(a) The Commissioner shall have the power to: (i) apply for gifts and grants of services, equipment, supplies, materials, or funds from the United States, the State of Illinois, other government entities, their agencies or officers, or from any person, foundation, association, not-for-profit corporation, firm or corporation, and (ii) enter into contracts and agreements resulting in gifts or grants from these and other sources. The Commissioner shall notify the Mayor, the Budget Director, and the Comptroller of each such action. The Commissioner shall have the power to expend such receipts on projects that implement the policies of the Department of Health, including through agreements to address public health threats, provided that all expenditures of grant and/or contract funds shall be subject to the same policies and practices as the expenditure of corporate funds, including the provisions of career service rules.
(b) The Commissioner shall have the power to: (i) make grants or subgrants of duly appropriated funds, (ii) make grants or subgrants of personal property including, but not limited to, vaccines, HIV testing kits and condoms, (iii) execute or amend grant or subgrant agreements to effectuate the purposes of this subsection (b), and (iv) execute such documents and provide any information, assurances or certifications necessary or appropriate to effectuate the purposes of this subsection (b).
(c) The Commissioner shall encourage and conduct such studies, investigations and research as in his judgment will promote and improve public health. Such activity may be carried out jointly with public or private entities. In furtherance thereof, the Commissioner shall have the power to enter into agreements with public and private entities for the sharing and other use of public health-related data. Any such agreements shall comply with applicable law governing privacy. In order to effectuate such agreements, the Commissioner is authorized: (i) subject to the availability of duly appropriated funds, to pay application, processing, and other fees, and (ii) to execute ancillary documents and provide ancillary information, assurances or certifications. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to create an obligation to enter into a data use agreement prior to the sharing or other use of public health-related data.
(d) The Commissioner shall have the power to enter into contracts with health plans, insurance companies, and managed care entities for reimbursement for health care services provided by the department, including clinical, planning, data analysis, care coordination, quality improvement, and data sharing.
(e) Subject to approval of the Corporation Counsel as to form and legality, the Commissioner shall have the power to negotiate and enter into agreements with other government entities for the purpose of furthering public health initiatives, including, but not limited to, the placement of vending machines for dispensing harm reduction supplies, installation and operation of weather stations and air monitors to monitor air quality and pollution, and wastewater surveillance to monitor pathogens of public health concern. Any such agreement may provide for indemnification. Any City expenditure pursuant to such an agreement shall be subject to the availability of duly appropriated funds.
(Prior code § 9-11; Amend Coun. J. 2-15-12, p. 20494, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 1-17-13, p. 45270, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 1-21-15, p. 101757, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. XIII, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 2-24-21, p. 27657, Art. I, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 10-27-21, p. 39543, Art. X, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-15-23, p. 6542, Art. V, § 1)
Editor's note – Formerly § 2-112-150. Coun. J. 2-24-21, p. 27657, Art. I, § 1, renumbered former § 2-112-100 as current § 2-112-070.