House Committee on Health and Human Services (03/09/2009)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Date:	03/09/2009	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:32 PM to 03:23 PM	Acree	*
		Gerou	X
Place:	LSB A	Green	X
		Kefalas	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Kerr J.	X
	Representative Riesberg	McGihon	E
		Nikkel	X
This Report was prepared by		Primavera	X
	Kelly Stapleton	Swalm	*
		Gagliardi	X
		Riesberg	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SB09-100 HB09-1297 SB09-030 SB09-053 SB09-132		Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to the Committee of the Whole Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to Appropriations

01:33 PM -- Senate Bill 09-100

Representative Frangas presented Senate Bill 09-100 which changes the definition of "noncustodial" parent" for the Colorado Works program. The change allows a noncustodial parent to receive assistance under the program, regardless of whether his or her child is receiving assistance. He stated that under current law, counties may decide whether or not to serve noncustodial parents and the type of services which may be provided. He stated that the bill allows the county to serve this population based on county policy.

01:35 PM -- Pat Ratliff, Colorado Counties, Inc., spoke in support of the bill.

01:38 PM -- Chad Edinger, Arapahoe County Social Services, spoke in support of the bill.

01:48 PM -- Pauline Burton, Director, Office of Self-Sufficiency, Department of Human Services, testified in support of the bill. She stated that when noncustodial parents are able to access support through the Colorado Works program, their likelihood of getting jobs and paying child support increases.


BILL:	SB09-100
TIME:	01:54:13 PM
MOVED:	Kefalas
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 09-100 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 10-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Gagliardi
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:56 PM -- House Bill 09-1297

Representative Frangas presented House Bill 09-1297 which alters the membership requirements of the Advisory Committee on the Licensing of Child Care Facilities. The bill allows members to be reappointed to successive terms, and allows a member to remain on the committee beyond the expiration of his or her term until the Governor appoints a replacement. He stated that the committee consists of 15 members, and advises and consults with the Department of Human Services concerning the administration and enforcement of state law on child care facility licensing.

01:59 PM -- Kathryn Hammerbeck, Early Childhood Education Association, spoke in support of the bill. She stated that the bill will allow the advisory committee to provide consistency.

02:06 PM -- Cindy Sovine-Miller, lobbyists for child care providers and foster care providers, responded to committee questions. She stated that the advisory committee has recently gotten off the ground. She explained that the committee has had a difficulty in finding replacements to sit on the board, as well as fill vacancies on the committee. She stated that these difficulties are the impetus behind the bill.

02:11 PM -- Alleta Bode, Vice-President, Advisory Committee on the Licensing Child Care Facilities spoke in support of the bill. She described the committees activities. She noted that the advisory committee recently filled its last membership spot within the last month. She stated that there has been a long extended vacancy on the committee for some time and at this point in time, many of the members will be coming to the end of their term. She stated she has concern that the committee will not be able to find replacements and it will be back to a practically defunct committee.

02:16 PM

Representative Frangas provided a wrap-up.


BILL:	HB09-1297
TIME:	02:17:18 PM
MOVED:	Green
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 09-1297 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 9-1 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Gagliardi
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	No
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes

Final YES: 9 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:20 PM

The committee took a brief recess.

02:35 PM -- Senate Bill 09-030

Representative Schafer presented Senate Bill 09-030 which reauthorizes the Child Mental Health Treatment Act of 1999. She stated that the bill enables parents or guardians to access mental health services for a child at a level of care provided in a residential child care treatment facilities. She stated that there are approximately 40 children receiving services in such treatment facilities. Representative Schafer provided a description of the program for the committee. Representative Schafer provided a fact sheet from the Department of Human Services to the committee (Attachment A).

02:42 PM -- Janet Wood, Director, Division of Behavioral Health, Department of Human Services, spoke in support of the bill. She stated that part of the funding for the program comes from Tobacco Settlement dollars. Ms. Wood provided a break down of the funding for the program.

02:48 PM -- Margie Grimsley, Colorado Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, spoke in support of the bill. She stated that the children served in this program are at the highest level of need. She stated that the program helps families because they do not have to give up custody of their children to access services for their child with mental health needs. She stated that these children would most likely be in the system and the state would pay for them one way or another. She stated that the mental health treatment act allows the state to handle these children in the most proactive, cost-effective manner.

02:52 PM -- Lacey Berumen, Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

02:55 PM -- Dr. Skip Barber, Colorado Association of Family and Children Agencies (CAFCA), spoke in support of the bill.

02:58 PM -- Amanda Callahan, Mental Health America of Colorado, spoke in support of the bill.

03:01 PM -- Janet Wood, Director, Division of Behavioral Health, Department of Human Services, provided further explanation to the committee regarding the fiscal impact of the bill.

03:04 PM

Representative Kerr asked for more information regarding the funding of the program. Senate Bill 09-030 was laid over to Monday, March 16, 2009 for action only.

03:05 PM -- Senate Bill 09-053

Representative Schafer presented Senate Bill 09-053 which changes how the Department of Human Services collects child support payments from persons receiving public assistance through the Colorado Works program. She stated that the bill allows custodial parents that apply for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) to retain any unpaid child support that accrued prior to the date they received public assistance rather than assigning their rights to that money to the state. She stated that the change was mandated under the Federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Representative Schafer stated that the state must comply with the federal requirement otherwise, potentially lose the federal TANF block funding. Representative Schafer stated that the counties will be responsible for loss of funds. Representative Schafer provided a fact sheet on the bill to the committee (Attachment B).

03:08 PM -- Emily Maxfield, Division of Child Enforcement, Department of Human Services, spoke in support of the bill.

03:11 PM -- Pat Ratliff, Colorado Counties, Inc, testified in support of the bill. She stated that the amount of money being lost by the implementation of the bill is not a large amount.


BILL:	SB09-053
TIME:	03:16:20 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 09-053 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 10-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Acree
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:17 PM -- Senate Bill 09-132

Senate Bill 09-132 was put back on the table. For witness testimony, see committee summary from March 5, 2009. Representative Kerr stated that the program is currently not in compliance and that amendments will be offered on the floor on second reading.


BILL:	SB09-132
TIME:	03:20:39 PM
MOVED:	Kerr J.
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 09-132 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 10-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Gerou
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:21 PM

The committee adjourned.