Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH CARE & HUMAN SERVICES

Date:04/16/2013
ATTENDANCE
Time:01:54 PM to 04:31 PM
Conti
*
Everett
X
Place:HCR 0107
Joshi
X
Landgraf
X
This Meeting was called to order by
May
X
Representative McCann
McCann
X
Schafer
X
This Report was prepared by
Singer
X
Dave DeNovellis
Stephens
*
Tyler
X
Wilson
X
Duran
X
Primavera
*
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
Presentation by Brain Injury Alliance
HB13-1291
SB13-220		Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Amended, Referred to Appropriations
Referred to the Committee of the Whole

01:55 PM -- Presentation by Brain Injury Alliance

Representative McCann called the meeting to order. She noted that Representative Primavera would return to the meeting as chair as soon as she was done presenting a bill in another committee.

Gavin Atwood, executive director, and Mark Condon, resource navigator, representing the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado (BIAC), presented to the committee. Mr. Atwood described BIAC and the issues individuals with brain injuries face on a day-to-day basis. Mr. Condon discussed his experience and recovery from a severe brain injury.

02:05 PM

Mr. Condon continued to describe his struggle with recovering from his brain injury. He showed the committee a deck of cards with some that were blacked out to illustrate the blind spots that exist for a person recovering from, and coping with, brain injuries. He commented that he hopes the committee will consider Coloradans with brain injuries when proposing public policy. Mr. Condon responded to questions from the committee regarding what are the typical causes of severe brain injuries.


02:13 PM

Mr. Atwood noted that BIAC has had a positive working relationship with the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. He noted that some individuals are unable to access services due to various barriers, one being rules from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that have lowered the number of waivers available to individuals with brain injuries. Representative Tyler shared a story about his son working with BIAC clients. Mr. Atwood responded to questions from Representative Landgraf about the available waivers. He noted that there are 12 waivers available for individuals on Medicaid and that additional services are available for individuals that qualify for the waivers. Mr. Condon responded to questions from Representative Conti regarding recovery times and thresholds.

02:21 PM -- House Bill 13-1291

Representative Duran, sponsor, presented House Bill 13-1291 concerning early childhood programs in Colorado. The bill creates the Colorado Infant and Toddler Quality and Availability Grant Program in the Department of Human Services (DHS). The grant program will allow early childhood programs to implement a tiered reimbursement pay structure providing an increased rate of reimbursement for early childhood programs that receive moneys through the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP). An early childhood program is eligible for the tiered reimbursements if it receives one of the top two ratings of the state's quality rating and improvement system, or is an Early Head Start program meeting federal standards.

The DHS must determine the application process, eligibility criteria, proposal requirements, and award criteria for the program, and notify early childhood councils of grant availability. An applicant is eligible for a grant only if the early childhood programs have contracts with CCCAP, are accredited by a national association for the education of young children or a national association for family child care, and the grant application:

• is made jointly between an early childhood council and a county department;
• demonstrates need and provides a plan to improve quality and increase the number of infants and toddlers served;
• provides a plan for how the program will provide tiered reimbursement; and
• meets any other criteria developed by the DHS.

For FY 2013-14, grant applications must be received by July 31, 2013, and awards must be made by September 1, 2013. For subsequent fiscal years, applications must be made by June 30 and grant awards allocated by August 1. Within 4 months following the conclusion of a grant, the grant recipient must provide the DHS with an annual report concerning the outcomes of the grant. No later than December 1, 2014, and each December 1 thereafter, the DHS is required to provide a written report on the grant program to the health and human services committees of the General Assembly.

Representative Duran distributed a strike-below amendment L.001 (Attachment A) and amendment L.002 (Attachment B). She indicated that she and the witnesses would be speaking to the strike-below amendment.

130416 AttachA.pdf130416 AttachA.pdf130416 AttachB.pdf130416 AttachB.pdf

02:29 PM

Josh Abram, Legislative Council Staff, came to the table to discuss the fiscal impact of the original bill and his initial assumptions about the fiscal impact of the strike-below amendment. He noted that a new fiscal analysis would be completed should amendment L.001 be adopted and the bill pass out of this committee.




02:38 PM

Committee members the efficacy of early childhood programs, how many grants would be available, and the criteria for awarding grants.

02:48 PM

The committee recessed.

02:54 PM

The committee reconvened.

02:55 PM -- Dan O'Connell, representing the Colorado Children's Campaign, testified in support of the bill with the strike-below amendment. He responded to questions from Representative Stephens about the availability of federal funds for early childhood programs and from Representative Schafer about the effectiveness of Head Start programs.

