Transcript Highlights:

• strategies and intervention efforts. strategies and intervention efforts.
• <01:23:57.000> So, education and behavior sciences. So, education and behavior sciences.
• <02:02:24.920> But really student level intervention.
• But really student level intervention.
• and not everyone needing intervention and not everyone needing the<02:02:29.440> same the same

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We believe racially just, relationship-centered community schools are one of the most powerful interventions
• We believe racially just, relationship-centered community schools are one of the most powerful interventions
• the MTSS is the instructional engine that makes those services translate into better academic and behavioral
• the MTSS is the instructional engine that makes those services translate into better academic and behavioral
• So when you remove a student from the classroom, you're not correcting behavior; you're cutting off access

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals for universal school meals, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), and community schools, with the kitchen infrastructure grants, Tier 2 ELOP funding, and ongoing community schools funding as the main budget issues. For universal meals, the Department of Education and the Department of Finance supported continued investment in school meal infrastructure and explained that federal changes, inflation, and underreporting in meal counts could affect future funding. The LAO recommended rejecting a fourth round of kitchen infrastructure grants, arguing prior rounds are still being spent and that future funding should be tied to clearer goals and data. Several public commenters and school groups supported continued kitchen grants and universal meals, citing supply-chain delays, workforce needs, and benefits such as more freshly prepared meals and higher participation. For ELOP, the administration proposed $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding and an additional $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended fully fixing the Tier 2 rate at $1,579 and tying future changes to program requirements, while CDE supported the proposal and said the program is improving attendance and academic outcomes. Senators and witnesses discussed whether ELOP should remain a standalone program or be folded into LCFF, with concerns raised about accountability, flexibility, and whether the program should better serve older youth. CDE said new CalPADS reporting and the biennial report will provide more data soon, and public testimony largely supported stabilizing Tier 2 funding while also asking for more support for middle and high school students. For community schools, the Governor proposed $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding to expand the model to thousands more schools and to support existing sites, along with new accountability through annual self-certification and future accreditation. The LAO recommended continuing the current one-time grant approach instead of creating a new ongoing categorical program, warning about reduced flexibility, administrative burden, and the state’s capacity to support a much larger number of grantees. CDE strongly supported the ongoing funding and asked for additional support for county offices and technical assistance. Committee members questioned how accreditation would work for a model meant to be locally tailored, and administration staff said technical assistance would come first, with schools losing eligibility only if they failed to meet standards after support. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive of community schools, with parents, students, county offices, and advocacy groups describing gains in attendance, graduation, mental health supports, family engagement, and student belonging, while some commenters urged clearer eligibility rules, stronger reporting, and continued support for related programs such as MTSS and homeless student services.

Transcript Highlights:

• We believe racially just, relationship-centered community schools are one of the most powerful interventions
• We believe racially just, relationship-centered community schools are one of the most powerful interventions
• the MTSS is the instructional engine that makes those services translate into better academic and behavioral
• the MTSS is the instructional engine that makes those services translate into better academic and behavioral
• So when you remove a student from the classroom, you're not correcting behavior; you're cutting off access

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals for universal school meals, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), and community schools. On universal meals, the Department of Education supported continued funding for the Universal School Meals Program and a fourth round of Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Grants, citing meal-count growth, improved meal service, and the need to offset federal uncertainty, inflation, and reduced direct certification tied to immigration-related policy changes. The LAO recommended rejecting another kitchen grant round, arguing prior rounds are still being spent and the state has not clearly defined unmet need. Members also raised concerns about the state’s ability to backfill federal meal funding and about how federal requirements affect programs like Summer EBT/SUN Bucks. Public commenters largely supported school meals and kitchen investments, with some urging support for plant-based milk options and continued infrastructure funding. For ELOP, the Department of Finance proposed $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding, including $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended going further and fully fixing the Tier 2 rate, saying rate uncertainty complicates district planning. CDE supported the proposal and said the program has improved attendance and academic outcomes, while noting new CalPADS reporting will provide more data soon. Senators discussed whether ELOP should remain a standalone program or be folded into LCFF, and whether the state should require stronger outcome reporting. Public testimony generally backed stabilizing Tier 2 funding, but some speakers urged more support for older youth and more timely, user-friendly reporting. On community schools, the administration proposed $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding to expand the model to thousands more schools and to support existing grantees, along with stronger technical assistance, statewide alignment, and an accreditation/self-certification framework. The LAO recommended continuing the current one-time grant approach instead of creating a new ongoing categorical program, warning about reduced flexibility, administrative burden, and the state’s capacity to support a much larger cohort. CDE supported the ongoing investment but asked for additional county office and technical assistance funding. Senators and public commenters were broadly supportive of community schools, emphasizing improved attendance, graduation, and student engagement, while also debating accountability, accreditation, and whether non-classroom-based charter schools should be eligible. Public testimony strongly favored ongoing funding and highlighted community schools’ role in mental health, family engagement, and wraparound supports.

