Transcript Highlights:

• Today we do have Jennifer with us, who is with the Division of Program Integrity.
• I will turn this over to Jennifer and her expertise from the Division of Program Integrity.
• <00:09:21.120> basically function of program Integrity basically function of program Integrity
• Federally, we handle those in Program Integrity. We also accept special requests.
• <00:30:27.640> contract Integrity contract Integrity contract ctor<00:30:29.600> um<00:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to review the Department for Medicaid Services’ program integrity work. Commissioner Lisa Lee and Program Integrity Director Jennifer Dudinsky outlined Kentucky Medicaid’s structure, funding, enrollment, and spending, including FMAP rates, the size of the Medicaid and KCHIP populations, the number of providers, and 2024 expenditures. They also described the managed care and fee-for-service populations, noting that managed care serves most members while fee-for-service is concentrated in long-term care and waiver populations. Most of the discussion focused on fraud, waste, abuse prevention, and provider oversight. The department described its provider enrollment and certification checks, revalidation requirements, site reviews, fingerprinting for some high-risk providers, and termination grounds such as false application information, Medicare actions, unreported ownership changes, and abandonment of a provider number. Members asked about nonprofit ownership reporting, MCO fraud oversight, and how the department tracks unusual CPT code utilization, especially in behavioral health. The department said it uses data analytics, audits, policy review, and collaboration with behavioral health staff to monitor those trends. Dudinsky explained the division’s four branches: provider licensing and certification, audits and compliance, recovery, and third-party liability/estate recovery. She described prepayment and postpayment audits, referrals of credible fraud allegations to the Attorney General, monthly meetings with the AG’s office, and coordination with the Office of Inspector General, CMS, HHS OIG, MCOs, and other partners. She also explained payment suspensions, stand-downs during law enforcement investigations, and recovery efforts for overpayments, provider/member fraud, and third-party liability. The department said its recovery and avoidance efforts produced more than $251 million in savings so far in 2025. No votes or formal actions beyond approving the minutes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Integrated energy systems is part of that. The whole gambit of what INL does.
• But it's the only one that's integrated with Microsoft Office.
• Bordman on Integrated Energy Systems. Okay, thank you very much.
• I'm going to talk about that today as part of integrated energy systems.
• So we're showing that integration, and that's what the project is.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Integrated energy systems is part of that. The whole gamut of what INL does.
• Bordman on Integrated Energy Systems. Okay, thank you very much.
• I'm going to talk about that today as part of integrated energy systems.
• There's a W word: wind, wind in terms of integrating with wind. Thank you.
• So we're showing that integration, and that's what the project is.

Summary: The meeting opened with remarks about the value of public engagement and the quality of questions from the group, followed by a series of technical presentations from Idaho National Laboratory staff. Joe Renovitz described recent nuclear regulatory changes tied to presidential executive orders, including NRC Part 53 for advanced reactors, the forthcoming Part 57 for very small reactors, and DOE updates to reactor authorization standards. He emphasized efforts to align DOE and NRC processes, use risk-informed and performance-based licensing, support reactor deployment for AI/data centers and national security, and use AI to speed communications and crosswalks between DOE and NRC requirements. In response to questions, he said there was no plan to merge agencies, but rather to improve coordination and public outreach through groups like GAIN and NEI. David Tolman then discussed the nuclear fuel cycle, including uranium mining, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, spent fuel storage, transportation, disposal, and reprocessing. He explained high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), why it is needed for advanced reactors, and DOE’s HALEU Availability Program and related investments in enrichment, transportation, deconversion, and supply chain development. He also covered spent fuel management, the possibility of centralized storage or a fuel-cycle campus, the Center for Used Fuel Research, and ongoing work on high-burnup cask testing and reprocessing technologies. Tolman described aqueous, pyrochemical, and fluoride-volatility reprocessing approaches, noting the advantages and waste characteristics of each, and said several companies are working with INL on these technologies. Ashley Shields presented INL’s AI and nuclear work, focusing on the Genesis initiative and the Prometheus effort to use AI to design, license, build, and operate reactors with far less human intervention. She described INL’s broad use of generative AI tools, the need to manage large volumes of legacy technical data, and applications in reactor design, materials discovery, autonomous laboratories, and digital twins. Shields said AI is being used to reduce the enormous documentation burden in nuclear licensing and to support autonomous or remotely operated reactor demonstrations, while stressing that humans remain in supervisory roles. In discussion, she addressed data security, model access, and the continued need for software engineers. The session then recessed briefly and resumed with Mitch Kerman beginning a presentation on critical minerals and materials.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if they don't, the integrity of that research must be certainly questioned.
• This article contained a lengthy discussion about how AI could be integrated into community colleges
• SB 241 will help continue providing guardrails on the integration of AI tools...
• This article contained a lengthy discussion about how AI could be integrated into community colleges
• As a legislator, we must ensure the pathways of social integration and economic mobility.

