H_PBH_2021A 02/16/2021 01:31:40 PM Committee Summary

Lindsey Myers, Branch Director, Prevention Services Division, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), introduced the presentation (Attachment A). She introduced the Office of Suicide Prevention and gave an overview of what the presentation will cover.

Sarah Brummet, Office of Suicide Prevention Director, CDPHE, spoke about the Office of Suicide Prevention and its programs, including legislative responsibilities and different evidence-based strategies employed by the office.

Ms. Brummet spoke about the Suicide Prevention Commission. She discussed the different ways the office works to build a comprehensive prevention model, including evidence-based efforts and common strategies across communities. She pointed members to the presentation outlining the commission's different partnerships.

Ms. Brummet continued with an overview of the populations the office aims to serve. She provided examples of the different state departments that the office partners with to better serve target populations across the state.

Ms. Brummet responded to questions from the committee.

Ms. Brummet answered questions about the suicide rate in the state, how the office is tracking suicide rates across the state, and the partnerships that the office has to provide veterans resources. She spoke about being a part of the Governor's Challenge Group and moving suicide prevention services forward for veterans. She reported that they recently hired a staff member specifically focused on veterans services and suicide prevention.

Representative Holtorf made comments about targeting certain demographic groups with suicide prevention services.

Ms. Brummet answered a question about telehealth versus in-person services in rural and frontier counties. She discussed the different efforts around recruitment and maintenance of service providers.

Representative Michaelson Jenet invited other staff from CDPHE to introduce themselves.

Scott McGoohan, Senior Director, Policy and Alliance Development, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, introduced the presentation (Attachment B) about genetic therapies. He discussed different examples of gene abnormalities that can be treated by gene replacement therapy. He explained how different gene therapies work, including gene replacement therapy, gene editing, and in vivo and ex vivo modification. He gave a timeline of the past research on gene therapy and how it could progress in the future. He highlighted the challenges to patient access to this type of therapy, including regulatory barriers.

Emily Hanson, Colorado Department of Human Services (DHS), introduced the presentation (Attachment C) and the DHS staff present.

Kevin Niemond, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, DHS, gave an overview of the department including the five offices that operate within DHS.

Mr. Neimond spoke about the strategic plan called Better Together. He pointed to a map in the presentation to show how the staff is split across the state and the facilities that are located in each part of the state. He highlighted the department's upcoming legislative agenda and the handful of bills they are working on with legislators.

Yolanda Webb, Director, Office of Adult, Aging, and Disability Services, gave an overview of the office and its areas of oversight. She spoke about the different centers located across Colorado and the services these locations provide.

Ms. Webb discussed the veterans community living centers (VCLCs) located across Colorado. She talked about the behavioral health programs in the VCLCs and about the entire system of care.

Mary Alice Cohen, Director, Office of Early Childhood, gave an overview of the office and how they increase access to services to help families and children. She discussed the challenges that their childcare centers have been facing.

Ms. Cohen outlined the different legislative priorities they are working on to address these challenges, including those that have arisen from COVID-19.

Minna Castillo Cohen, Director, Office of Children Youth and Families, gave an overview of the office, including the programs that the office oversees. She spoke about the legislative priorities.

Ki'i Powell, Director, Office of Economic Security, gave an overview of the four different divisions of the office and the populations these divisions serve. She spoke about the rates of poverty and hunger within Colorado despite the supports that have been put in place throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Robert Werthwein, Director, Office of Behavioral Health, gave an overview of the responsibilities of the office, including providing substance abuse treatment and mental health services not covered under Medicaid. He spoke about the characteristics of patients that their hospital locations serve. He discussed the lawsuit that the office is currently under which has left them unable to perform some of their services.

Dr. Werthwein continued to speak about the lawsuit.

Dr. Werthwein spoke about their participation in the Behavioral Health Task Force. He pointed to the phases outlined in the presentation.

Michelle Barnes, Executive Director, DHS, thanked the committee for their interest in the work done by the department.

Dr. Werthwein answered questions about the bed availability and how it has been impacted by COVID-19.

Ms. Powell and Dr. Werthwein answered questions from the committee.

Committee members made comments about rural access to mental health services.

Jennifer Prinz, CEO, Donor Alliance, introduced the presentation (Attachment D). She gave an overview of the mission and vision of the organization. She discussed the U.S. Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) Oversight and the donation service areas across the country.

Ms. Prinz discussed the number of organ donors and recipients along with data outlining the demographics of these two groups.

Ms. Prinz answered questions about the demographic data that was presented and possible language barriers associated with organ donation.

Ms. Prinz responded to a question about profiteering. She told committee that all of the OPOs are set up as nonprofit organizations. The procurement and donation process have to add up to a zero sum value.

Committee members made comments about organ transplants and recipients with disabilities.

Stephanie Villafuerte introduced the presentation (Attachment E). She gave an overview of the role of the Child Protection Ombudsman and how the office was created. She discussed how the office works in Colorado to help citizens get connected with the services they need.

Ms. Villafuerte spoke about the number of cases that the office resolved in 2020. She gave an outline of the office's outreach campaigns.

Ms. Villafuerte highlighted the specific effort to reach out to youth, including how the office provices information about out-of-home services youth can access. The office has hired a new staff member to help meet the needs of the youth they serve.

Ms. Villafuerte discussed the pandemic response from the office and how the individuals they serve have been affected by COVID-19. She spoke about how they have partnered with communities to distribute pandemic resources.

Ms. Villafuerte responded to questions from the committee.