Transcript Highlights:

• and a lack of challenging educational environments, gifted students seek stimulation through risky behaviors
• , allowing these students to thrive, then become a burden to our state by participating in risky behaviors
• I do think that we need to make sure that gifted students are given the intervention or whatever term
• Sure that gifted students are given the intervention or whatever term you want to use and identified.
• And sometimes that is not positive behavior.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• therapy including the establishment of the Texas Art Therapy Board and the duties of the Texas Behavioral
• H.U. 4814 by Curtis, Relating Display of an Allowance of Non-Human Behaviors and Talks.
• students from the classroom of engaging in certain conduct in the requiring of a drug prevention intervention
• HB 5002 by Lou Honerling to the study of the pilot program by the identifications and interventions provided
• HB 5030 by Johnson early in the provision of certain mental and behavioral health services by the Medicaid

Bills: HB9, HB22, HB908, HB1392

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property, tax exemption, local government finance, appraisal district, chief appraiser, rendition statement, property tax relief, small business, commercial property, leased property, related business entity, unified business enterprise, tax situs, Texas Tax Code, local taxing unit, constitutional amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• I submit to you that this bill, with its accompanying amendments, will incentivize behavior that will
• known as status offenders, and provides services to them that address underlying concerns causing behavior
• via voluntary and court-ordered intervention services, including stays in shelter facilities.
• Hunschofsky, this is going to increase behavioral health to all Floridians. It's a tremendous bill.
• I refer to a surgeon when a surgical intervention is needed.

Summary: The committee took up a large health and human services agenda and first approved HB 711, the Spectrum Alert bill, which would create a statewide alert system for missing autistic children and require FDLE to coordinate training with state and local agencies. The measure drew a supportive waiver from the Florida Smart Justice Alliance and passed unanimously, 24-0, reported favorably. Members then considered CS for HB 229 on health facilities, which modernizes the Health Facilities Authority Act to allow additional nonprofit health system structures to use tax-exempt financing. Two amendments were adopted: one requiring advance notice, public hearings, and stakeholder notifications before a nonprofit hospital closure, and another removing a property tax exemption for a nonprofit hospital that closes and fails to maintain emergency services for 120 days, applied retroactively to January 1, 2025. The Florida Hospital Association opposed the amendments, citing workforce and nonprofit-status concerns, but the bill as amended passed 24-0. The committee also approved CS for HB 1405 on juvenile justice status offenders, expanding early truancy intervention, parent involvement, and shelter placement review timelines; it passed 24-0. CS for HB 27, joining the Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact, and its linked public records bill CS for HB 29 both passed unanimously after supportive testimony from several advocacy and business groups. The committee then debated HB 111 on out-of-network referrals and HB 1083 on patient access to records. HB 111 would require referring practitioners to inform patients in writing when a referral is out of network and to apply out-of-network payments to deductibles; it drew opposition from medical groups over administrative burden and patient-care concerns, but passed 17-8. HB 1083 would shorten the time for producing medical records to 14 working days and standardize access rules, with amendments clarifying portal access and delaying the effective date to January 1, 2026; despite opposition from some health information and provider groups over HIPAA and access concerns, it passed 19-7 as amended. Later, the committee approved HB 883, allowing autonomous practice for psychiatric nurse practitioners with the required credentials, after strong support from nurse practitioner groups and opposition from psychiatric and medical associations; it passed 23-3. HB 1297, which aligns Florida’s electronic prescribing exceptions with federal law and removes several state exemptions, passed 19-7 despite opposition from hospice, emergency physician, rheumatology, and medical groups concerned about paper prescriptions in emergencies and hard-to-find medications. HB 1353 on home health care services and CS for HB 989 on foster home licensure transfers both passed unanimously after supportive amendments. The committee also heard HB 1505 on parental rights, which would require written parental consent for many health care services, surveys, and biofeedback devices for minors and expand parental access to records; the bill drew extensive support testimony but also questions and concerns about confidentiality, abuse reporting, and existing exceptions, and the transcript ended before a final vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Comments must relate to the subject of today's hearing; disruptive or threatening behavior will not be
• Disruptive or threatening behavior will not be tolerated.
• I don't want to go without saying that our child care providers also need training to identify intervention
• is a provider of California state preschool, general child care, Head Start, Early Head Start, behavioral
• services, nutrition services, early child and mental health consultation, and early intervention and