Summary: The committee heard several higher education bills. It first approved the consent calendar, which included SB 67 and SB 619. The main discussion centered on SB 437, which would direct the CSU system to develop a fair, evidence-based process for verifying whether someone is a descendant of a person enslaved in the United States, as part of the state’s reparations work. Supporters said the bill fills a gap left by the Reparations Task Force and would create a transparent, credible lineage-verification process; opponents argued genealogy methods already exist, the bill would waste money and delay action, and some raised constitutional concerns. The committee took a vote on SB 437, but the roll was left open after the initial tally showed three ayes and three noes. The committee then heard SB 790, which would allow California to join the interstate reciprocity agreement for online postsecondary education. The author and supporters said the bill would improve consumer protections for California students taking out-of-state online courses and help California institutions compete more effectively by reducing the burden of seeking separate state approvals. Opponents, including University of Phoenix and other groups, argued the bill conflicted with the existing reciprocity framework, could exclude some institutions, and might not actually secure California’s entry into the agreement. The committee voted 3-1 to pass SB 790 as amended to the Business and Professions Committee, with the roll left open. The committee also heard SB 391, which would authorize the Community College Chancellor’s Office to charge fees for research partners seeking access to data. Supporters said the office is absorbing significant unfunded workload from data requests and that fees would help recover costs; opponents, including the California Teachers Association community college association, warned the fees could create barriers for faculty and smaller researchers. Members discussed possible exemptions and implementation details. The committee voted 5-1 to pass SB 391 as amended to the Appropriations Committee, with the roll left open. Finally, the committee heard SB 685, a pilot program to provide cost-of-attendance assistance at four CSU campuses for students who experienced homelessness in high school. Supporters said it would help students cover housing, food, and transportation costs and reduce dropout risk; members asked about eligibility and implementation, and the author explained the bill would use McKinney-Vento homelessness designations and target students at risk of “summer melt” and college homelessness.

Transcript Highlights:

• We established program integrity search charges for all DHS providers.
• There's the service of integrated home supports and integrated home supports with training.
• <00:11:55.839> piece help with the program integrity piece help with the program integrity
• <00:14:49.839> home There's the service of integrated home There's the service of integrated
• 14:51.519> supports supports and integrated home supports supports and integrated home supports

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<00:05:13.560> and Our focus is on program integrity, and Our focus is on program integrity
• Program integrity at the forefront.
• program integrity overhaul.
• 19.720> um Established a program integrity um Established a program integrity um uh<00:14:21.040
• around program integrity. around program integrity.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have integrations that we're working through with other agencies at the state level, integrations
• And then there’s a cost of integrating all of the...”
• You don’t even need to have a developer to set up integrations anymore.
• Reduced IT integration.
• There are integrations to other systems that need that data.

Summary: The committee received several informational reports from NDIT and DPI. Justin Data reviewed the quarterly major IT project portfolio, noting the portfolio was slightly under budget and behind schedule overall, with three red schedule items: Bed Management System and Vital Records were essentially complete and being closed out, and the Roadway Capital Planning Project was delayed by vendor bug fixes after testing. He also summarized recent project startups and closeouts, including the Victim Notification System, Medicaid data exchange, Highway Patrol’s motor carrier permit system, and several completed HHS and RIMS projects. Members asked for follow-up on ADA compliance work, the public-facing RIO website, and the state’s mainframe retirement timeline, and staff agreed to provide updates later. Craig Falkley reported on coordination of services with political subdivisions and higher education, including StageNet, cybersecurity, radio/911 services, and PeopleSoft coordination. He also explained distributed ledger technology as a tool for transparency and fraud prevention, but said it is not widely used in state government and suggested the report be modernized to focus more broadly on emerging technologies such as AI and cybersecurity. The committee generally agreed that the topic should be updated. Chris Gurgan presented the mandatory cybersecurity incident reporting program created by HB 1314, explaining how agencies and political subdivisions report incidents through NDIT’s website or service desk. He said 77 incidents had been reported since 2021, 47 met the statutory definition, and most were phishing-related; most reported incidents were resolved, with one recent ransomware matter still open. He also reviewed notable incidents since the last report, including the PowerSchool compromise, a SimpleHelp intrusion at a school district, a court intrusion, a WSUS vulnerability, a business email compromise, and a recent ransomware incident involving a non-state critical infrastructure entity. Members asked about recovery of stolen funds, early warning signs, smishing, training, MFA, conditional access, and cybersecurity maturity assessments; Gurgan said the state uses MFA and conditional access, provides awareness training to state employees, and would return with more information on maturity assessments. Tony Ambrose then updated the committee on the K-12 student information system bridge project. He said district implementation of Infinite Campus had begun statewide, but the data migration vendor originally selected was terminated for poor performance and replaced by Aurora Educational Technology, which had experience with similar statewide migrations. He also said DPI is migrating special education data from Tynet into Infinite Campus, and that some SLDS-based tools such as e-transcripts and Choice Ready may not function exactly as they do now at July 1, requiring interim or alternative solutions. Members raised concerns about summer school disruptions, the timing of the cutover, and whether the new system would support existing reporting and transcript functions; DPI said it was working on identity, authentication, data-sharing agreements, and post-go-live integrations, and would continue to refine the plan beyond June 30.

