Video & Transcript : 'vulnerable adults' :
Page 16 of 500
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- My kids are now adults.
- I do know that the young adult genre has been targeted towards older and older adults, while still being
- and young adults.
- Adult books are supposed to prime children for becoming adults, which may include sexually explicit passages
- I am a mother of adult children.
Bills:
HB45 , HB45 , HB755 , HB 1232 , HB1555 , HB2460 , HB2702 , HB2973 , HB3120 , HB3225 , HB3314 , HB3356 , HB3371 , HB3634 , HB3638 , HB4247 , HB4283 , HB4290 , HB4302 , HB4503 , HB4511 , HB4565 , HB4581 , HB4627 , HB4632 , HB4660 , HB4668 , HB4960 , HB5042
Committee:
House State Affairs
Keywords:
flooding, disaster response, emergency preparedness, state guidance, public safety, housing, affordable housing, rent control, landlord-tenant laws, housing rights, lobbying, public entities, expenditures, government code, transparency, Texas Ethics Commission, government regulation, lobbying restrictions, government accountability, taxpayer money
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- Brian Rutledge, Executive Director of the California Association for Adult Day Services.
- Brian Rutledge from the California Association for Adult Day Services, CADS.
- Brian Rutledge from the California Association for Adult Day Services, CADS.
- California's older adults, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on SB 971. Thank you.
- As some of you may know, Paris... ...to advance protections for vulnerable youth.
Committee:
Senate Human Services
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Foster Youth Bill of Rights established 3/11/26
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Looking for just one safe adult.
- want and the adults feelings and the adults priorities, it never ends well.
- want and the adults' feelings and the adults' priorities, it never ends well.
- </c> conversation is about what the adults conversation is about what the adults want<00:36:04.800><c
- </c> adults priorities, it never ends well. adults priorities, it never ends well.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
03/25/2026 - Senate Health and Human Services
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- So this is what the CDC uses to measure social vulnerability across the state.
- And Measure social vulnerability across the state, and the highest vulnerability is equal to one.
- It is vital to the safety, stability, and well-being of vulnerable youth like us.
- Chambers, so what your ...more vulnerable to diseases. Madam Chair. So Ms.
- Chambers, so what your more vulnerable to diseases. Madam Chair. So Ms.
Committee:
Senate Health and Human Services
Keywords:
kinship care, child welfare, foster care, relative placement, child protection, vaccination mandates, mask requirements, public health, government entities, COVID-19, controlled substances, prescription monitoring, opioid crisis, healthcare regulations, patient safety, group homes, children's rights, safety protocols, employee training, mental health
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee Apr 22nd, 2025
Aging and Long-Term Care
Transcript Highlights:
- experts that will provide policy recommendations to best address the needs of undocumented older adults
- disproportionately vulnerable.
- We define an older adult as someone 60 years and older.
- For nearly 40 years, I have served older adults. adults, older persons living with disabilities, and
- We gotta make sure we prioritize our vulnerable communities.
Committee:
House Aging and Long-Term Care
MA
Transcript Highlights:
- To meet the needs of this vulnerable population.
- and deserving young adults and children.
- and deserving young adults and children.
- Open beds to adults with developmental disabilities.
- After all, the measure of a state is how it cares for its most vulnerable.
Summary:
The hearing focused on the future of Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, with commissioners, agency officials, workers, and families describing the hospital as a unique integrated setting combining medical care, rehabilitation, education, residential services, and adaptive engineering. Opening remarks from legislators emphasized continued budget funding, the legal requirement that Pappas not close before the commission reports, and a request to extend the commission’s deadline. Several commissioners and witnesses argued that admissions have effectively been curtailed while discharges continue, creating what they described as a de facto closure.
Union leaders from AFSCME, SEIU, and the Massachusetts Nurses Association said staff are experiencing uncertainty, morale problems, and loss of confidence because referrals are being discouraged and the census is shrinking. They urged immediate action to stop admission denials and unnecessary discharges, and some proposed temporary modular units or other short-term investments to restore admissions while longer-term plans are developed. Parents and former patients testified that Pappas provided life-changing opportunities and supports that they could not find elsewhere, and that alternative programs or proposed Western Massachusetts options would not meet the same needs.