Summary: The hearing focused first on how wildfires and other disasters affect child care providers, families, and early education infrastructure. State officials from the Department of Social Services and Department of Education described disaster response and preparedness efforts, including shelter coordination, licensing outreach, emergency waivers, distribution of supplies, and the statewide child care disaster plan. Testimony from providers and advocates emphasized major gaps in recovery funding, insurance coverage, rebuilding support, mental health services, and coordination with local rebuild plans. Several witnesses urged more dedicated disaster-recovery funding for child care facilities and suggested statutory changes, including allowing greater flexibility for rebuilding costs and requiring early childhood programs to be included in local disaster planning. The second panel addressed immigration enforcement and its impact on child care. Advocates from the Children's Partnership, Every Child California, and CHIRLA said enforcement activity is causing families to keep children home, disrupting continuity of care, reducing enrollment, and creating fear and trauma for children and providers. They argued that immigrant and mixed-status families need clearer protections, privacy safeguards, legal support, trauma-informed guidance, and safe-haven policies for child care settings. Speakers also stressed that the child care workforce is heavily immigrant and that recent state laws such as AB 49 and AB 495 will require funding, training, and technical assistance to implement effectively. Public commenters, including child care providers, described personal experiences with fire damage, displacement, permit delays, lost income, and the emotional toll of serving families during crises. Others described how immigration enforcement has made parents afraid to attend events, drop off children, or remain connected to providers. Committee members repeatedly noted that child care is often overlooked in emergencies and asked state officials how child care systems are being integrated into disaster planning and how local and state agencies can better coordinate. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• the Department of Justice Behavior the Department of Justice defines<00:35:12.400> sexual<00:
• It's a very specific behavior that does not fit neatly within the confines of our existing statutes,
• and it is time that the verbiage of our laws catch up to the behaviors in our society.
• interventions like Narcan but<00:48:07.599> also<00:48:07.839> increase<00:48:08.160><
• Behavior and the defective maintenance<01:15:02.120> required<01:15:03.120> and<01:15:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• services across medical, behavioral services across medical, behavioral health,<00:13:34.480>
• Maybe they uh have intensive medical needs that require nursing or um intensive uh behavioral support
• needs to help prevent them from, um, you know, engaging in self-injurious behaviors.
• support needs to help prevent behavioral support needs to help prevent them<00:50:13.040> from
• So there's a self-injurious behaviors.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Committee to Study Long-Term Managed Care met to approve prior minutes and outline its schedule, with meetings set for September 24 and September 29 ahead of an October 1 report deadline. The chair said the committee would use the first two meetings to digest testimony, likely ask follow-up questions of DHS, and then work toward conclusions and a report format. The minutes from the previous meeting were approved unanimously. The main testimony came from Sharon Alexander of Amera Health, who argued in favor of moving from fee-for-service Medicaid long-term services and supports to a managed LTSS model. She described managed LTSS as a capitated, quality-driven system used in about 26 states, and said it can improve care coordination, accountability, access to home- and community-based services, and budget predictability. She cited Amera Health’s experience in Pennsylvania and Delaware, including care coordination, housing and transportation support, caregiver programs, and quality benchmarks tied to state oversight. She also said nursing facilities would remain an important option for people who need that level of care. Committee members asked about how the programs are administered, how rates are set, how care managers work, and how quality is measured. Alexander said states contract with managed care organizations at actuarially sound capitated rates, with annual contracts, reporting, and oversight. She explained that care managers typically conduct quarterly assessments and follow up after trigger events such as hospitalization, and that housing coordinators may assist with transitions to the community. On quality, she said states use CMS-related and HCBS benchmark measures covering service timeliness, care planning, transitions, and other outcomes, and that New Hampshire could build on existing metrics rather than starting from scratch. She also noted that rural areas face workforce and transportation challenges, which managed care plans try to address through technology and self-direction options.

