H_PHC_2020A 01/24/2020 10:18:30 AM Committee Summary

Representative Hooton and Representative Larson, sponsors, presented House Bill 20-1122. This bill repeals, reenacts, and makes updates to the Office of Homeless Youth Services in the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). In addition, the bill creates a new grant program to award up to five grants of $250,000 each to existing organizations that provide a variety of services to homeless youth as outlined in the bill. Grants must be rewarded by January 1, 2021. DOLA is required to submit a report to the General Assembly by March 1, 2023, summarizing the status of youth experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness and the impact of the grant program. The grant program is repealed on July 1, 2023.

The sponsors responded to questions from the committee.

Shawna Kemppainen, The Place, spoke in favor of the bill.

Kippi Clausen, Rural Collaborative, spoke in favor of the bill.

Michael Crews, One Colorado, spoke in favor of the bill.

Connor Lafferty, Attention Homes, spoke in favor of the bill.

Chris Nelson, Attention Homes, spoke in favor of the bill.

Ms. Lafferty and Mr. Nelson responded to questions from the committee.

Representative Hooton introduced Amendment L.001 (Attachment B). Committee discussion followed.

Representative Larson, sponsor, presented House Bill 20-1050.  Current law permits a registered prescription drug outlet or licensed hospital other outlet to make a casual sale or loan of a drug to another registered outlet or wholesaler, to sell or give a drug to a practitioner, and to supply an emergency kit or starter dose to certain facilities.  The bill extends this authority to ambulatory surgical center other outlets, hospice other outlets, and convalescent center other outlets.

Tom Simpleman, Colorado Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, spoke in favor of the bill.

Amy Rose, representing herself, spoke in favor of the bill.

Cheryl Wilson, representing herself, spoke in favor of the bill.

Amendment L.001 was introduced (Attachment C). Committee discussion ensued.

Representative McCluskie, sponsor, presented House Bill 20-1006 and distributed two handouts (Attachments D and E). 

This bill requires the Department of Human Services (DHS) to develop and implement a statewide voluntary program of early childhood mental health consultation by July 1, 2022.  The program is intended to increase the number of qualified mental health consultants supporting professionals who work with young children and to give guidance and support to families, caregivers, and providers in addressing the social-emotional developmental needs of children through age eight.  In developing the program, the DHS must create:

•    a model of consultation that includes qualifications, outcome, and job expectations for mental health consultants, and guidance on ratios between consultants and the setting they support by July 1, 2021;

•    a professional development plan to support mental health consultants in meeting expectations by July 1, 2021;

•    a certification process for mental health consultants by July 1, 2022; and

•    a data collection and information system to analyze implementation and outcomes of the program by July 1, 2022.

The bill also requires the DHS to present to the General Assembly on the number of available and needed mental health consultants and any adjustments needed to meet the consultants' targeted caseload.  Finally, the bill requires the DHS and the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to explore funding options for the program and report their findings to the Joint Budget Committee by January 1, 2022. 

Representative Sirota, sponsor, discussed the provisions of the bill.

The sponsors responded to questions from the committee.

Committee questions to the sponsors continued.

Dr. Sarah Davidon, Mental Health Colorado, spoke in favor of the bill.

Dr. Bruno Anthony, Children's Hospital Colorado, spoke in favor of the bill.

Dr. Jose Silva, Colorado Association for Infant Mental Health, spoke in favor of the bill.

Dr. Silva, Dr. Anthony, and Dr. Davidon responded to questions from the committee.

Michelle Dalbotton, Step by Step, spoke in favor of the bill.

Rachel Schiff, Clayton Early Learning, spoke in favor of the bill.

Jean Cimino, Colorado Association for Infant Mental Health, spoke in favor of the bill.

Ms. Cimino, Ms. Schiff, and Ms. Dalbotton responded to questions from the committee.

Holly Calvert read the testimony of Darlene Jilil, a preschool Director who is opposed to the bill.

Kimberly LeBlanc, representing herself, spoke in opposition to the bill.

Denice Dirks, Concerned Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Dirks responded to committee questions.

Representatives McCluskie and Sirota distributed and explained amendments L.001 and L.002 to the committee (Attachments F and G).

Committee discussion ensued regarding possible amendments.

Representatives McCluskie and Sirota gave closing remarks on the bill.

Committee members commented on the bill.