Department of Public Health Commissioner Robert Goldstein said the administration supports keeping Pappas open and stable during the commission’s work, but argued that admissions must comply with hospital-level-of-care rules and that the campus’s deteriorating infrastructure limits who can be safely served. He said DPH is continuing admissions where appropriate, backfilling staff, and exploring ways to expand services, including outpatient therapies and adaptive engineering, while also acknowledging that Pappas is a one-of-a-kind system with no true in-state duplicate. Commissioners requested de-identified admissions and denial data and continued to press the department on whether the current operational changes amount to a silent closure.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- participants and for the families and caregivers they live with, many of whom may be medically vulnerable
- I am a mother of two young adults who are in the regional center system.
- Contrara's grandmother to a 33-year-old adult, and I want to thank especially Aaron Carruthers for ..
- They connect older adults to home-delivered meals, health care counseling, and so, so much more.
- supports and services we need for older adults and people with disabilities to thrive.
Committee:
Senate Human Services
Summary:
The Senate Human Services Committee heard several bills focused on developmental disabilities, food security, veterans, aging services, child care, and elder abuse reporting. SB 969 by Senator Reyes would make remote services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities a permanent option; supporters said virtual programming improves access, continuity, and choice, and there was no opposition. SB 1025 by Senator Hurtado would create an Office of Food Security and Affordability to coordinate state food programs, improve CalFresh enrollment, and develop a 24-hour hotline; committee members raised questions about duplication, metrics, and oversight, but the bill advanced after discussion. SB 1052 by Senator Gonzalez would allow the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to appoint contingent authorized representatives so people with disabilities are not left without support if a family member becomes unavailable; supporters described immigration enforcement, illness, and family separation as reasons for the bill, and members discussed administrative burden and renewal procedures before the bill passed. SB 1077 by Senator Gonzalez would require CDSS to prepare for future federal shutdowns by creating a communications and contingency plan for CalFresh disruptions and a state-backed emergency food assistance mechanism; members discussed how it would work with existing CalFresh administration, and the bill passed. SB 1201 by Senator McNerney would seek federal waivers to protect vulnerable veterans from new SNAP work requirements and require referrals to county veterans service officers; supporters said the federal cuts would harm homeless, newly discharged, and disabled veterans, and the bill passed. SB 1261 by Senator Laird would let aging and disability resource centers continue operating through partner transitions so services would not be interrupted; supporters emphasized continuity of care and the bill passed. SB 1110 by Senator Becker would revise child care subsidy funding and stabilization rules for alternative payment programs and community providers; supporters said the current reimbursement structure is outdated, and the bill passed after the author said a budget-related provision would be removed. The committee also later voted SB 969, SB 1052, SB 1077, SB 1201, SB 1261, and SB 1110 out of committee, with the bills kept on call for absent members, and began hearing SB 991 on elder abuse reporting, where supporters argued that licensing records should distinguish abuse from lesser resident-rights violations so families and policymakers can better understand facility conduct.
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Protection and Victim Services Committee May 13th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- members of society, young children as well as vulnerable adults, but also we may step in the direction
- adults and work within the section on vulnerable adults to have a little bit different perspective.
- I have not had very many cases involving grooming as it relates to vulnerable adults.
- And then I also enhanced involving a minor or a vulnerable adult. Anyway, so. I'm sorry.
- And then I also enhanced involving a minor or a vulnerable adult. Anyway, so. I'm sorry.
Summary:
The committee met to approve prior minutes and then heard a presentation from Dr. Ramona Danielson on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), focusing on the economic and public-system impacts in North Dakota. She explained that ACEs are a population-level measure, not a diagnostic tool for individuals, and said higher ACE exposure is consistently associated with more chronic illness, mental health challenges, child welfare involvement, justice-system contact, and reduced workforce participation. She emphasized that precise dollar estimates are difficult because of the many interacting factors across a person’s life course, but said the direction of the impact is clear and that evidence-based prevention and protective factors can reduce harm. Members asked about definitions of a “healthy family,” same-sex couples, divorce, substance abuse, historical trends in ACEs, and the role of positive childhood experiences and home visiting.
