Date: 03/09/2009
Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB09-030
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
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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.