House Committee on Health and Human Services (03/21/2005)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Date:	03/21/2005	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:42 PM to 04:24 PM	Berens	X
		Clapp	*
Place:	HCR 0112	Cloer	X
		Green	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Lundberg	E
	Representative Boyd	McGihon	X
		Riesberg	X
This Report was prepared by		Soper	X
	Whitney Gustin	Stafford	X
		Sullivan	E
		Weissmann	X
		Frangas	X
		Boyd	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB05-1015 SB05-059 HB05-1302		Referred to Committee on Appropriations Referred to Committee on Finance Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole

01:42 PM -- House Bill 05-1015

Representative Romanoff, sponsor, presented the bill adding substance abuse treatment as a benefit under the state's Medicaid program. He stated 47 other states already offer such coverage.

The following persons testified.

01:45 PM -- Jeanne Nicholson, Colorado Counties, Inc., spoke in support of the bill. She answered questions about the impact of substance abuse on families.

01:49 PM -- Janet Wood, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division (ADAD), Department of Human Services (DHS), spoke in support of the bill and distributed a document to members (Attachment A). She described the Special Connections program, the Medicaid substance abuse treatment program for pregnant women. She discussed cost-savings associated with substance abuse programs and answered questions about recidivism.

01:54 PM -- George Epp, County Sheriffs of Colorado, spoke in support of the bill. He stated 70 percent of persons incarcerated in county jails have problems with drugs and/or alcohol. He discussed the current lack of substance abuse treatment programs and answered questions regarding incarceration.

01:58 PM -- Tom Brewster, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, spoke in support of the bill. He discussed the benefits associated with substance abuse treatment programs.

02:01 PM -- Bill Wendt, Cignal Behavioral Health Network, spoke in support of the bill.

02:02 PM -- Adam Brickner, Denver Human Services, spoke in support of the bill and distributed a document to members (Attachment B).

02:05 PM -- David Winfrey, National Association of Social Workers, spoke in support of the bill. He discussed his work with the Medicaid mental health program.

02:08 PM -- Lisa Esgar, Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, discussed the bill's fiscal note, including its provisions regarding costs and caseloads.

02:11 PM -- Susan Williams, Arapahoe House, discussed her experience with substance abuse.

02:18 PM -- Tonya Wheeler, Advocates for Recovery, spoke in support of the bill and distributed a document to members (Attachment C).

02:21 PM -- Cheryl Lang, citizen, discussed her work in substance abuse treatment.

02:25 PM -- Janice Greenwood, Miracles Program, discussed her experience with substance abuse.

02:26 PM -- Rita Jones, citizen, discussed her experience with substance addicts.

02:28 PM -- Priscilla Hugly, citizen, discussed her experience with substance abuse.

02:31 PM

Representative Romanoff made concluding remarks. He discussed the state's ranking in substance abuse and treatment. He answered questions about the proposed program's cost-effectiveness. A folder from the Colorado Association of Alcohol and Drug Service Providers was distributed to members (Attachment D).

02:37 PM

Members commented on the bill.


BILL:	HB05-1015
TIME:	02:38:18 PM
MOVED:	Weissmann
MOTION:	Refer the bill to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed 10-1.
SECONDED:	Riesberg
		VOTE
	Berens	Yes
	Clapp	No
	Cloer	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Lundberg	Excused
	McGihon	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes
	Soper	Yes
	Stafford	Yes
	Sullivan	Excused
	Weissmann	Yes
	Frangas	Yes
	Boyd	Yes
Final YES: 10 NO: 1 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:39 PM -- Senate Bill 05-059

Representative Hefley, sponsor, presented the bill regarding the authority of local governments to provide mental health care services residing in the community. She discussed recent cuts to mental health treatment funding and her position on tax increases and local control. She answered questions about taxes allowed by the bill, processes for proposing a mental health district and associated taxes, and the possibility of such districts drawing in persons with mental illness from other areas of the state.

The following persons testified.

02:54 PM -- Jeanne Nicholson, Colorado Counties, Inc., spoke in support of the bill. She described the dearth of mental health services in Colorado. She answered questions about local funding of health care services.

03:01 PM

Representative Hefley discussed governmental immunity.