The committee then heard from Allison Mahoney and Missy Barranco about evidence-based home visiting programs in North Dakota, including Healthy Families, Early Head Start, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Parents as Teachers. They described home visiting as voluntary, relationship-based, and tailored to family needs, with referrals coming from hospitals, WIC, human service zones, pregnancy navigators, self-referrals, and other community sources. A parent, Abby, shared that home visiting helped her family after premature births and NICU stays by providing support with postpartum mental health, breastfeeding, developmental screenings, referrals, and parenting guidance. The presenters said the programs are funded through a mix of federal MIECHV/Title IV-E dollars, Medicaid targeted case management, state and tribal funds, philanthropy, charitable gaming, and grants, and they noted that current funding is fragmented and insufficient to serve all eligible families statewide. Members discussed whether the state should expand or better fund these services and how to improve outreach and referrals.
Later, the committee received a memorandum on artificial intelligence and sexual exploitation, followed by a presentation from a BCI special agent on how AI is already affecting child exploitation investigations in North Dakota. The memo and testimony described AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, sextortion, and risks posed by chatbots, along with relevant federal and state law and recent executive orders. The agent said North Dakota saw 2,698 cyber tips in 2025, the highest on record, and that investigators are increasingly encountering AI-assisted exploitation that is harder to detect and verify. Members discussed the need for child-safety protections, the limits of executive orders, and broader concerns about AI undermining critical thinking and spreading misinformation. No votes were taken on the AI materials during the portion provided, and the committee recessed briefly after the report.
WA
Transcript Highlights:
- would be causing the least harm and really maintaining services wherever possible for our most vulnerable
- Cutting Western's budget means that the most vulnerable among us will be hit the hardest.
- Throughout my adult life, I have successfully been living independently, graduated from college.
- adults.
- Better health outcomes for our most vulnerable and those at greatest risk. Thank you. Thank you.
Bills:
SB5998
Committee:
Senate Ways & Means
Keywords:
fiscal appropriations, budget, state funding, financial management, operating expenses, 904, all
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
06/02/2026 - Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Elder Abuse
Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Elder Abuse
Transcript Highlights:
- Many vulnerable adults have no one standing beside them, and if this can happen to someone who has a
- They are entrusted with extraordinary authority over vulnerable adults.
- Seven, creation of an Arizona Vulnerable Adult Recovery Fund financed through licensing fees, disciplinary
- It’s about whether Arizona will build a system that protects vulnerable adults while preserving their
- For Samuel, for every vulnerable adult who cannot stand before you today, and for every Arizona family
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
Senate Health and Human Services (02/18/2026)
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- of vulnerable adults.
- <02:10:26.560><c> adult</c><02:10:26.880><c> fatality</c><02:10:27.360><c> review</c> vulnerable adult
- <02:11:40.400><c> adult</c><02:11:40.719><c> fatality</c><02:11:41.199><c> review</c> vulnerable adult
- So, so deaths in vulnerable adults.
- <02:15:42.320><c> adults,</c><02:15:42.880><c> people</c><02:15:43.119><c> with</c> vulnerable adults
Committee:
Senate Health and Human Services
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
HSH Public Hearing - Thu Feb 12, 2026 @ 10:30 AM HST
Human Services & Homelessness
Transcript Highlights:
- Um we assistance to vulnerable families.
- <00:30:07.919><c> higher</c> support, vulnerable youth face higher support, vulnerable youth face higher
- </c> experience of young adult homelessness. experience of young adult homelessness.
- We have risk youth and young adults.
- would constitute a crime and by an adult would constitute a crime and an<01:12:14.239><c> adult</c><
Committee:
House Human Services & Homelessness
Keywords:
LGBTQ+ rights, commission membership, representation, youth involvement, Hawaii legislation, child well-being, financial support, expectant mothers, Hawaii Rx kids program, economic stability, youth homelessness, financial assistance, housing instability, emergency services, transitioning youth, Medicaid, pharmaceutical benefits, human services, healthcare access, public funds
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on HB 1877, which would expand the membership of the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission and add a youth seat. The commission’s vice chair supported the bill, saying the commission started with eight members, has growing interest, and would benefit from an odd-numbered board and youth representation. Members asked about quorum, and the commission said it has generally met monthly with only one quorum issue in the past 18–19 months and would work with legislative leaders to have appointments ready if the bill passes. Written testimony included support from Kokopac and one individual in opposition.
