Video & Transcript Research : 'DHHS'
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NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs (04/21/2026)
Election Law and Municipal Affairs
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Children and Family Law (02/11/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- House Bill 4:30, reducing the retention period for records of unfounded abuse and neglect reports by DHHS
- and neglect records of unfounded abuse and neglect reports<00:06:00.720>
by <00:06:01.199>DHHS - <00:06:02.199>
Prime <00:06:03.000>sponsor <00:06:04.000>uh reports by DHHS - Prime sponsor uh reports by DHHS Prime sponsor uh chairman<00:06:05.639>
James <00:06:06.199>- The witness said she called Social Security and the fiscal agents at DHHS, and they turned around and
Summary:
The House Children and Family Law Committee opened with a brief prayer for Representative Grossman’s son, Oscar, who was reported to be in critical condition after a traumatic fall. The committee then took up House Bill 430, which would reduce DHHS retention of unfounded abuse and neglect reports from 10 years to 3 years. Prime sponsor Chairman James Spain argued that 10 years is excessive and burdens families with a long-lasting stigma, while emphasizing that founded reports and reports with reasonable concern would still be retained indefinitely. Committee members questioned whether longer retention helps identify malicious reporting or patterns of abuse, and whether parents understand the distinction between unfounded and unfounded with reasonable concern.
The Office of the Child Advocate and DCF opposed the bill. Child Advocate Cassandra Sanchez said historical reports are important for identifying patterns, reviewing critical incidents, and understanding family dynamics, and that screened-out and unfounded reports can be essential context when later reports arise. She also noted that the records are highly confidential and not publicly accessible. DCF General Counsel Susan Larabe added that the bill could create inconsistencies by retaining screened-out reports longer than unfounded reports, and explained that unfounded reports can be used in court and in administrative reviews when there are multiple prior reports. The committee discussed how other states handle retention, with testimony that some keep records indefinitely and others for long periods. The hearing on HB 430 concluded, and the chair said the bill would not be executed until early March, leaving time for amendments.
The committee then opened House Bill 187, concerning restraining orders sought by a parent on behalf of a minor child. Prime sponsor Representative Mike Belcher said the bill is intended to correct a gap in the law so children can access the same restraining-order protections adults can, through a parent or guardian, and framed it as an equal-protection issue. Members questioned why the proposal was placed in the child abuse and neglect statute rather than the civil restraining-order statutes, and whether it should instead be handled as a broader civil-law fix. Alanda Peterson, who said she created Jade’s Law, testified that the original wording was meant to protect all children, not just those harmed by family members, and supported expanding the language. The hearing continued with additional discussion of the bill’s scope and purpose.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding Sep 2nd, 2025
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate Committee on Health and Human Services (Part II) Apr 23rd, 2025
Health & Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- What happened was that the DHHS came back with FTEs, requiring five FTEs to... be able to Manage and
Bills:
SB128, SB640, SB672, SB904, SB1141, SB1263, SB1525, SB1528, SB2041, SB2306, SB2308, SB2357, SB2446, SB2695, SB2857, SB2891, SB2583
Keywords:
hospital reporting, child abuse, neglect, administrative penalty, medical ethics, child protection, SB 640, Texas Family Code, Department of Family and Protective Services, DFPS, child welfare, foster care, managing conservatorship, suicide attempt, youth suicide, mental health, child protective services, state custody, annual report, reporting requirements
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs (01/22/2025)
Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- And it's composed of the DHHS medical director, a therapeutic cannabis patient, a representative of an
- So if DHHS wanted to, in great detail, find out what we're doing at 10:27 on Tuesday, October 13th, they
- everywhere<04:09:50.040>
so <04:09:50.399>if <04:09:50.600>if <04:09:50.720>DHHS - <04:09:51.560>
wanted everywhere so if if DHHS wanted everywhere so if if DHHS wanted to<04
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Division III (05/22/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- Money attached related to DHHS, Hampstead Hospital, contractual agreements, and so forth.
