Virtual Health Hub for Rural Communities Pilot Program.

Senator Becker's Virtual Health Hub for Rural Communities Pilot Program legislation establishes a framework to connect farmworkers with healthcare services through mobile telemedicine facilities. The program authorizes the State Department of Public Health to distribute grants to community organizations for deploying virtual health hubs - vehicles or portable facilities equipped with computers, Wi-Fi, private consultation spaces, and telemedicine exam rooms.

The department will award grants to partnerships between community organizations to operate these hubs in two rural areas selected based on farmworker population and existing healthcare access. Priority consideration goes to organizations with experience serving medically underserved communities, cultural and linguistic alignment with target populations, and demonstrated ability to provide virtual health services. Grant recipients must make space available for visiting medical teams, educators, and other professionals to deliver additional on-site programming at rural farms.

Implementation requires the creation of a Virtual Health Hub Fund supported by private donations, grants and other non-General Fund sources. The program activates once the fund reaches $2 million and the department posts public notice. Recipients must collect and report detailed demographic and service utilization data, which the department will compile into a legislative report two years after implementation. The program terminates if minimum funding thresholds are not met by 2030, unless extended by subsequent legislation.