03:04 PM -- Kathyrn Hammerbeck, representing the Early Childhood Education Association, Molly Yost, representing the Clayton Early Learning Center, and Pamela Harris, representing Mile High Montessori Early Learning Centers, came to the table together and testified in support of the bill with the amendments. Ms. Hammerbeck discussed existing program provider rates for child care assistance programs and responded to questions about incentives to encourage all providers to participate.

03:15 PM

Ms. Yost discussed the Clayton school and the importance of early childhood development programs on K-12 educational achievement.

03:18 PM

Ms. Harris commented on how early childhood programs are evaluated for quality. She noted that it has been demonstrated that children who participate in early childhood programs have positive development outcomes. She responded to questions from Representative Stephens about how the grant programs would affect montessori schools and how funds would be used to provide access to early childhood programs for children from low-income families.

03:25 PM -- Emily Bustos, representing the Denver Early Childhood Council, testified in support of the bill with the strike-below amendment. She stated the bill will allow for better alignment of child development programs and goals. Ms. Bustos said the bill will increase access to early childhood programs for children from lower-income families statewide.


03:28 PM

Committee members discussed future federal funding for the grant program, the per student costs of early childhood programs, and the correlation between investments in at-risk infants and positive educational outcomes.
BILL:HB13-1291
TIME: 03:29:48 PM
MOVED:Duran
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:McCann
VOTE
Conti
Everett
Joshi
Landgraf
May
McCann
Schafer
Singer
Stephens
Tyler
Wilson
Duran
Primavera
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB13-1291
TIME: 03:30:43 PM
MOVED:Duran
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment A), as amended. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:McCann
VOTE
Conti
Everett
Joshi
Landgraf
May
McCann
Schafer
Singer
Stephens
Tyler
Wilson
Duran
Primavera
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
BILL:HB13-1291
TIME: 03:31:12 PM
MOVED:Duran
MOTION:Refer House Bill 13-1291, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 7-6.
SECONDED:Stephens
VOTE
Conti
No
Everett
No
Joshi
No
Landgraf
No
May
Yes
McCann
Yes
Schafer
Yes
Singer
Yes
Stephens
No
Tyler
Yes
Wilson
No
Duran
Yes
Primavera
Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




03:40 PM -- Senate Bill 13-220

Representative Fields, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 13-220 concerning adding emergency medical service (EMS) providers to the list of persons who must report possible instances of child abuse. The bill applies to all certified emergency medical service providers, including volunteer providers. Mandatory reporters are required to report child abuse or neglect if they have a reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been or is being subjected to abuse or neglect. Under current law, a mandatory reporter who willfully fails to report abuse or neglect is guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor.

03:45 PM -- Ida Drury, representing the Division of Child Welfare in the Department of Human Services (DHS), testified in support of the bill. She said the bill fills a gap that currently exists in child protection and welfare. Ms. Drury noted that Colorado would be one of thirteen states that list EMS providers as mandatory reporters. Ms. Drury responded to questions from the committee and said mandatory reporters provide both a written and verbal report. She noted the number of abuse or negligence reports received by county departments.

03:56 PM

Ms. Drury responded to questions about liability for good-faith reports that do not turn out to be abuse or neglect. Representatives May and Wilson discussed the county department intake process and states with all-citizen mandatory reporting.

04:12 PM -- Howard Paul, representing the Emergency Medical Services Association of Colorado, testified in support of the bill. He discussed the advantages of being on the mandatory reporting list, which includes clear, defined procedures for reporting. Mr. Paul stated that he supported the amendment to the bill in the Senate that added volunteer EMS providers to the mandatory provider list.

04:21 PM

Mr. Paul responded to questions from the committee regarding reporting processes and the development of mandatory reporting training programs for EMS providers.


04:27 PM

Representative Fields concluded her presentation on Senate Bill 13-220. Committee members discussed their positions on the bill. Representative Landgraf noted that the fire chief in her district sent her a text message during the hearing to indicate his support for the bill.
BILL:SB13-220
TIME: 04:29:24 PM
MOVED:Schafer
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 13-220 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 12-1.
SECONDED:McCann
VOTE
Conti
Yes
Everett
No
Joshi
Yes
Landgraf
Yes
May
Yes
McCann
Yes
Schafer
Yes
Singer
Yes
Stephens
Yes
Tyler
Yes
Wilson
Yes
Duran
Yes
Primavera
Yes
Final YES: 12 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

04:31 PM

The committee adjourned.