Representative Michaelson Jenet, sponsor, presented House Bill 20-1028 and requested that the bill be postponed indefinitely. This bill requires the School Safety Resource Center in the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to convene a working group of stakeholders to study the issue of the availability of residential mental health treatment for children and youth.  The working group must include representatives from the Department of Education, the Department of Public Health and Environment, the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, local school districts, the Department of Human Services, county departments of human or social services, medical providers, and residential treatment providers.  The working group must address the issues of:

•    the number of children and youth for whom the state provided residential treatment;

•    the number of children and youth who were in need of residential treatment;

•    the costs associated with providing additional residential treatment beds;

•    the options available to assist schools in handling children and youth who are in need of services; and

•    developing a plan for identifying, securing, and making fully operational additional residential treatment beds.

The bill requires the  School Safety Resource Center to do this work within existing resources, and to present the report to the General Assembly during the DPS SMART Act presentation in 2021.

Christy Chase, Office of Legislative Legal Services (OLLS), spoke about the role of the committee for the Sunset Review Hearing.

Brian Tobias, Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), spoke about the two types of Sunset Reviews. He discussed the process for DORA to write a Sunset Review Report.

Representive Singer introduced the Sunset Review for the Nurse-Physician Advisory Task Force.

Mr. Tobias, presented the Nurse-Physician Advisory Task Force Sunset Review Report, which can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o-QS1JnXT4VOp7ris-vp390DnpyTKDRq/view.

Linda Siderius, representing the Colorado Nurses Association, spoke about the Sunset Report's recommendations.

Linda Siderius, Colorado Nurses Association, spoke about the Sunset Report's recommendations.

Dr. Lynn Parry, Colorado Medical Society, spoke about the Sunset Report's Recommendations.

Representive Singer appointed Representatives Cutter and Mullica as co-prime sponsors on the bill. Cosponsors include Representatives Michaelson Jenet and Hooton.

Representative Singer gave OLLS permission to make technical changes to the draft bill. Ms. Chase, OLLS, explained that a safety clause was not required.

Representative Singer introduced the Sunset Review for Mental Health Professional Boards.

Saul Larsen, DORA, provided an overview of the sunset review report which can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vwX2iIRWjuzUB3nNtcTOmMfM_m9Di9G-/view. He discussed the recommendations made in the sunset review for state boards of mental health professionals.

Mr. Larsen responded to questions from the committee.

Dr. Ryan Burkhart, Mental Health Coalition, spoke in favor of the sunset review recommendations.

Dan Kendrick, representing himself, spoke about the sunset review recommendations.

Jennifer Place, Colorado Association of Addiction Professionals (CAAP), spoke in favor of the sunset review recommendations. She discussed additional recommendations supported by CAAP.

Rodella Wooten, National Association of Social Workers and the Colorado Society of Social Workers, spoke about the sunset review and provided recommendations.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

Rick Ginsberg, Colorado Psychological Association, spoke about the sunset review.

Dr. Laura Knudtson, Colorado Psychological Association (CPA), spoke about the sunset review and outlined the CPA's recommendations for the licensure program.  She distributed a handout (Attachment I).

Elizabeth Shulte, National Association of Social Workers (NASW), spoke in support of continuing the licensure program and made recommendations for modifications to the current program.

Jenny Genaro, NASW, spoke about the sunset review.

Feliz Fraser-Solak, NASW, spoke about the sunset review.

Heather McLaughlin, NASW, spoke about the sunset review.

Leanne Rupp, NASW, spoke about the sunset review.

Adeline Hodge, NASW, responded to questions from the committee.

Representative Michaelson Jenet distributed Amendments 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 (Attachment J-O).  Bill draft LLS No. 20-0516.01 was discussed (Attachment P).

Representative Singer appointed co-prime sponsors Representatives Michaelson Jenet and Landgraf. Cosponsors include Representatives Young, Pelton, and Cutter.

Representative Singer gave the drafter permission to make technical changes. A safety clause was not included.

Representative Singer introduced the 2019 Sunset Review of the Naturopathic Doctor Act.

Saul Larsen, DORA, discussed the sunset review of the Naturopathic Doctor Act.  The report can be accessed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QJIqYI6CGh-CcZG7i78NTuLHKQV0Kh5g/view.

Ashley Biscoe, Colorado Association of Naturopathic Doctors, spoke in favor of the sunset report and provided recommendations.  She distributed a packet of information to the committee members (Attachment Q).

Rachelle Forsberg, Colorado Association of Naturopathic Doctors, made comments about the sunset report.

Dr. Forsberg and Dr. Biscoe answered questions from the committee.

The committee discussed draft bill LLS No. 20-0514.01 (Attachment R).

Representative Singer appointed Representatives Landgraf and Caraveo as co-prime sponsors. Representative Singer is a cosponsor.

Representative Singer permitted the drafter to make technical changes. A safety clause was not included.