Summary:
Division 3 of House Finance met in a continued work session on Senate Bill 118, with no LBA present. The chair reviewed the bill’s complicated history: it began as a short Senate bill, was expanded in the Senate to address Hampstead Hospital and related contracts, and was later amended by the House Health and Human Services Committee to add the substance of House Bill 53, which would allow home cultivation of cannabis for therapeutic use. Members also discussed the bill’s timing against upcoming legislative deadlines and the available options, including recommending it ought to pass, retaining it, ITL, or amending it.
A member asked about the $160,000 appropriation tied to Hampstead Hospital employees. Deputy Commissioner Marissa Hen explained that most of the money would cover accrued time owed to a small number of employees who transitioned through multiple staffing arrangements at the hospital, and the rest would honor previously promised bonuses for a few workers who would otherwise miss them after the transition to Dartmouth Health. She said the payments were intended to make employees whole after repeated changes in hospital management and staffing.
Representative Stringham then offered Amendment 2345H, which would strip the House-added cannabis provisions and keep only the Senate-originated Hampstead Hospital-related sections. He argued this would improve the bill’s chances of surviving a gubernatorial veto and preserve the portions members broadly supported. The amendment failed on a 6-3 roll call. The committee then voted 6-3 to recommend the bill ought to pass without the amendment. Members also designated Representative Seaworth to speak for the majority and Representative Daniels for the minority when the bill reaches full Finance, and the work session adjourned.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs (03/25/2026)
Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- I am the bureau chief for the Bureau of Adult and Aging Services at DHHS.
- > I<01:14:34.400>
also <01:14:34.719>am <01:14:34.960>a Aging Services at DHHS - I also am a Aging Services at DHHS.
- I'm sure the folks from DHHS can maybe address that. >> So I haven't completely, if I misspoke, they'll
- As you know, in our DHHS current budget and our number of positions, we have to be really thoughtful
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:34:09.440>
um <00:34:10.280>DHHS <00:34:11.280>stuff. - DHHS stuff. I will let Division Three talk about scholarships. There were a number of scholarships.
- million back-of-the-budget, I think there's an opportunity to talk further with the commissioner of DHHS
- <01:34:46.159>
who's <01:34:46.480>been commissioner of DHHS who's been commissioner - of DHHS who's been fantastic<01:34:47.440>
by <01:34:47.679>the <01:34:47.760>way.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety (01/23/2025)
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- This bill would allow organizations registered with DHHS to use this equipment in order to gain more
- considered drug paraphernalia only when used by harm reduction programs registered with New Hampshire DHHS
- programs registered with um New programs registered with um New Hampshire Hampshire Hampshire DHHS
- :29.719>
actually <04:36:30.719>um <04:36:31.039>we <04:36:31.400>have DHHS - um on page four actually um we have DHHS um on page four actually um we have I've<04:36:32.240>
put
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Commission to Study Costs of Special Education (11/21/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- Office of the Advocate for Special Ed, and by way of background, I've got a lot of experience with DHHS
- got a lot of background I've I've got a lot of experience<00:09:00.080>
with <00:09:00.320>DHHS - <00:09:01.279>
after <00:09:01.680>graduating experience with DHHS after graduating - experience with DHHS after graduating from<00:09:02.399>
law <00:09:02.640>school <00:09
Summary:
The commission to study the cost of special education met, confirmed a quorum, introduced members and guests, and approved the minutes from the October 29 meeting. Members noted the commission’s mandate under Senate Bill 57 and emphasized the need to focus on recommendations and findings by July 1, 2026. The chair also distributed additional handouts, including materials related to the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program and administrative rules tied to differentiated aid and disability determinations.
The main discussion centered on how students qualify for differentiated aid under the EFA program. Matt Sutherton of the Children’s Scholarship Fund explained that the organization, which contracts with the state to administer EFAs, accepts either school-district/IEP documentation or a medical certification of disability (MCD) from a licensed medical professional. Members questioned how this process relates to the state’s special education rules and whether the school-district examiner standards in ED 107/1107.04 apply to EFAs. Sutherton said the MCD form, created with the department, requires the medical professional to sign that they are qualified to make the determination and to identify the disability.