The committee then took up HB 2006, which would create a cash assistance program for pregnant women and mothers of babies. The Department of Human Services explained current TANF rules, including eligibility requirements, child support cooperation, and work-program participation, and said the state has recently raised benefit levels to the maximum allowed, with a family of three or four receiving a little over $900 per month. Supporters from the Hawaii Public Health Institute, Hawaii Children’s Action Network Speaks, and others argued the bill could reduce child poverty and improve maternal and child health, citing evidence from Michigan’s Rx Kids program and the temporary federal child tax credit expansion. A mother and Oahu Youth Action Board member testified from personal experience about the need for direct support during pregnancy. The committee also noted support from several organizations and about 26 individuals.
The committee next heard HB 2167, which would direct the Office of Youth Services to run a pilot program providing financial assistance to homeless youth. The Office of the Public Defender, youth advocates, and several organizations supported the measure, saying even small amounts of help can prevent homelessness and help youth transition safely to adulthood. The Office of Youth Services said it supports the intent of the bill but requested clarification, and committee members discussed whether the program should be run directly or through contracted community agencies, how to set performance metrics, and how to structure the RFP and contract process. The chair indicated the committee wanted to work with the vice chair and OYS offline to refine the bill before moving forward. The committee then began discussion of HB 2224, relating to Medicaid pharmacy benefit management, with testimony generally supporting giving DHS flexibility to negotiate with PBMs.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance (03/12/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- pediatric and adult patients.
- Thank you. as young adults should Medicaid funded as young adults should Medicaid funded insurance<01
- </c> we can address our most vulnerable we can address our most vulnerable populations<02:46:44.240><
- </c> through Northern Human Services Adult through Northern Human Services Adult Services<02:59:41.920
- vulnerable people in our society.
Summary:
The House Finance Committee opened a public hearing on House Bills 1 and 2, which concern the governor’s proposed FY 2026-2027 budget. The chair explained that the committee must fit the budget to House Ways and Means revenue, which is about $800 million below the governor’s estimate in an almost $16 billion budget. He also noted a projected current-budget overspend, the impact of recently passed legislation, possible fee updates, no new tax proposals at that time, and the importance of federal funding and Medicaid stability. Testimony was limited to three minutes, with the chair asking speakers to avoid duplication.
Much of the testimony focused on Medicaid, disability services, and home- and community-based care. Speakers urged the committee to restore or protect funding for transportation, Medicaid, day programs, in-home supports, and behavioral health services. Several individuals and providers described how cuts would affect people with disabilities, medically fragile children, and families who rely on services to remain employed and avoid institutional care. A home care provider argued that a proposed 3% Medicaid cut would increase hospitalizations and costs, while a behavioral health representative asked for sustainable Medicaid rates, uncompensated care support, housing resources, and continued funding for community behavioral health clinics.
Another major topic was the Group II retirement provisions in HB 2 for public safety workers. Representatives from police, fire, corrections, probation/parole, and related associations testified in support, saying prior pension changes hurt recruitment and retention, pushed experienced workers to neighboring states, and should be reversed to restore promised benefits. They argued the provisions would help keep public safety careers viable and honor commitments made to first responders. An executive counselor also warned that when the state shifts costs away from itself, local property taxpayers bear the burden, and she opposed cost shifts such as Medicaid premiums and universal vouchers. A separate speaker urged funding public schools rather than universal vouchers, arguing vouchers can leave other students behind as resources are diverted.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 3 on Health and Human Services May 21st, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- So that's one adult with four babies.
- First, for the California Association for Adult Day Services.
- We join others in urging rejection of the asset limit proposal for older and vulnerable adults.
- We join others in urging rejection of the asset limit proposal for older and vulnerable adults.
- We join others in urging rejection of the asset limit proposal for older and vulnerable adults.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships Apr 7th, 2025
S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships
Transcript Highlights:
- However, marriage is not a right that's necessary for navigating the world as an adult.
- Of that, 78% were girls wed to adult men, with an average age difference of four years.
- Many escape routes that adult survivors of violence can access are closed to them.
- Older adults into families where power imbalances, rape, and sexual violence are ignored.
- The three adults signed, and the next thing I knew, I was off to be married.