03:02 PM -- Pat Ratliff, Colorado Counties, Inc., discussed special districts and governmental immunity.

03:10 PM -- George Epp, County Sheriffs of Colorado, discussed cost shifting associated with mental illness and described the impact on county jails. He described funding for mental illness treatment and answered questions about the incarceration of the mentally ill and health insurance coverage for incarcerated persons.

03:22 PM -- Jamie Van Leeuwen, Urban Peak, discussed mental health and substance abuse problems among youth.

03:24 PM -- Melanie Layton, Memorial Hospital, spoke in support of the bill.

03:25 PM -- Larry and Pamela Krause, citizens, discussed their experience with mental illness.

03:32 PM -- Chris Habgood, Mental Health Association of Colorado, listed organizations who support the bill and distributed a document to members (Attachment E). He discussed the lack of mental health treatment in Colorado.

03:36 PM -- Karen Weiss, citizen, spoke in support of the bill and discussed her experience with mental illness. She distributed a document to members (Attachment F) and answered questions about how the bill might effect her.

03:43 PM -- George Walker, citizen, spoke in support of the bill.

03:45 PM

Representative Hefley made concluding remarks.

03:48 PM

Representative Cloer made a motion to amend the bill, page 14, strike lines 17 to 20. Representative Clapp seconded the motion. Members commented on the motion.


BILL:	SB05-059
TIME:	03:51:21 PM
MOVED:	Cloer
MOTION:	Page 14, strike lines 17 to 20. The motion failed 2-9.
SECONDED:	Clapp
		VOTE
	Berens	No
	Clapp	Yes
	Cloer	Yes
	Green	No
	Lundberg	Excused
	McGihon	No
	Riesberg	No
	Soper	No
	Stafford	No
	Sullivan	Excused
	Weissmann	No
	Frangas	No
	Boyd	No
Not Final YES: 2 NO: 9 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL

03:57 PM

Members commented on the bill.


BILL:	SB05-059
TIME:	03:57:29 PM
MOVED:	Riesberg
MOTION:	Refer the bill to the Committee on Finance. The motion passed 9-2.
SECONDED:	Green
		VOTE
	Berens	Yes
	Clapp	No
	Cloer	No
	Green	Yes
	Lundberg	Excused
	McGihon	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes
	Soper	Yes
	Stafford	Yes
	Sullivan	Excused
	Weissmann	Yes
	Frangas	Yes
	Boyd	Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 2 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:58 PM -- House Bill 05-1302

Representative Frangas, sponsor, presented the bill requiring the licensure of air ambulance services. He distributed amendment L.002 to members (Attachment G).

The following persons testified.

04:01 PM -- Kathleen Mayer, Flight for Life, spoke in support of the bill and distributed a document to members (Attachment H).

04:06 PM -- Sean Caffrey, EMS Association of Colorado, spoke in support of the bill.

04:08 PM -- Randy KuyKendall, Department of Public Health and Environment, spoke in support of the bill.

04:12 PM -- Kathy Shumaker, St. Mary's Hospital, spoke in support of the bill and discussed her work as a flight nurse.

04:17 PM -- Linda Grey, flight nurse, spoke in support of the bill.

04:18 PM

Representative Frangas discussed L.002.


BILL:	HB05-1302
TIME:	04:19:28 PM
MOVED:	Frangas
MOTION:	Adopt L.002. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Weissmann
		VOTE
	Berens
	Clapp
	Cloer
	Green
	Lundberg	Excused
	McGihon
	Riesberg
	Soper
	Stafford
	Sullivan	Excused
	Weissmann
	Frangas
	Boyd
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

04:19 PM

Representative Frangas made concluding remarks.


BILL:	HB05-1302
TIME:	04:21:07 PM
MOVED:	Frangas
MOTION:	Refer the bill, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed 11-0.
SECONDED:	Cloer
		VOTE
	Berens	Yes
	Clapp	Yes
	Cloer	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Lundberg	Excused
	McGihon	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes
	Soper	Yes
	Stafford	Yes
	Sullivan	Excused
	Weissmann	Yes
	Frangas	Yes
	Boyd	Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

04:22 PM

The committee adjourned.