Several members expressed concern that the EFA process is less rigorous than the school-district IEP process and may be inflating disability counts. One member argued that the administrative rules cited are primarily for school districts, not EFAs, and said the Department of Education may not know how many of the roughly 890 EFA students receiving differentiated aid came through school-district documentation versus the MCD pathway. Another member said the EFA system appears more generous than the school system and raised concerns about oversight, auditing, and whether the program’s data are accurate. Sutherton said the organization reviews signed documentation, credentials, and diagnosis information, and may request additional records to help adjudicate expenses. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the prior minutes.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs (02/24/2026)
Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Uh, so one thing I want to bring up um so DHHS has asked to uh amend the bill to make it a study commission
- Uh, so one thing I want to bring up um so DHHS has asked to uh amend the bill to make it a study commission
- Uh, so one thing I want to bring up um so DHHS has asked to uh amend the bill to make it a study commission
- Uh, so one thing I want to bring up um so DHHS has asked to amend the bill to make it a study commission
- DHHS has asked to uh amend the bill to DHHS has asked to uh amend the bill to make<00:11:48.160>
it
Summary:
The House Committee on Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs heard HB 1790-FN, which would address involuntary admissions for certain individuals with a substance use disorder. Representative Lucy Weber introduced the bill for Representative Long, and the committee heard extensive testimony both in support of and in opposition to the proposal. Opponents, including John Burns of SOS Recovery and Jake Barry of New Futures, argued that involuntary commitment is not well supported by research, can retraumatize people, may increase overdose risk after release, and could undermine New Hampshire’s existing recovery and harm-reduction efforts. They emphasized that treatment should be voluntary, trauma-informed, and paired with housing, recovery supports, and other community-based services.
Representative Long said he was willing to accept DHHS’s request to amend the bill into a study commission, though he expressed concern that a prior state study had not led to action. He said the commission should focus on implementation details, including where people would be placed, staffing, withdrawal management, elopement prevention, length of commitment, and aftercare. He described involuntary commitment as one tool for people with severe dangerous addictions, distinct from drug court, and said it could help avoid criminal records. Committee members asked about capacity at New Hampshire Hospital and how the proposal would work in practice.
DHHS officials Katya Fox and Cynthia Pabonis testified that the bill raises major policy and fiscal concerns. They said New Hampshire’s current system has benefited from investments in naloxone, medication-assisted treatment, recovery centers, and community-based services, and that those investments have helped reduce overdose deaths. They estimated the bill would require a new 70-bed facility costing about $40 million to build and about $33.3 million annually to operate, with only a small portion offset by insurance, plus more than $600,000 in annual legal costs and additional staffing and system changes. They also said New Hampshire Hospital has 185 beds, with about 100 patients typically ready for less restrictive settings, and that housing shortages are a major bottleneck. NAMI New Hampshire also testified in opposition, saying families often want any possible treatment for loved ones but still opposed the bill. No vote or final action was taken in the hearing.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Senate Executive Departments and Administration (02/05/2025)
Executive Departments and Administration
Transcript Highlights:
- DHHS took over the water lab authority from DES and inherited this fee placed in statute.
- of: there are three co-leads, as I said—New Hampshire Housing, the Business and Economic Affairs, DHHS
- <00:20:27.720>
and business and economic Affairs DHHS and business and economic Affairs DHHS - I'm the legislative liaison for Behavioral Health at DHHS.
- DHHS so as<00:31:55.600>
you've <00:31:55.799>heard <00:31:56.120>already <00:31
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- medical providers, different medical specialties, and a therapeutic cannabis patient, medical director, DHHS
- But how would a law enforcement official or someone from DHHS know that that 8 ounces was from what they
- would, in the unlikely event that a patient egregiously violated this... official or someone from DHHS
- know that official or someone from DHHS know that that<01:33:43.120>
8 <01:33:43.360>ounces
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Resources, Recreation and Development (02/12/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- I'll call up, if there's any questions for DHHS after Judy she passed in...
- DHHS, after Judy, she passed in written testimony. Yes, are we ready? Yes, ready. Okay.
- Now I'm going to ask if they'd come to the witness table: DHHS, David Gret, and Whitney Hammond.
- I'm a dental consultant for DHHS Dental Unit.