Bills:
HB168 , HB 1044 , HB1534 , HB1914 , HB2240 , HB2530 , HB3284 , HB3395 , HB3515 , HB3783 , HB4034 , HB4213 , HB168
Keywords:
marriage age, minors, family law, void marriage, rights of minors, Texas marriage law, marriage ceremony, authorized officiants, family code, judges, religious leaders, parent-child relationship, Department of Family and Protective Services, legal rights, notice requirements, HB 1914, Texas Family Code, Chapter 156, conservatorship, custody
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
06/02/2026 - Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Elder Abuse
Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Elder Abuse
Transcript Highlights:
- Many vulnerable adults have no one standing beside them, and if this can happen to someone who has a
- They are entrusted with extraordinary authority over vulnerable adults.
- He proposed creation of an Arizona Vulnerable Adult Recovery Fund financed through licensing fees, disciplinary
- It's about whether Arizona will build a system that protects vulnerable adults while preserving their
- For Samuel, for every vulnerable adult who cannot stand before you today, and for every Arizona family
Summary:
The Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Elder Abuse opened by explaining it was gathering testimony on elder abuse, especially alleged misconduct involving court-appointed systems such as guardians ad litem and fiduciaries, to identify gaps in law and oversight and develop legislative fixes. The chair limited each witness’s time, asked for names and contact information for follow-up, and repeatedly noted that some allegations might warrant referral to law enforcement, the attorney general, or county attorneys if basic criminal elements were present.
Several witnesses described alleged abuse in guardianship, conservatorship, and fiduciary cases. Dr. Holly Lauder said her mother, who had Alzheimer’s disease, was subjected to allegedly deficient psychological capacity evaluations that ignored treating doctors and family input, leading to a fiduciary arrangement that later resulted in neglect. Kevin Axson described his mother’s probate case, saying a guardian ad litem and conservator were appointed after a family financial dispute, that the guardian ad litem and fiduciary had little contact with his mother, and that the estate was burdened with substantial fees and a $200,000 bond requirement. Frieda Alvarado testified about a 94-year-old client, Samuel Armento, saying he was isolated, medicated without his request, and treated without dignity after a fiduciary and care team took control. Bill Chalmers, Johnny Hamilton, and Kathy Hamilton also testified about Sam Armento’s case, alleging isolation, excessive fees, conflicts of interest, and poor oversight by fiduciaries and caregivers.
Other witnesses raised broader concerns about Arizona probate practices. David Redkey said he has been under a long-running conservatorship despite earning degrees and maintaining capacity, and alleged that court-appointed professionals and fiduciaries overcharged his estate and blocked efforts to terminate the arrangement. Susan Wolfe described the Peyton case, alleging that a wife’s conservatorship and related court actions led to the loss of assets, exclusion of witnesses, and large fees for a relatively small monthly care bill. Dr. Lewis Heller, an OB-GYN and disciplinary committee member, said the medical evaluations he reviewed showed the people involved were competent and that the conduct he observed was unethical and possibly criminal. Renee Self testified that she lost her role as trustee and spent large sums defending her father’s estate, alleging that the probate process stripped her father of assets and limited her access to him despite APS findings that her actions were in his best interests.
No formal committee votes or legislative actions were taken in the excerpt, but members repeatedly expressed concern, asked for documents and transcripts, and indicated they would follow up with witnesses and consider stakeholder meetings to craft legislation addressing oversight, transparency, and accountability in guardianship and fiduciary systems.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Protection and Victim Services Committee May 13th, 2026 at 09:00 am
Protection and Victim Services Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- members of society, young children as well as vulnerable adults, but also we may step in the direction
- adults and work within the section on vulnerable adults to have a little bit different perspective.
- I have not had very many cases involving grooming as it relates to vulnerable adults.
- And then I also enhanced involving a minor or a vulnerable adult.
- And I don't think we achieve the goal of protecting children and vulnerable adults by confusing the issue
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 3 on Health and Human Services Mar 19th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- adults, and a potential increase in uninsurance rates.
- who are experiencing this level of vulnerability.
- These figures reflect both scale and vulnerability.
- These figures reflect both scale and vulnerability.
- So we are critical to ensuring the health of a very vulnerable population.