Transcript Highlights:

• Your legislation is basically going to address integrators only, correct?
• address integrators only, correct?
• We were awarded an integrated license the third time around.
• Y'all, this is not the time to add more integrated licenses, as I...
• We are one of the integrated groups that has won all three times.

Bills: SB185, SB194, SB72

Keywords: veterinary medicine, veterinarian-client-patient relationship, prescription refills, animal care, regulatory compliance, agriculture authority, eminent domain, property rights, tax exemption, agriculture center, medical cannabis, cannabis license, integrated facility license, Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, AMCC, medical marijuana, dispensary, cultivation, processing, license appeal

Transcript Highlights:

• the Mental Hygiene Law in relation to establishing an intensive addiction and medical services integrated
• of mental hygiene law in relation to establishing an intensive addiction and medical services, integrated
• And so those addictions are integrated; therefore, we need to be integrated in our response to these
• We need to have integrated services for those dealing with addiction and those with mental health concerns
• You're funneling money to integrated programs, services, and collaboration, which are going to have better

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders held its first meeting of 2026, chaired by Senator Nathalia Fernandez, who opened with remarks about the committee’s recent work, declining overdose deaths in New York overall, continuing disparities in some communities, and the need to protect state funding amid possible federal cuts. She also emphasized alcohol-related harm, the importance of maintaining treatment and recovery supports, and the need to prepare for expanded gambling with downstate casino development. Senator Rob Rawlinson and Ranking Member Senator Oberacker participated, with Oberacker later praising the committee’s bipartisan approach and Fernandez’s leadership. The committee considered eight bills, all of which were advanced. The measures included S. 489 on referrals to appropriate substance use disorder service providers; a scholarship program bill for addiction professionals; S. 1812 on certifying innovative statewide substance use disorder treatment services; S. 3632 establishing a problem gambling advisory council; S. 4950 concerning payment of substances at addiction treatment centers operated by OASAS; S. 4953 creating an intensive addiction and medical services integrated services pilot program; S. 5105 directing OASAS to issue rules for providers in rural locations; and S. 5382 related to privacy protections for chemical dependency services. Several of the bills were sponsored by Senator Fernandez, while others were sponsored by Senator Peter Harckham and Senator Harkham. Discussion focused heavily on integrated care, co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, the value of dual licensing and collaboration among providers, and the practical barriers faced in rural areas, including long travel distances, weather, transportation shortages, and limited broadband for telehealth. Members also noted the importance of privacy in treatment settings and the need for accessible, centralized services so people are less likely to fall through the cracks. Each bill was moved and reported either to the calendar or to finance, with no negative votes recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• 19.280> airports<00:05:19.680> and it's integrated with the airports and it's integrated
• Uh you integration with AAF production.
• Um so integrate with conventional jet.
• Uh you be integrated into Utah airspace.
• <00:37:03.760> with like and how does that integrate with like and how does that integrate

