Section 1521 of the PHS Act, added requires the establishment of State health planning and development agencies in each State. As a replacement for existing State CHP agencies, SHPDAs will prepare an annual preliminary State health plan and the State medical facilities plan {Hill-Burton). The agency will also serve as the designated review agency for purposes of section 1122 of the Social Security Act and administer a certificate-of-need program.
A state government agency required under federal law as a unit in the official planning process. Among its duties are the development of a state health plan and the administration of the state’s certificate of need (CON) program.