- a dental today I'm Dr David gret I'm a dental consultant<05:14:43.240>
for <05:14:43.520>DHHS
Summary:
The committee took up several bills in executive session, beginning with HB 568 on subdivision regulations concerning water supply. Representative Donnelly moved ITL, arguing the bill would create costly studies, that towns already have jurisdiction over needed studies, and that the issue was not widespread. The committee voted ITL 9-7. HB 582, dealing with safety requirements for personal watercraft, was also moved ITL on the grounds that existing law already covers the issue and the bill was unnecessary after recent action on personal flotation devices. Representative Derby opposed the ITL, saying the bill was a common-sense safety measure and would restore a misdemeanor penalty, but the committee voted ITL 9-7.
The committee then retained HB 595, relative to coastal resilience zones, after members said the bill was important but needed more work and time because of its complexity. Members noted it should be revisited later, and the motion to retain passed 16-0. HB 607, funding the Hampton Beach Area Commission and making appropriations, received an ought-to-pass recommendation 15-1, with support from members who described Hampton Beach as an important economic driver and one dissenting member saying the state should not bear the full cost. The committee also adopted Amendment 2025-3 on HB 624, establishing a local river management advisory committee grant program, by a 16-0 vote; the amendment shifted funding decisions to the Department of Environmental Services based on demonstrated need and a first-come, first-served process. The bill as amended then received an ought-to-pass recommendation 16-0 and was placed on consent.
Later, the committee retained HB 629, funding the operation, maintenance, and repair of state dams, after members said the dams need attention but the bill required more work because suggested amendments had just been received. That motion passed 16-0. HB 644, concerning drones in state parks, was ITL’d because the Department of Parks and Recreation is already working through rulemaking on UAS use in remote areas, and the committee voted 16-0 for ITL. HB 657, the short notice booking act access for New Hampshire residents to state parks, was also ITL’d at the request of the prime sponsor, passing 16-0. The committee then adjourned and announced a later hearing on HB 663, which would allow the Division of Historical Resources to use a portion of Moose plate funds for administering its grant program; testimony from the sponsor and the division supported the bill as clarifying existing authority, and no final vote on HB 663 was included in the transcript excerpt.
NH
NV
Bills:
AB6, AB102, AB131, AB212, AB213, AB220, AB259, AB282, AB376, AB396, AB479, AB503, AB570, AB572, AB574, AB576, AB593, SB185, SB207, SB507, AB6
Keywords:
fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, FASD, prenatal alcohol exposure, children's health, developmental disability, early intervention, treatment assistance, Aging and Disability Services Division, Department of Health and Human Services, Autism Treatment Assistance Program, public health, parent education, evidence-based treatment, Nevada NRS 427A, disability services, behavioral health, emergency medical services, ambulance, licensing, health district
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety (04/11/2025)
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- I would be happy to try to take any questions, but I would prefer to defer to Jenny Higgins from DHHS
- to I would defer to Jenny<00:05:01.280>
Higgins <00:05:01.600>from <00:05:01.759>DHHS - /c><00:05:02.639>
is <00:05:02.800>also <00:05:03.040>here Jenny Higgins from DHHS - who is also here Jenny Higgins from DHHS who is also here to<00:05:03.360>
testify.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- Services and directs the<00:53:38.880>
commissioner <00:53:39.400>of <00:53:40.000>DHHS - c><00:53:41.000>
to <00:53:41.240>apply <00:53:41.640>for the commissioner of DHHS - to apply for the commissioner of DHHS to apply for State<00:53:42.240>
Medicaid <00:53:42.880>
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
Senate Health and Human Services (01/21/2026)
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- This certainly does not require a full-time DHHS employee.
- If there was a provision put in there that if somebody breaks the agreement, that DHHS would hold some
- federal after publication of a federal application<04:03:10.239>
template, <04:03:11.120>DHHS - ,<04:03:12.399>
she'll application template, DHHS, she'll application template, DHHS, she'll - The bill does not include a fiscal note for DHHS to collect this information because the bill passes
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- care, not all of them do, but to answer your question, um, they are not required to be licensed by DHHS
- c> the<00:14:06.560>
state <00:14:06.720>of <00:14:06.880>New licensed by DHHS - in the state of New licensed by DHHS in the state of New Hampshire<00:14:08.000>
some <00:14:08.160 - And so then DHHS can start implementing agency rules that start to force these pregnancy resource centers
- And so then DHHS can start implementing agency rules that start to force these pregnancy resource centers