House Committee on Health and Human Services (01/29/2009)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Date:	01/29/2009	ATTENDANCE

Time:	04:28 PM to 06:55 PM	Acree	X
		Gerou	X
Place:	acLSB A	Green	X
		Kefalas	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Kerr J.	X
	Representative Riesberg	McGihon	X
		Nikkel	X
This Report was prepared by		Primavera	X
	Kelly Stapleton	Swalm	X
		Gagliardi	X
		Riesberg	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB09-1004 HB09-1086 HB09-1139		Referred to the Committee of the Whole Amended, Referred to Appropriations Amended, Referred to Appropriations

04:29 PM -- House Bill 09-1004

Representative Apuan presented House Bill 09-1004 which will allow Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) organizations to employ physicians as long as the organization do not exercise control over the physician's independent judgement, or offer the physician a financial incentive for employment, such as a percentage of the fees charged to patients. He stated that the bill will increase providers in an area where they are much needed.

04:34 PM -- Dr. A. Lee Anneberg, Chair of the Board of Directors, Total Long-term Care, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Anneberg referred to a handout which was provided to committee members at their desks in the chamber (Attachment A). He stated that PACE programs are likely to grow because they are efficient and save the state money. He stated that the Colorado Medical Society, Denver Medical Society, Colorado Academy of Physicians, and the Medical Directors Association are all in support of the bill.

04:44 PM -- Gary Snider, Executive Director, Senior Care, Volunteers of America, testified in support of the bill. He spoke about working towards creating Naturalizing Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) and increasing PACE programs.

04:49 PM

Representative Apuan provided a wrap-up to the bill.


BILL:	HB09-1004
TIME:	04:50:40 PM
MOVED:	Kerr J.
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 09-1004 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 11-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Gagliardi
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	McGihon	Yes
	Nikkel	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes

Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


BILL:	HB09-1004
TIME:	04:51:29 PM
MOVED:	McGihon
MOTION:	Moved to postpone House Bill 09-1004 indefinitely. Representative McGihon withdrew her motion, and Representative Riesberg withdrew his second. The committee welcomed the freshman Representative Apuan to the House Health and Human Services Committee.
SECONDED:	Riesberg
		VOTE
	Acree
	Gerou
	Green
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	McGihon
	Nikkel
	Primavera
	Swalm
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: TIE

04:54 PM -- House Bill 09-1086

Representative McGihon presented House Bill 09-1086 which will license social workers, professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, and addiction counselors. She clarified for the committee that the bill does not put an additional requirements on employers of social workers, professional counselors, or addiction counselors. Representative McGihon spoke to amendment L.001 (Attachment B). There was some discussion regarding the continuing education and the self-assessment piece of the bill.

05:07 PM -- Elyse Montgomery, National Association of Social Workers, Colorado Chapter, testified in support of the bill. She spoke to the continuing competency model that the bill incorporates. She stated that licensing social workers will increase safety for the various individuals that are under the care of social workers. She also stated that by licensing social workers, it will elevate social workers as competent mental health professionals.

05:16 PM -- Wendy Lou, President, Colorado Association of Marriage and Family Therapist, testified in support of the bill. She stated that licensing social workers will improve the quality of care, help promote best practices, and reduce complaints.

05:17 PM -- Dr. April Young, President, Colorado Counseling Association, licensed professional counselor (LPC), testified in support of the bill. She concurred with previous testimony. There was some discussion regarding the self-assessment piece of the bill.

05:20 PM -- Dr. Steve DeMure, Society of Addiction Counselors of Colorado, licensed professional counselor (LPC), testified in support of the bill.

05:30 PM -- Rose McCool, Director, Division of Registrations, Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), testified in support of the bill. She stated that the DORA is a proponent of the continuing competency model proposed in the bill. She responded to several questions asked by committee members including current licensure fees for social workers and any new fees under the bill. She clarified the self-assessment piece of the bill. Representative Kerr asked if DORA can absorb the costs of this program. Ms. McCool stated that the department cannot absorb the cost and that the moneys collected currently go towards running the program as it is. Representative Kerr referred to the hiring freeze and Ms. McCool stated they would be asking for an exemption to hire the necessary 1.2 FTE to run the program.

05:46 PM -- Devorah Kappers, ADAPT, Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, testified in support of the bill. She stated that knowledge is power. She stated that people who help with mental health should be held to the same standards that a doctor of physical health is held to.

05:49 PM

Representative McGihon spoke to prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment B). She provided a wrap-up to the bill.


BILL:	HB09-1086
TIME:	05:52:48 PM
MOVED:	McGihon
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Green
		VOTE
	Acree
	Gerou
	Green
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	McGihon
	Nikkel
	Primavera
	Swalm
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB09-1086
TIME:	05:53:16 PM
MOVED:	McGihon
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 09-1086 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 10-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Green
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	McGihon	Yes
	Nikkel	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Gagliardi	Excused
	Riesberg	Yes

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

06:00 PM -- House Bill 09-1139

Representative Solano presented House Bill 09-1139 which creates a 10-member Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Commission to address issues concerning fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and make recommendations to the Department of Human Services, Division of Behavioral Health, and to the Health and Human Services Committees of the General Assembly. She stated that the commission is repealed after three years. Representative Solano stated that the bill has no fiscal impact. She also noted that the Colorado Licensed Beverage Association supports the bill and provided a handout stating that to the committee (Attachment C). Representative Solano also spoke to prepared amendments L.001 and L.002 (Attachments D and E respectively).

06:06 PM -- Eileen Bisgard, National Organization for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum (NOFAS), testified in support of the bill. Ms. Bisgard provided data from Washington state that quantified the positive effects of promoting a statewide awareness and intervention effort on the dangers of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Ms. Bigard provided several letters in support of the bill, along with her written testimony to the committee (Attachment F).

06:16 PM -- Cynthia Eikenberg, parent of a family member who suffers from fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, testified in support of the bill.

06:19 PM -- Chris Habgood, Division of Behavioral Health, Colorado Department of Human Services, testified in support of the bill.

06:24 PM -- Dr. Sharon Langendoerfer, Department of Pediatrics, Denver Health, and National Organization for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum (NOFAS), testified in support of the bill. Dr. Langendoerfer provided two handouts, her testimony in support of the bill and a letter from the March of Dimes in support of the bill, to the committee (Attachments G and H respectively). Dr. Langendoerfer stressed that fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is the most preventable birth defect, and this bill provides a first step in addressing the problem.

06:39 PM -- Dr. Nicole Tartaglia, The Children's Hospital and the National Organization for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum (NOFAS), testified in support of the bill. She spoke to some of the affects of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. She reiterated that the disorder is preventable.

06:47 PM

Representative Solano responded to questions from the committee and provided a wrap-up to the bill.


BILL:	HB09-1139
TIME:	06:48:21 PM
MOVED:	Green
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.002 (Attachment E). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Acree
	Gerou
	Green
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	McGihon
	Nikkel
	Primavera
	Swalm
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB09-1139
TIME:	06:49:22 PM
MOVED:	Green
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment D). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Kerr J.
		VOTE
	Acree
	Gerou
	Green
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	McGihon
	Nikkel
	Primavera
	Swalm
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB09-1139
TIME:	06:50:21 PM
MOVED:	Green
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 09-1139 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 10-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Nikkel
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	McGihon	Yes
	Nikkel	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Gagliardi	Excused
	Riesberg	Yes

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

06:55 PM

The committee adjourned.