[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6661760,"mediaKeyId","2405955-7fe8c376d42c57d03d841158d34ce6d9","parentId",2405955,"title","Committee approves bill requiring water‑safety video for new mothers before hospital discharge","audioSeconds",415,"startMs",3405000,"endMs",3820000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2405955-7fe8c376d42c57d03d841158d34ce6d9&start=3405&end=3820","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2405955-7fe8c376d42c57d03d841158d34ce6d9/thumbnail_3405000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6661760/Georgia/Committee-approves-bill-requiring-watersafety-video-for-new-mothers-before-hospital-discharge","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6661760-7a5cfc0e1299f2baa4ec7ce6ea96dcd7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775400024&Signature=DDBJzYHUFiDv-gLXIBHz8ltkrFmFJANRrEJGG6nCg833rlF01VjdY4NWNYs7HKSpzdYOjkOthMv6rXgARYbrciop0-ufdHZ3T1zSl1srfwl9OgEhpOcM10S4Jgfclu9px2dkeZWyPIHVELu2y7cdz0uQVlrBlm2RdKA0sc~5TvmHaGy6X8sF0LrP77XNatwDYKsxmPw7YclMSCTFuzgPNkW3P928UWIyqMj8DquwnV2-~ksJThYV2qV48uJDBPT0VIvVEVKK2~RH6mUt5MepGXmywhErC-50oPCxG~VYoeD87QubXuQplINVHi10wwfq7NR3ZQ3G1wbkoFb9AgVWrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State of Georgia ","date","2025-02-26T20:11:30.073Z","article","A House committee gave a due‑pass recommendation to House Bill 471 (LC 570251S), which would require hospitals to present a water‑safety and drowning‑prevention video to new mothers before discharge.

Representative Chokas, the bill’s author, said the measure is designed to prevent childhood drownings by providing educational material to parents at the time of a newborn’s hospital discharge. The bill directs the Department of Public Health to prepare the video in collaboration with the nonprofit Every Child a Swimmer and to provide it at no charge to hospitals.

Chokas cited national and state statistics, saying drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 through 4 and the second leading cause for children up to age 14; those figures were attributed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the hearing. The substitute language clarifies language around language access and opt‑out options for parents, and hospital representatives said they had worked with the author to ensure compliance with hospital workflow and language needs.

Anna Adams of the Georgia Hospital Association told the committee hospitals can comply and that the substitute addresses earlier questions about language barriers and forms; she confirmed parents would be able to opt out. The bill specifies that the video would be educational and not graphic.

Supporters noted Every Child a Swimmer will provide resources and low‑ or no‑cost scholarship options for swim lessons; the nonprofit’s executive director, Casey McGovern, and the Edna May McGovern Act (a prior 2023 bill) were discussed as background on the group’s work.

The committee voted by voice vote to give the bill a due‑pass recommendation; members answered “aye” and no opposing voice was recorded in the transcript.

Next steps: the bill advances with committee approval. The committee record does not show any direct costs to hospitals or to the department for producing the video; the substitute states the video will be provided at no charge to hospitals.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public and Community Health 02.26.25","oneSentenceSummary","Lawmakers approved a bill directing the Department of Public Health to provide a no‑cost drowning‑prevention video to hospitals for presentation to new mothers before discharge; supporters said the measure aims to reduce drowning deaths among young children.","taxTitle","Appropriations, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Georgia","taxId",16937,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6661763,"Committee advances bill to require Medicaid coverage of tobacco‑cessation treatments with no prior authorization",1280,1989000,3269000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2405955-7fe8c376d42c57d03d841158d34ce6d9&start=1989&end=3269","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2405955-7fe8c376d42c57d03d841158d34ce6d9/thumbnail_1989000.jpg","/articles/6661763/Georgia/Committee-advances-bill-to-require-Medicaid-coverage-of-tobaccocessation-treatments-with-no-prior-authorization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6661763-c5db0008053fe3923f6fbda7cfe01c7f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775400024&Signature=kk26bvdj0xJUG-XhYlI6rmDnOkwFCeAEfjnPm2lAEdi7LTVr7mbSsV8ZlUerAqa14WotCJNLp2b8~7fQj3B8OOAijTJsERWwDfkq8MZUE0gcPgW6aLbBhFKzPn6AN21V5wCeAY2yg3yEFiV-5yMq0n-eFtt2c497szdVSoKSOxeB0zA~nLgS9Eu55kJ6uelE~8uhEzNo1DWOpQmgNItczGcvggxCrP49r3E977pRhEafmQh8NHQdWJCiIblXFyjtlEGSKqfE1FpK0bcF6IszffcdeBvKX2cd20L2TrQ8OGPEFfNtLUY-51LSEpRbuYVnzjgvw3aJ9WejbMYxtkrZjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A House committee approved a due‑pass recommendation for House Bill 506 (LC 570195), which would require the state medical assistance program to provide coverage and reimbursement for tobacco‑cessation treatments for Medicaid recipients, eliminate prior authorization for those products and waive copayments.

Representative Hilton presented the bill and said state Medicaid recipients have higher smoking rates and that covering cessation products could reduce downstream health costs. Laura Bracey, government relations director for the American Heart Association, told the committee Medicaid tobacco use costs the state about $699 million annually and said that if 1 percent of Medicaid smokers quit, the state would save roughly $38 million per year.

