(a) There is established within the Department of Public Health the Georgia Diabetes Control Grant Program. The purpose of the grant program shall be to develop, implement, and promote a state-wide effort to combat the proliferation of Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes.

(b) The program shall be under the direction of a seven-member advisory committee, appointed by the Governor. The Governor, in making such appointments, shall ensure to the greatest extent possible that the membership of the advisory committee is representative of this state's geographic and demographic composition, with appropriate attention to the representation of women, minorities, and rural Georgia. The appointments made by the Governor shall include one member who is:

(1) A physician licensed in this state;

(2) A registered nurse licensed in this state;

(3) A dietitian licensed in this state;

(4) A diabetes educator;

(5) A representative of the business community;

(6) A pharmacist licensed in this state; and

(7) A consumer who has diabetes.

The commissioner, or his or her designee, shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the advisory committee. Appointed advisory committee members shall be named for five-year terms staggered so that one term will expire each year, except for the fourth and fifth year, when two terms will expire. Their successors shall be named for five-year terms.

(c) The Georgia Diabetes Control Grant Program shall be authorized to administer two grant programs targeted at new, expanded, or innovative approaches to address diabetes as follows:

(1) A program to provide grants to middle schools and high schools to promote the understanding and prevention of diabetes may be established by the program. Such grants shall be provided through the appropriate local board of education. Grant requests shall contain specific information regarding requirements as to how the grant should be spent and how such spending promotes the understanding and prevention of diabetes. Grant recipients shall be required to provide the advisory committee with quarterly reports of the results of the grant program; and

(2) A program to provide grants to health care providers for support of evidence based diabetes programs for education, screening, disease management, and self-management targeting populations at greatest risk for pre-diabetes, diabetes, and the complications of diabetes; and grants may also be awarded to address evidence based activities that focus on policy, systems, and environmental changes that support prevention, early detection, and treatment of diabetes. Eligible entities shall include community and faith based clinics and other organizations, federally qualified health centers, regional and county health departments, hospitals, and other public entities, and other health related service providers which are qualified as exempt from taxation under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Such entities shall have been in existence for at least three years, demonstrate financial stability, utilize evidence based practices, and show measurable results in their programs.

(d) The advisory committee shall work with the department to establish grant criteria and make award decisions, with the goal of creating a state-wide set of resources to assist residents of Georgia in their efforts to prevent or treat diabetes. Grants shall not be used for funding existing programs.

(e) The grant program shall be under the direction of the diabetes coordinator appointed pursuant to Code Section 31-2A-13. The department shall provide sufficient staff, administrative support, and such other resources as may be necessary for the diabetes coordinator to carry out the duties required by this Code section.

(f) This Code section shall be subject to appropriation from the General Assembly.