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The task force approved the October 14, 2025 meeting minutes and then heard a presentation from Austin Kaylor of WSP on alternative aviation fuels. Kaylor described an ongoing feasibility study focused on Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and the other four commercial airports in Kentucky, with an eye toward both near-term use of alternative aviation fuel in existing supply chains and longer-term in-state production using local feedstocks. He said Kentucky’s current jet fuel use at the five airports is about 609 million gallons annually and could approach 1 billion gallons by 2050, and he outlined potential feedstocks such as soybeans, corn, and waste oils, along with existing logistics assets like river terminals, trucking, rail, and some pipelines. He also discussed federal and state policy support, including renewable fuel credits and the recent 45Z tax credit extension, and said the study suggests significant economic-development potential if Kentucky can leverage existing infrastructure and incentives. Members asked about the cost of sustainable aviation fuel, whether taxpayers would be subsidizing it, and whether food crops would be diverted from food use. Kaylor responded that the market is increasingly using second-generation and waste-based feedstocks, that federal incentives can cover much of the price differential, and that SAF is a direct substitute for conventional jet fuel with some efficiency benefits. He said demand comes from both U.S. and foreign carriers, including major U.S. airlines that have made emissions-reduction commitments. Members also raised the possibility of locating production in Appalachia to create jobs closer to feedstock sources; Kaylor said that approach has worked in other states and could fit Kentucky’s logistics network. The committee then heard from Leif Elder of the Utah Department of Transportation, who introduced himself and said he would discuss advanced air mobility legislation in Utah. The transcript cuts off before his substantive presentation, and no further votes or actions were recorded after the question-and-answer discussion on alternative aviation fuels.

Transcript Highlights:

• oversight and suggestions to the commissioner with regard to program integrity.
• regard to program integrity. regard to program integrity. 16<00:19:31.480> is<00:19:31.600
• Section 19, the proportional program integrity interventions.
• proportional program integrity proportional program integrity interventions. interventions. interventions
• that can help maintain program integrity that can help maintain program integrity because<01:12:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In many states, health plans contract with lab integrity programs, which can determine which routine
• Lab integrity programs, Do not interfere with healthcare providers prescribing certain tests, nor do
• a regulatory scheme that does not fit for lab integrity programs.
• for lab integrity programs.
• My company provides lab integrity programs for over 30 health plans across the US, uh.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many states' health plans contract with lab integrity programs which can determine which routine lab
• for lab integrity programs.
• My company provides lab integrity programs for over 30... ...health plans across the U.S.
• The intent of this bill is to create a new process for laboratory claim integrity programs to insert
• Since I sit in a hospital and integrated delivery networks, I'm in a largely integrated delivery network

Bills: HB854, HB 1052, HB1642, HB2076, HB3042, HB3695, HB3787, HB4062, HB4092, SB213, SB493, SB896, HB5519, HB4635

Keywords: insurance, replacement cost, homeowner's policy, renter's policy, condominium insurance, property damage, claims process, telemedicine, teledentistry, telehealth, health benefit plan, insurance coverage, out-of-state services, anxiety, pain management, contraceptive devices, women's health, medical procedures, healthcare, laboratory

Transcript Highlights:

• WE HAVE CONDUCTED ABOUT 850 INTEGRITY RESERVE STUDY SINCE I WAS PUT IN PLACE.
• AND THAT'S WHY THEY LOOKED AT THE INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDING.
• RESERVE, IT'S FOR THAT SET OF STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY ITEMS.
• THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY FUNDS. THEY CAN ONLY BE SPENT ON STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY ITEMS.
• THEY MIGHT HAVE PULLED RESERVES AND THEY NEED TO CREATE A STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY RESERVE.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:47:44.800> measures additional program integrity measures additional program integrity
• in a couple more program integrity in a couple more program integrity measures.
• sure that there are program integrity sure that there are program integrity measures<00:54:06.559
• . integrity. integrity.
• Um, I love to hear that our testifiers come in and talk about program integrity.

Bills: HF4210, HF4212, HF4549, HF4464, HF4546, HF4447

Keywords: senior nutrition, older adults, aging services, home-delivered meals, congregate dining, meal delivery, grocery delivery, food insecurity, nutrition support, area agencies on aging, Minnesota Board on Aging, human services, special revenue fund, nonprofit grants, SNAP outreach, medically tailored meals, rural nutrition, food access, transportation services, elderly

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:11:45.000> questioned either have their integrity questioned either have their integrity
• it's the integrity of the institution. it's the integrity of the institution.
• I I understand that, and I integrity.
• really is that institutional integrity. really is that institutional integrity.
• The bill is about money. to preserve the integrity to preserve the integrity of<00:32:58.840> this