Transcript Highlights:

• identifying the patterns of behavior identifying the patterns of behavior this<00:30:01.240>
• We all now attend pre-surgical meetings, have every intervention, procedure, or prescription reviewed
• procedure or prescription intervention procedure or prescription reviewed<04:33:20.639> by<04
• As someone who's worked in behavioral health for 45 years and attended hundreds of family meetings on
• Why does it... someone who's worked in behavioral someone who's worked in behavioral health<04:34:22.920

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:00.000> So,<00:03:00.239> the for intervention and for help.
• So, the for intervention and for help.
• <00:05:36.000> So intervention, and pathways for help.
• So intervention, and pathways for help.
• Um, now how long that driver behavior.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They test, of course, language and math skills, but they also test social behavior, and then the last
• You know, the early intervention services at the Department of Health over the years, they've been on
• You know, the early intervention services at the Department of Health over the years, they've been on
• CIP um we've also created a behavior CIP um we've also created a behavior health<06:38:15.798>
• Health Services from four our Behavior Health Services from four um<06:38:28.440> exam<06:38:

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Finance held an informational briefing with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations on its budget, staffing, and operations. The director reviewed department leadership and reported on recruitment and retention efforts, including a 14% vacancy rate, a 10.5% workforce increase from filling 189 positions, and the Hela Imua internship program, which has placed 516 interns since inception and led to 62 permanent hires. The department also described modernization efforts, including the UI Huakai project and the Disability Compensation Division’s electronic case management system, and said the unemployment compensation trust fund exceeded $71.5 million, triggering Schedule C for calendar year 2025. The department’s main budget requests included $2.9 million for fiscal year 2026 to support maintenance and operations of the electronic case management system, plus restoration of two enforcement specialist positions. Officials said those positions are needed to address a decline in investigators from 11 to six since 2009, improve compliance, and handle Hawaii Compliance Express certificate work. Additional requests included two human resources specialists to address recruitment backlogs, two labor enforcement specialists to reduce a backlog of Chapter 104 prevailing wage and wage cases, and two positions for the Office of Community Services to expand immigrant services and access centers. The department also discussed federal funding for unemployment insurance and workforce programs, including National Dislocated Worker Grants and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds, and said some funding is received in increments and may require extensions. Members asked about Kauai inspection coverage, federal funding uncertainty, the size of the special unemployment insurance fund, and whether the department could ramp up staffing during a future crisis. Officials said Kauai is currently served by inspectors from Honolulu and there are no plans to open a permanent island position because of staffing constraints. They said the department is meeting federal guidelines and is not in jeopardy, and that the special unemployment insurance fund has about $10 million, with current UI operations funded at a little over $15 million, meaning the fund may need to cover roughly $5 million if federal support declines. The director said the department would use the special fund to supplement shortfalls, but noted that federal funding cuts and the loss of ARPA support have already affected operations.

Transcript Highlights:

• improve breast and cervical cancer screening practices and the implementation of evidence-based interventions
• number 12 through grant number 16 are all federal grants with the Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral
• Number 42, DHS Division of Aging, Adults and Behavioral Health with 24-7 All Staff, is for therapy services
• This is for Marshallese language interpreting services. 84, DHS, Division of Aging, Adults, and Behavioral
• Number 85 through 101 are all with DHS Division of Aging, Adults, and Behavioral Health Services, and

Summary: The committee met to review a supplemental agenda item, procurement rule revisions, methods of finance, discretionary grants, contracts, reports, and a member disclosure. The supplemental agenda was accepted, and the Office of State Procurement’s rule revisions were approved after Jessica Patterson explained they were driven by 2025 legislative changes, including Act 782, CASO Consulting recommendations, and updates to sole source, bid, protest, and debarment provisions. The methods of finance and discretionary grants were also approved, covering a range of university capital projects, health and human services grants, historic preservation awards, and tobacco prevention and cessation programs. The committee then reviewed RFQs and six ratifications. The ratifications included a Workforce Connections payment to ACT WorkKeys for services provided during a contract gap, a Department of Health ratification for water-leak repairs, a large Department of Public Safety ratification for Motorola’s Arkansas Wireless Information Network upgrade, a Veterans Affairs HVAC ratification, an ADFA medical services ratification, and a UA Little Rock painting contract ratification. Members questioned the Public Safety ratification at length about why the expired Motorola contract was not caught sooner and why it took months after discovery to come forward; agency officials said the work was tied to bond funding and was not tracked in ASIS, and the chair urged agencies to develop better monitoring procedures. The committee approved a large slate of construction, intergovernmental, out-of-state, and in-state contracts, including many recurring service agreements for DHS, higher education institutions, corrections, health agencies, and state support functions. Several members asked about specific contracts, including aerial application services for correctional farms and a Southern Arkansas University custodial contract, and staff or agency representatives provided brief explanations. The meeting concluded with review of reports and approval of a member disclosure involving Representative Andrew Collins’ investment interest in a company leasing property to Arkansas Rehabilitation Services.

