The Los Angeles County NGHA office was established in 1991 to implement enforcement of Chapter 195, §§ 1244, 1244.1, 1244.3 and 1244.4 of the California Business and Professions Code. This statute governs programs providing waived bioanalytical screening tests to asymptomatic individuals for a non-infectious chronic health condition. Entities conducting a program within the County of Los Angeles must file an application form and all required documentation to the County NGHA office at least thirty days prior to program operation.
Examples of NGHA programs:
- A cholesterol screening program held at a shopping mall and sponsored by a hospital, in which blood is collected by fingerstick and tested onsite using a portable machine.
- # Glucose testing performed at a pharmacy in which blood is collected by fingerstick and tested onsite using a portable analyzer.
- Examination of stool for occult blood at a senior citizens' community center.
Programs that are not classified as NGHA program:
- Collection of blood by venipuncture at a shopping mall which is subsequently tested for glucose (or other components) at a licensed medical laboratory. (Note: this may be illegal in California unless the shopping mall location is approved as a blood drawing station.)
- Blood pressure screening.
- Estimation of body fat content.
IMPORTANT FORMS AND DOCUMENTS