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Election integrity best practices should not include exceptions where identity cannot be verified.
• So I have no problem with integrity. I just have a problem with mass confusion.
• And for us to be, I'm not satisfied with being number four in the nation with voter integrity.
• Voter ID laws are one of the basic ingredients of election integrity.
• The bill increases the integrity of the identity confirmation process at the polling place.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 319, which would tighten and standardize voter identification rules at polling places. Senator Presley and Secretary of State Nancy Landry said the bill replaces the current “generally recognized” photo ID standard with a specific list of acceptable IDs, removes the affidavit-only option, and allows voters without a photo ID to cast a conditional paper ballot at the registrar of voters office or during early voting if they later provide approved documentation within two days after the election. Supporters argued the bill improves consistency, election integrity, and poll-worker guidance while still preserving access through alternative documents and free state IDs; opponents warned it could create confusion and burden seniors, students, homeless voters, and others without easy access to the required documents. After debate, the committee reported SB 319 favorably by a 7-2 vote. The committee then approved Senate Bill 202, which adds one day of compensated meeting time for parish boards of election supervisors in certain elections, and Senate Bill 25, which revises the compensation schedule for registrars of voters and related staff. SB 25 was amended to remove outdated step references and make conforming technical changes, and supporters said the pay structure has not been updated since 2007 despite increased duties and workload. The committee also adopted and reported favorably Senate Concurrent Resolution 29, creating a legislative study committee on water quality in the Chafalalaya Basin, and House Concurrent Resolution 85, creating a task force on illegal dumping, both with technical amendments. In addition, the committee advanced Senate Concurrent Resolution 63, which asks the legislative auditor to review how fiscal notes are prepared during session, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 33, which creates a work-based learning coordination task force to improve alignment among education, workforce, and employer partners. SCR 33 was amended to change the appointing authority for two members. The committee also approved Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, establishing the Louisiana-Ireland Trade Commission, and House Resolution 196, which creates a study committee on the impact of fallen trees on residential property and insurance issues. Several of these measures were supported by agency representatives or outside groups, and the committee adopted technical amendments where needed before reporting the bills and resolutions favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, the second area that we are focused on is integrated, we call it crisis to care, integrated EMS and
• Program integrity. So we have a robust program integrity.
• Program integrity. So we >> one more. Okay. Program integrity.
• have a robust u program integrity. have a robust u program integrity.
• This is integrated care.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:01 Department for Public Health Budget Request 00:01:46 Department for Community Based Services Budget Request 00:31:58 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) 00:57:13, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes, then heard a lengthy presentation from the Department for Public Health on Kentucky’s rural health transformation plan and related budget questions. Commissioner John Langfeld said the state received a $212.9 million federal award, one of the larger awards nationally, and outlined five focus areas: maternal and infant health, integrated EMS/trauma response, behavioral health and substance use disorder, oral health, and chronic disease prevention with an emphasis on obesity and diabetes. He stressed that the effort is intended to be integrated, data-driven, and sustainable, and that the federal funds cannot be used for new construction, clinician salaries, research and development, EHR replacement, or to pay for currently billable services. He also said the program carries accountability requirements and that funds can be clawed back if milestones are not met. Members pressed for clarification on duplication with other budget requests, sustainability after the five-year funding period, and how success would be measured. Langfeld said he was not aware of any duplicate funding with the department’s additional budget requests and said the rural health funds were separate from those requests. He also said the program will be tracked through specific metrics and timelines, using both execution measures and outcome measures such as readmissions, with more rapid-cycle feedback to allow course correction. Representative Fleming raised concerns about possible overlap with navigator funding and asked for more detail on the budget breakdown; Langfeld said a detailed line-item budget had been prepared but was still awaiting final CMS approval before release, and that he would explore sharing more information once restrictions were lifted. The committee then heard from the Kentucky State Public Health Laboratory about a request for a new central lab expansion. The presenter described the current 35-year-old facility as outdated and constrained by aging infrastructure, obsolete equipment, deferred maintenance, and inadequate space, and said the lab performs critical work with no in-state alternative for many services, including newborn screening, select-agent and biosafety level 3 testing, animal necropsy for rabies, genetic sequencing, environmental and food safety testing, and response to emerging infectious diseases. The project is already in design phase C, expected to finish in mid-April, with construction funding sought at roughly $276 million on top of about $35 million already approved for design. Members asked about long-term operating costs, backup arrangements, and whether the current facility would remain in use; the presenter said the current lab would continue to be used by the department while other divisions move into vacated space, and that the lab has mutual-aid agreements with the Southeast Consortium and universities for contingency support. Finally, the Department for Community Based Services began its budget presentation on SNAP and relative caregiver issues. Commissioner Lisa Dennis and budget director Misty Sammons identified the governor’s recommended budget items tied to new federal requirements under HR1, including changes affecting payment error rates. The discussion was just beginning when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am really excited in Washington State to see the growth of mobile integrated health.
• How do we integrate these so we can work together?
• But it's really important that you bring up the need to integrate all of the different systems.
• So the integration of all the systems is really critical.
• So it's the importance of integrating these kinds of models into that, right?