Transcript Highlights:

• improve breast and cervical cancer screening practices and the implementation of evidence-based interventions
• Grant numbers 12 through 16 are all federal grants with the Division of Aging, Adults, and Behavioral
• Grant numbers 12 through 16 are all federal grants with the Division of Aging, Adults, and Behavioral
• Number 42 is with DHS Division of Aging, Adults and Behavioral Health and 24-7 All Staff.
• Contracts 85 through 101 are all with DHS, Division of Aging, Adults, and Behavioral Health Services,

Summary: The committee met to review a supplemental agenda, procurement rule revisions, methods of finance, discretionary grants, contracts, and a member disclosure. The Office of State Procurement presented rule changes tied to 2025 legislative changes, including Act 782, with updates to sole-source definitions, unrealistic bids, protest requirements, debarment procedures, and recodification references; the committee voted to accept the supplemental agenda and approve the rules. Members also approved eight methods of finance covering university repairs, equipment replacement, property purchase, and capital projects, along with a large slate of discretionary grants for courts, health, DHS, historic preservation, and tobacco prevention programs. The committee then reviewed RFQs and six ratifications. The ratifications included a Workforce Connections payment to ACT WorkKeys, Department of Health costs from an ice-storm-related water leak, a large Department of Public Safety ratification for Motorola’s Arkansas Wireless Information Network upgrade, Veterans Affairs HVAC and medical-service payments, and a UA Little Rock painting contract. The Department of Public Safety ratification drew extended questioning about why the expired Motorola contract had not been renewed sooner and why the issue took months to reach the committee; agency officials said the project was bond-funded, had not been tracked in ASIS, and involved ongoing negotiations and system updates. Despite concerns, the committee approved the ratifications. Members also reviewed a long list of construction, intergovernmental, out-of-state, and in-state contracts, including numerous university, DHS, health, corrections, and state agency agreements. Several contracts were discussed in more detail, including an SAU custodial contract question about sales tax and transparency reporting, and Department of Corrections aerial application contracts for Tucker and Cummins farms, which officials said served separate facilities in different parts of the state. The committee approved the contract lists, reviewed reports, and accepted a disclosure from Representative Andrew Collins regarding his investment interest in a company leasing property to Arkansas Rehabilitation Services before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• AND MORE POLICE FUNDING BUT IN FUNDING A GROWING EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM LIKE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION
• CRITERIA TO GO THERE IS INSTITUTIONAL MALADJUSTMENT, PREDATORY OR AGGRESSIVE ACTS, DRUG-RELATED BEHAVIOR
• USUALLY THAT DOESN'T OCCUR RIGHT UP FRONT BUT BASED ON GOOD BEHAVIOR WE WILL GET THEM A LOT CLOSER THAN
• IT'S VERY LIKELY IF THEIR BEHAVIOR IS SUCH THAT THEY CAN GET THERE THEY ARE GETTING THE GAME TIME SO
• HE GETS NO TIME OFF FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Doing that through community intervention and education, prevention, mental health care, and poverty
• spread across state agencies, including public health, corrections, law enforcement, housing, and behavioral
• Doing that through community intervention and education, prevention, mental health care, and poverty
• health. ...agencies, including public health, corrections, law enforcement, housing, and behavioral
• This bill provides an additional tool to deter disruptive and threatening behavior while ensuring that

