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S_HHS_2025A 01/22/2025 10:26:00 AM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
JOINT COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ON JOINT HEALTH
Date 01/22/2025
Attendance
Bradfield *
Bradley *
Bright X
Carson *
Cutter X
Daugherty *
English *
Feret *
Frizell X
Gilchrist X
Hamrick X
Jodeh X
Johnson *
Lieder X
McCormick *
Michaelson Jenet X
Rydin X
Sander X
Stewart K. X
Weissman X
Mullica X
Brown X
Time 10:26:00 AM to 04:57:10 PM
Place Old State Library
This Meeting was called to order by Brown
This Report was prepared by Jerard Brown
Hearing Items Action Taken
Joint Budget Committee Briefing Required by Joint Rule 25 Committee Discussion Only
Waitlist for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Presentation Committee Discussion Only
SMART Government Act Briefing from the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) Committee Discussion Only
Criteria for Placement of Juvenile Offenders Working Group Presentation Committee Discussion Only
SMART Government Act Briefing from the Department of Early Childhood (DEC) and Early Childhood Leadership Commission (ECLC) Presentation Committee Discussion Only
SMART Government Act Briefing from the Department of Human Services (DHS) Committee Discussion Only

Joint Budget Committee Briefing Required by Joint Rule 25 - Committee Discussion Only
10:26:14 AM  
Senator Bridges,
Senator Amabile, Senator Kirkmeyer, and Representative Sirota, members
of the Joint Budget Committee (JBC), presented to the committee. The JBC
members presented the relevant budget requests from DHS, HCPF, DOLA, CDPHE,
DEC, AND DORA.
10:45:06 AM  
Committee members asked the panel questions.



Waitlist for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Presentation - Committee Discussion Only
11:08:42 AM  
Bonnie Silva, Randy
Brodersen, and Shari Repinksi, presented to the committee. They provided
an overview of the Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Waitlist, progress towards reducing the waitlist, trends in new enrollment,
the estimated cost to end the waitlist, and efforts to make it easier for
enrollees to navigate the resources available to them.



A copy of the
presentation was provided to the committee (Attachment A).
11:34:48 AM  
Committee members asked the panel questions.
11:47:27 AM  
Ms. Cindy Stevens,
representing themself, was available to answer committee questions. Maureen
Welch, representing Navigating Disability Colorado, testified. Galia Spychalska,
representing themself, testified.
11:55:31 AM  
Committee members asked the panel questions.



SMART Government Act Briefing from the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) - Committee Discussion Only

12:04:04 PM  
Kim Bimstefer, Rachel
Reiter, Bonnie Silva, Adela Flores-Brennan, Cristen Bates, Rachel Reiter,
Alicia Massell, and Bettina Schneider, representing the Department of Health
Care Policy and Financing presented to the committee. The department provided
an overview of the Medicaid and CHP+ programs in Colorado, Medicaid reimbursement
trends, the department’s plan for Medicaid sustainability, how the federal
Medicaid landscape is expected to impact the state’s budget and policies,
the department’s legislative agenda, issues affecting long term care services
and supports, how recent stimulus funds were used, the impact of recent
Colorado legislation on the department, and the department’s budget requests.



A copy of the
presentation was provided to the committee (Attachment B).



A handout on Hospital
Discounted Care Data was provided to the committee (Attachment C).



A handout answering
additional SMART Act questions was provided to the committee (Attachment
D).
12:50:29 PM  
Committee members asked the panel questions.
01:32:40 PM  
Harold Wright, representing
themself, testified. Kristen Heiserman, representing themself, testified.
Galia Spychalska, representing themself, testified. Maureen Welch, representing
Navigating Disability Colorado, testified.



Committee members
asked the panel questions.
01:48:06 PM  
Ms. Rachael Selmeski,
representing themself, testified. Hillary Jorgensen, representing Colorado
Cross Disability Coalition, testified. Ms. Elizabeth Moran, representing
The Arc of Colorado, testified. Ms. Pamela Bisceglia, representing ADVOCACYDENVER,
testified.
01:58:23 PM  
Mr. Andrew Rose,
representing COMBINE, testified. Betsy Casey, representing themself, testified.
Ms. Hanni Raley, representing The Arc of Aurora, testified.



Criteria for Placement of Juvenile Offenders Working Group Presentation - Committee Discussion Only
02:07:10 PM  
Director Anders Jacobson,
representing the Division of Youth Services, presented to the committee
on the Juvenile Offenders Working Group and placement shortages for juvenile
offenders.



A copy of the
presentation was provided to the committee (Attachment E).
02:17:09 PM  
Committee members
asked Director Jacobson questions.
02:34:06 PM  
Committee members continued asking Director Jacobson questions.



SMART Government Act Briefing from the Department of Early Childhood (DEC) and Early Childhood Leadership Commission (ECLC) Presentation - Committee Discussion Only
02:45:56 PM  
Dr. Lisa Roy, Stephanie
Beasley, Mary Alice Cohen, Jeanni Stefanik, Dawn Odean, and Shannon Wilson,
representing the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, presented to the
committee. The department presented data on the first year of universal
preschool, its funding mechanisms, and provider rates.



A report on Colorado
Universal Preschool Program was provided to the committee (Attachment F).
03:17:29 PM  
Committee members asked the panel questions.



SMART Government Act Briefing from the Department of Human Services (DHS) - Committee Discussion Only
03:42:55 PM  
Michelle Barnes,
Katy Morrison, Christina Beisel, Perry May, and Minna Castillo, representing
the Department of Human Services, presented to the committee. The department
presented on Colorado’s out-of-home placement continuum, the Inpatient
Competency Services Waitlist, an update on the corrective action plan regarding
SNAP timeliness, the department’s legislative and regulatory agenda, how
stimulus money was spent, and their budget requests for the year.



A copy of the
presentation was provided to the committee (Attachment G).



Supplementary
information was provided to the committee (Attachment H).
04:14:12 PM  
Committee members asked the panel questions.
04:45:40 PM  
Maureen Welch, representing
Navigating Disability Colorado, testified in a neutral position on the
bill.



Mr. Carl Roberts,
representing Colorado Resilience, testified in opposition to the bill.
04:51:08 PM  
Committee members asked the panel questions.


04:57:10 PM   The committee adjourned.






The effective date for bills enacted without a safety clause is August 6, 2025, if the General Assembly adjourns sine die on May 7, 2025 (unless otherwise specified). Details

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