Summary: The Community Safety Committee held an interim work session on crisis response, with members and witnesses discussing how Washington can better integrate 911, 988, mobile crisis, co-response, and alternative response models for behavioral health crises in public spaces. Travis Parker opened with an overview of the Sequential Intercept Model and the crisis care continuum, emphasizing early intervention, 988 access, regional coordination, navigators and peer support, and the need for sustainable braided funding. Several Washington witnesses then described current programs and system gaps, including the growth of co-response teams, the importance of integrating 911 and 988 rather than treating them as competing systems, and the need to reduce unnecessary emergency room use and improve first responder wellness and training. City, fire, and crisis-system representatives described local challenges and reforms. Kim Hendrickson of Poulsbo said most crisis calls still come through 911 and urged better coordination among field-based teams, more behavioral health training for fire/EMS, and more alternatives to ER transport. Laura Pippen, a designated crisis responder, described a strained involuntary treatment system, fewer DCRs statewide, difficulty getting law enforcement support for transports, and limited facility capacity, especially for substance use disorder. Jennifer Stuber and South County Fire’s Keith Sharp highlighted workforce training, a crisis responder certificate program, and first responder wellness efforts. Research witnesses Evan Lauder and James Pine said the evidence is still developing but generally supports on-scene resolution, reduced ED transport and detention in some models, and the importance of clear dispatch protocols, coordination, and ongoing evaluation. Dispatch and program operators then gave examples of how systems are working in practice. Katie Myers of Washington APCO/NENA said 911 remains essential, but needs evidence-based triage protocols, liability protections, and additional funding if it is expected to take on more crisis-response responsibilities. Whatcom County described embedding a “community connector” in the 911 center to coordinate alternative response, while ValleyCom reported that its 988 diversion pilot transferred 2,165 calls with 98% resolved through 988/211 without returning to 911. National examples included Denver’s STAR program, Albuquerque’s Community Safety Department, and Atlanta’s PAD initiative, each showing different ways to route low-acuity or behavioral-health-related calls away from police and toward clinicians, peers, or civilian responders. The session ended with Washington examples continuing, including Whatcom County’s alternative response team, underscoring the committee’s interest in refining and expanding integrated crisis response systems in the next session.

Transcript Highlights:

• And um we are um at one with integrity.
• And then integrated health care.
• How do we take a truly integrated How do we take a truly integrated approach<00:59:57.599> with
• <01:03:21.280> integrated<01:03:22.000> care on your integrated integrated care on
• your integrated integrated care model. model. model.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Families and Children met with a quorum, approved the August minutes, and received an update that the number of children in out-of-home care with active placements was 8,647 as of September 7, 2025. The first presentation was from Isaiah 117 House, a nonprofit that provides a home-like setting for children on removal day so they do not have to wait in a state office. Speakers described the mission as reducing trauma for children, lightening the burden on case workers, and easing transitions to foster or kinship placements. They said the Kentucky home in Logan County opened on August 15 and had already served 10 children in its first six days. Committee members asked about logistics, including whether children placed with kinship caregivers would still come to the house, how long children can stay, who remains responsible for them, and how volunteers are screened. The presenters said children are brought to the house regardless of whether they are headed to kinship or foster placement, that 72 hours is not a hard cutoff, and that a case worker remains in charge at all times while volunteers provide support. They also said volunteers undergo background checks, trauma-informed training, confidentiality instruction, and annual continuing education. In response to questions about funding and expansion, they said Isaiah 117 House is community-funded without state or federal money, and that new homes are opened only when fully funded, with construction costs typically ranging from $80,000 to $150,000 and first-year budgets around $180,000. The committee then heard a presentation from Remy Eastep Homes on its Family Centered Integrated Healthcare and related services. Leaders described the organization’s history from its origins as separate orphanages in Boyd County to residential treatment, treatment foster care, prevention services, and outpatient behavioral health. They said the organization shifted about 15 years ago toward engaging families more directly because family involvement improves outcomes and helps keep children safely at home when possible. The presentation continued into program details, but no votes or formal actions were taken on either presentation.