Summary: The Senate reconvened, read committee reports, and assigned House Bill 89 with House Amendment 1 and House Bill 393 with House Amendment 1 to the Senate Finance Committee. It then adopted Consent Calendar 64, which included resolutions recognizing Take Our Children to Work Day, Juneteenth, National Farmers Day, Invisible Disabilities Week, Stonewall Uprising Remembrance Day, National Nonprofit Day, and two property-assessment working group resolutions. The calendar passed by a unanimous roll call, and the chamber heard remarks supporting Juneteenth, Delaware agriculture, invisible disabilities awareness, and the nonprofit sector. The Senate passed the fiscal year 2026 and 2027 revenue estimates in Senate Joint Resolution 16 and Senate Joint Resolution 17, and approved the fiscal year 2027 operating budget in Senate Bill 335 after extended debate on budget growth, recurring costs, health care, education, public safety, retiree obligations, and fiscal restraint. It also passed Senate Bill 336, the one-time supplemental appropriation bill, which includes one-time investments such as a $100 million transition toward a weighted education funding formula, election support, early childhood education, classroom projects, lead remediation, and campaign finance modernization. Several members praised the budget process and staff, while others cautioned against future spending growth. Among policy bills, the Senate passed House Bill 369 to codify the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety, House Bill 268 to increase penalties for assaulting postal workers, House Bill 374 to require workforce reporting on large public works projects, Senate Bill 253 with House Amendment 1 to standardize school bullying parental-notification procedures, Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 342 to modernize the Delaware Motion Picture and Television Development Commission, House Bill 402 to extend Clean Air Act Title V permit fees, and Senate Bill 346 with Senate Amendment 1 to streamline Environmental Appeals Board timelines. The Senate also began consideration of House Bill 293, which would add hate crimes to the Victims’ Compensation Assistance Program, but the transcript cuts off before its vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 511, by Representative Glorioso, is an act in Title 40 relative to pursuit intervention technology
• House Bill 511, by Representative Glorioso, is an act in Title 40 relative to pursuit intervention technology
• inmates are fearful of being on the sex offender list, and it provides a real deterrent to this behavior
• Women employees and men, but particularly the women are being exposed, you know, to this lewd behavior
• But going back to my initial question, that was not going to curb that behavior, right?

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's line 125 of the Health Care Authority for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinician Services
• million in the LFC and $30 million in the Executive recommendation for student reading and math intervention
• On Line 233, UNM: $6.8 million for behavioral health technical assistance that is related to this program
• , the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act.
• But I'll highlight on line 316, $50 million to the Behavioral Health Trust Fund.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This type of intervention is not just sound policy.
• Enhancing this program could strengthen the infrastructure for veteran behavioral health services statewide
• Although we receive no additional funding, our team sits on the County Health Behavioral Board, the SLO
• many of the significant investments the state has made to combat veteran homelessness and improve behavioral
• Behavioral health coordination, including crisis support and peer navigation, application assistance

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on the role of County Veterans Service Officers (CVSOs), CalVet’s support for them, and the growing problem of for-profit, unaccredited claims companies. Committee leaders and witnesses emphasized that CVSOs are often the first point of contact for veterans and their families, helping with disability claims, education benefits, survivor benefits, housing, health care, and other wraparound services. Testimony highlighted the return on investment from CVSO work, with witnesses citing hundreds of millions in new federal benefits secured for California veterans and arguing that current state funding is too low relative to the workload and need. County representatives from Nevada, Los Angeles, and San Luis Obispo described local models of service. Los Angeles County highlighted a “no wrong door” approach, peer navigators, suicide review work, justice-involved veteran services, and homelessness coordination, while San Luis Obispo described rural outreach, mental health partnerships, and high suicide rates in its county. Nevada County stressed that smaller counties can be disadvantaged by workload-based formulas and that additional funding would expand access, especially in rural areas. Several witnesses said veterans often need more than claims help and should be connected to mental health, employment, food, and family supports. Much of the discussion centered on predatory claims consultants, which witnesses said charge veterans for services that accredited CVSOs provide free. Members and witnesses described cases involving requests for VA and banking logins, misleading advertising, and contracts that can take a percentage of veterans’ benefits. Committee members expressed support for legislation to curb these practices and for increased funding for CVSOs, including the Legislature’s intent to fund 50% of county veterans’ services operations. A CalVet deputy secretary also testified that California’s accreditation and training system improves claim quality and appeal outcomes, and that CalVet works with CVSOs through training, district offices, and appeals representation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, what you've heard referred to today as CCBHCs, are behavioral
• Every Missourian has access to behavioral health services at a certified behavioral health clinic.
• With respect to the community behavioral health clinics. Yes, ma'am.
• She added that behavioral health is health, and separating behavioral health from blood pressure and
• I don't do behavioral health exclusively. I don't do pain management.

Keywords: 959, house, all