for the approved program, reduced by the amount of any Pell or other federal grant and any employer-based financial assistance received by the applicant.

(e) A recipient of a WYIN loan under this section may repay the loan without cash payment by working in Wyoming as a nurse or nurse educator as provided in subsection (f) of this section. To qualify as repayment under this subsection, and except for graduate students as provided under subsection (q) of this section, work shall be performed within the following time periods which begin with the calendar month following the month in which the student completed the academic program:

(i) If the loan can be repaid with work of two (2) years or less, within three (3) years;

(ii) If the loan can be repaid with work of greater than two (2) years, but no more than four (4) years, within five (5) years;

(iii) If the loan can be repaid with work of greater than four (4) years, within the amount of time the loan could be repaid, plus two (2) years.

(f) Qualified work under subsection (e) of this section shall be credited so that the student's loan balance is reduced on the basis of one (1) year of full-time employment repaying the loan balance for one (1) academic year of full-time enrollment, or twelve thousand dollars ($12,000.00) of the loan, whichever is less. Qualified work shall be credited on a proportional basis.

(g) Any recipient of a WYIN loan who fails:

(i) To complete the academic program for which the loan was provided shall commence cash repayment of the loan no later than forty-five (45) days after the recipient leaves the academic program;  (ii) To obtain employment in the targeted occupation for which the person received the education within ninety (90) days after successfully passing the appropriate certification or licensure examination shall commence cash repayment of the loan within one hundred twenty (120) days after successfully passing the appropriate certification or licensure examination;

(iii) The appropriate certification or licensure examination on the first attempt may retake the examination at the next available opportunity before commencing repayment of the loan. The recipient shall notify the Wyoming community college commission or its contractor of the intent to retake the examination and the date the examination will be taken. Any recipient of a WYIN loan who fails the examination after the second attempt shall commence cash repayment of the loan within forty-five (45) days after receipt of notification of the second failure by the board of nursing. If the recipient of a WYIN loan who fails the examination on the first attempt does not retake the examination at the next available opportunity, cash repayment shall commence within forty-five (45) days after the next available examination is conducted.

(h) Loan repayment options under this section may be deferred for a period not to exceed four (4) years while a loan recipient is serving on full-time active duty with any branch of the military services of the United States.

(j) The Wyoming community college commission shall have the powers and duties specified in W.S. 21-18-202 to implement this section and shall establish terms and conditions of loans issued under this section, including:

(i) Interest rates and loan terms;

(ii) The form and process for loan application, review and award;

(iii) Criteria under which students may be relieved from having to repay loans and interest thereon, in whole or in part, where the requirement to repay would cause undue hardship.

(k) Funding of the loan program established under this section shall be by appropriation of the legislature. The Wyoming community college commission shall transfer approved loan amounts to the University of Wyoming and to Wyoming community colleges at which loan recipients are enrolled. In consultation with the university and affected community colleges, the commission shall establish procedures for transferring loan amounts and for reporting requirements on the expenditure of transferred loan amounts.

(m) Cash repayment of loans and interest thereon shall be credited to the general fund.

(n) The Wyoming community college commission shall annually review the loan program established under this section and report to the governor and the legislature in accordance with W.S. 9-2-1014, regarding program results, funds received and loans issued during the preceding academic year, together with the status of all outstanding loan commitments and repayments under the program.

(o) Repealed by Laws 2019, ch. 60, § 2.

(p) For the purposes of this section:

(i) Any person beginning a nursing education program as authorized by this section shall continue to receive funding for the program so long as the person remains eligible as required by this section;

(ii) Repayment of loans provided under this section shall continue as specified in this section until all loan obligations have been satisfied.

(q) A recipient of a WYIN loan under this section and attending a master's or doctorate nursing level program may begin loan repayment through qualified work as authorized under subsections (e) and (f) of this section concurrently with enrollment in the nursing education program, subject to the following:

(i) If the recipient is enrolled in a master's nursing degree program, the recipient shall perform qualified work for not less than one (1) year following completion of the education program;

(ii) If the recipient is enrolled in a doctorate nursing degree program, the recipient shall perform qualified work for not less than two (2) years following completion of the education program.

9-2-124. Prescription drug consumer information and technical assistance program. The prescription drug consumer information and technical assistance program is created within the department of health. The program shall provide Wyoming residents with advice on the prudent use of prescription drugs and how to access government and private prescription drug programs and discounts. The program shall include consultation by licensed pharmacists for individuals with respect to how the individuals may, with the approval of the appropriate prescribing health care professional, avoid dangerous drug interactions and substitute more cost effective drugs for the drugs prescribed.

9-2-125. Client treatment records; confidentiality; limited disclosure permitted; definitions.

(a) Client registration records and treatment records relating to persons receiving mental health or substance abuse treatment at a treatment facility under contract with the department shall remain confidential, except as provided in this section, W.S. 7-4-201(f), 28-8-107, 28-8-108 and 28-8-111.

(b) The content of any record specified in subsection (a) of this section may be disclosed in accordance with the prior written consent of the person who is the subject of the record, but only to the extent, under the circumstances, and for the purposes as are allowed under the terms of the written consent.

(c) The records specified in subsection (a) of this section shall be provided by the treatment facility or by another division within the department to the mental health division or the substance abuse division for the purpose of determining compliance with state or federal requirements and as necessary to coordinate treatment for mental illness, developmental disabilities, alcoholism or drug abuse.

(d) Treatment records of a person may be released without informed written consent of the patient or his legal representative in the following circumstances:

(i) To an agency as necessary for management or financial audits, or program monitoring and evaluation. Information obtained under this paragraph shall remain confidential and may not be used in a manner that discloses the name or other identifying information about the persons whose records are being released;  (ii) For purposes of research as provided in W.S.