S_HHS_2019A 03/21/2019 01:35:31 PM Committee Summary

Stephanie Villafuerte, Child Protection Ombudsman, presented the Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Performance Plan (Attachment A).  A slide deck of Ms. Villafuerte's presentation was distributed to the committee (Attachment B).

Ms. Villafuerte responded to questions and described the Ombudsman's complaint process.

Senator Gardner and Senator Fields, bill sponsors, presented Senate Bill 19-195.  The bill creates the Office of Children and Youth Behavioral Health Policy Coordination in the Office of the Governor to support the work of the newly created Children and Youth Behavioral Health Policy Coordination Commission and the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Advisory Council to enhance collaboration between agencies and to coordinate the implementation and provision of various behavioral health services for children and youths.

Shannon Van Deman, Children's Hospital Colorado, testified in support of the bill and responded to questions.

Jim Wiegand, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Kari Eckert, Robbie's Hope, testified in support of the bill.

Leslie Jones, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Kate Hartman, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Hope Hartman, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Kate Hartman, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Senator Fields commented on the witness testimony.

Moe Keller, Mental Health Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Melanie Kesner, Healthier Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Bethany Pray, Colorado Center on Law and Policy, testified in support of the bill.

Christiano Sosa, The Arc of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Dr Antonia Chiesa, The Kempe Foundation, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Chris Rogers, Health One, the Medical Center of Aurora, Colorado Psychiatric Society, and the Colorado Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Society, testified in support of the bill.

Laurie Beckel, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Senator Gardner distributed and discussed amendment L.001 (Attachment C).

Senators Fields and Gardner made closing comments.

Senator Pettersen recessed the meeting.

Senator Fields reconvened the meeting.

Senator Rankin, bill sponsor, presented House Bill 19-1065. This bill removes the restriction that not more than four of the seven trustees of a public hospital board may be residents of the city or town in which the associated hospital is located.  The bill also clarifies that a hospital board may acquire real and personal property by lease only with the approval of the board of county commissioners with the exception of hospital boards that have designated their public hospital as a TABOR-exempt state enterprise.

Josh Ewing, Colorado Hospital Association, testified in support of the bill and responded to questions.

Senator Fields introduced the Sunset Hearing of the Colorado Controlled Substance Act.

Bryan Jameson, Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, presented the Sunset Review of the Controlled Substances Act.  A copy of the sunset review may be accessed online at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dora-oprrr/node/143196/.

Mr. Jameson discussed the recommendations offered in the sunset report.

Committee members commented on the recommendations.

Senator Fields appointed Senator Pettersen as the sponsor of the bill.