s_hhs_2016a_2016-05-04t11:28:24z1 Hearing Summary

Date: 05/04/2016

12:09 PM -- HB 16-1424



Senator Garcia, bill sponsor, presented House Bill 16-1424. The bill changes the way state agencies handle the training and registration of personnel authorized to administer medications in certain state facilities, and changes the definition of "facility" to include services offered to intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals by the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF).



Under current law, a person who is not a licensed nurse, physician, or pharmacist (unlicensed person) must complete a training and take an exam approved by the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) every four years in order to be deemed qualified to administer medications at facilities administered by certain state departments. The bill removes the requirement that the exam be taken every four years, replacing it with the one-time completion of a competency evaluation.



CDPHE must set minimum requirements for course content, competency, and evaluations; approve entities that provide training on the administration of medication; and determine rules for and compliance by facilities overseen by CDPHE. The Department of Human Services (DHS), HCPF, and the Department of Corrections (DOC) must each develop and conduct a medication administration program and may set their own minimum standards for course content and competency evaluations for unlicensed persons who administer medication in the facilities run by those departments. DHS, HCPF, DOC, and CDPHE must each maintain a list of those who have completed the competency evaluation. To be included on CDPHE's list, people must pay a required fee once they have passed the competency evaluation. CDPHE must also maintain a list of approved training entities.



Under current law, facility operators must conduct a drug-related criminal background check on new employees. Under the bill, prior to hiring a new employee or promoting an employee to a position with access to medication, the facility operator must conduct a general purpose criminal history check. In addition, employees must sign a disclosure statement stating that he or she has never had a professional nursing, medicine, or pharmacy license revoked for reasons related to administration of medications. A person may not fill or label medication reminder boxes until they have completed the competency valuation from an approved training entity or has been approved by an authorized agency. In addition to the time and amount of the medication, facilities also must keep a written record with the date and signature of the person administering the medication each time a medication is administered.



12:10 PM -- Randy Kuykendall, CDPHE, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Kuykendall responded to questions from the committee.



12:23 PM -- Doug Farmer, Colorado Health Care Association, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Farmer responded to questions from the committee.



12:26 PM -- Corky Kyle, Colorado Assisted Living Association, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Kyle responded to questions from the committee.



12:30 PM -- Delores Williams, representing herself, testified in a neutral position on the bill.



12:34 PM



Senator Garcia responded to committee questions.



12:36 PM -- Deborah Lively, Leading Age Colorado, spoke in support of the bill. Ms. Lively responded to questions from the committee.



12:38 PM -- Tamara Meurer, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill.



12:43 PM



Mr. Kuykendall came back to the table and responded to questions from the committee.



12:48 PM



Senator Garcia responded to questions. Committee discussion followed.



12:50 PM



Senator Garcia made closing comments.

12:51 PM



The committee adjourned.