Summary:
The Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services heard an overview of the expected California budget and program impacts from H.R. 1, including changes to Medi-Cal and CalFresh eligibility, redeterminations, work requirements, immigration-related coverage rules, retroactive coverage limits, and reductions in federal matching for certain services and provider financing mechanisms. DHCS and CDSS described implementation plans focused on automation, data matching, clearer communications, county training, and outreach, while noting that many federal details are still pending. The Legislative Analyst’s Office also reviewed how H.R. 1 could increase pressure on county indigent care systems, explaining the history of county responsibility under Section 17000, 1991 realignment, and AB 85, and warning that counties may face large increases in uninsured residents seeking care without corresponding funding flexibility. An independent policy expert urged consideration of a more standardized statewide approach to indigent care and raised questions about governance, benefits, and financing.
Department witnesses estimated substantial coverage losses and fiscal effects: DHCS projected major Medi-Cal disenrollment tied to work requirements, six-month renewals, narrowed immigrant eligibility, and reduced retroactive coverage, while CDSS estimated large CalFresh benefit losses and a significant increase in administrative workload and payment accuracy pressure. Members questioned how exemptions would work for older adults, people experiencing homelessness, undocumented residents, and cash workers, and asked about the effect on the CalFresh Minimum Nutrition Benefit Pilot and on county administrative funding. Officials said they would use available data and self-attestation where possible, but acknowledged that many cases would require manual screening and that the county workload estimates remain in dispute. They also said the state is still evaluating the impact of H.R. 1 on provider taxes and state-directed payments, which could create additional budget pressure.
County representatives from Los Angeles, Santa Clara, Tulare, and San Bernardino described major local consequences if H.R. 1 is implemented as written. They warned of higher uninsured rates, more strain on emergency rooms and public hospitals, increased homelessness and food insecurity, and a likely need to rebuild or expand county indigent care programs that were largely scaled back after the ACA. Counties said they are already freezing hiring, cutting positions, reducing overtime, deferring spending, and launching outreach and coordination efforts with managed care plans and community partners, but argued that these steps are not enough without additional state support. Several counties backed the California County Welfare Directors Association’s request for $373 million in General Fund support for eligibility work and asked for a CalFresh match waiver to soften the new county share of administrative costs; Los Angeles and Santa Clara also emphasized that their local revenue measures would not close the projected gaps. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.
MA
Transcript Highlights:
- No 25-bed wing of a hospital, primarily serving adults, can replicate that environment.
- and deserving young adults and children.
- Open beds to adults with developmental disabilities.
- Most young adults with severe disabilities often receive... ...walked since he was a young boy.
- After all, the measure of a state is how it cares for its most vulnerable.
Summary:
The hearing focused on the future of the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children and the work of the special legislative commission studying whether and how the facility should continue. Senators and representatives said the Legislature has continued funding Pappas, that the hospital cannot be closed before the commission reports, and that they are seeking to extend the commission’s deadline. Multiple commissioners and witnesses described Pappas as a unique setting combining inpatient medical care, residential programming, special education, therapy, and campus-based activities for children with complex medical needs.
Union leaders, staff, parents, and local officials argued that Pappas is being quietly depopulated through blocked admissions and continued discharges despite the formal pause on closure. They said the hospital’s integrated model cannot be replicated elsewhere, that families and staff are being left in limbo, and that the state should invest in repairs, modernization, and possibly temporary modular space to reopen admissions. Several witnesses emphasized the impact on children who have benefited from Pappas and on workers who fear losing a specialized workforce built over decades.
Department of Public Health Commissioner Robert Goldstein said the state is committed to keeping Pappas open and stable while the commission works, but that admissions must meet hospital-level-of-care standards and the current infrastructure limits who can safely be served. He said the administration has been expanding outreach, hiring staff, and exploring ways to broaden services, including outpatient and therapy programs over time. Commissioners pressed him on why admissions remain so limited and whether the facility is being effectively depopulated, while Goldstein maintained that the restrictions reflect legal and safety requirements rather than an effort to close the hospital.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Human Services May 21st, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- The next IHSS proposal is related to IHSS services for undocumented adults.
- The next proposal is related to the Medi-Cal asset test for older and disabled adults.
- So, moving on to the issue on in-home support services for undocumented adults.
- These are the most vulnerable, right? My son does not have a voice.
- and adults with disabilities. are not addressed in the May revise.