The bill directs the medical assistance program to reimburse Medicaid‑enrolled providers for tobacco‑cessation treatments; committee discussion included clarifying that reimbursement applies to Medicaid‑enrolled providers and that covered items include pharmaceutical cessation products and counseling services. Representative Reese highlighted lines in the bill that remove prior authorization and waive out‑of‑pocket costs, and committee members emphasized the policy’s potential to increase access in underserved areas.

Department of Community Health staff said the department had no concerns with the proposal, noting that the state already covers many of these products but had identified prior‑authorization gaps and that the low unit cost of the drugs made the fiscal impact modest. The department’s director of government relations said she did not anticipate a significant cost increase.

Committee members raised implementation questions, including reimbursement mechanics, who qualifies as a reimbursable provider and whether the bill should be coupled with a tobacco‑tax increase to fund the program; the author said the bills are “spiritually linked” but declined to amend HB 506 to add tax language.

The committee voted by voice vote to give the bill a due‑pass recommendation; committee members answered “aye” and no opposing voice was recorded in the transcript.

Next steps: the bill proceeds with a committee due‑pass recommendation. The transcript does not contain a formal fiscal note; Department of Community Health staff said they did not expect a substantial cost increase.","A committee voted to give a due‑pass recommendation to a bill that would require the medical assistance program to cover tobacco‑cessation treatments, remove prior authorization and waive co‑payments; supporters cited potential long‑term savings and public‑health benefits.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6661768,"Committee backs statewide certification for community health workers with 2‑year credential and background checks",1265,637000,1902000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2405955-7fe8c376d42c57d03d841158d34ce6d9&start=637&end=1902","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2405955-7fe8c376d42c57d03d841158d34ce6d9/thumbnail_637000.jpg","/articles/6661768/Georgia/Committee-backs-statewide-certification-for-community-health-workers-with-2year-credential-and-background-checks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6661768-5c2f05ea0c597553e1bb7271404f28d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1775400024&Signature=ahkZmofeZ3TKP97J~C~urCDmcLY5WQVTZAa5PrriNWH806Yi4Yt5KoXPiNhVRTEcy4RG3I1VjqP19h1nkpxO40Yfs6J2ikSYoMC02gzETVQGjYd9Vms17DSxPyXZjt1u3i~we9itFQ2uEToCLeejS9EDNvCMDDFjbTEuOOdFpVRabCCykTj6cT24bgv4hKFnZmoM91NnZRm7815DCnCJ9EA8gmkVkDiU4sLkULPKprJmDifOOt~ZMUJjIgMsD8iqR5KOOC5Jo0k6hFrQKF9EGDY5yVCioPgNlCISDnXQhe9-Ysr3u7jvfCCBbj2rpZIeQfOHfV8QNo6s43jfYx0qxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A House committee gave a due‑pass recommendation to a substitute bill establishing statewide certification and standards for community health workers, creating training criteria, a review committee, and a two‑year certification renewal process.

Representative Taylor presented the subcommittee bill, House Bill 291 (LC 520805S), saying it “establishes a foundation and a structure for community health care workers,” standardizes entry requirements and core competencies, and aims to expand the workforce in rural and underserved areas.

The bill identifies who qualifies as a community health worker, defines core competencies, and directs the Department of Public Health to house the certification program. Megan Andrews, assistant commissioner for policy at the Georgia Department of Public Health, confirmed the department’s role in implementation.

Key provisions discussed in committee include a two‑year certification period with renewal, use of existing training programs (Emory University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and the Department of Public Health) as eligible pathways, and a pilot result cited from Lowndes County showing an annual savings of $26,800 per patient from a community health worker program. The bill models certification‑hour standards after other states: the committee discussed 2,000 and 4,000‑hour thresholds used in Florida and Texas.

The substitute creates a time‑limited committee to draft certification requirements; the committee will dissolve in 2029 and responsibility will transfer to the Department of Public Health. The bill requires fingerprint background checks and records checks; some committee members questioned whether fingerprinting would be a barrier, while the Georgia CHW Network and some hospitals said background checks are already part of existing employment for many CHWs.

The committee debated administrative deadlines. Representative Reese and others asked for faster notification to applicants, and the committee approved an amendment changing the requirement that the committee notify applicants whether an application is complete from 30 days to 15 days.

Crischelle Brown, chair of the Georgia CHW Network steering committee and a CHW, testified in support, describing CHWs as “the bridge between health care systems and the communities they serve” and urged the committee to support certification.

Committee members expressed broad support for the measure. The committee voted by voice vote to pass the substitute as amended; committee members responded “aye” and no opposition was recorded in the transcript.

Next steps: the bill advances with the committee’s approval. The committee record does not include fiscal note amounts; the bill states it goes into effect only after appropriations are provided.

Direct quotes in this article are attributed only to speakers who appear in the committee record.","Lawmakers approved a substitute bill to establish state certification standards and a registry for community health workers, set core competencies and training pathways, require fingerprint background checks and set a two‑year renewal cycle; committee amended application completeness notification from 30 to 15 days.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6661773,"House committee approves bill moving mental‑health and disability program licensure from DCH to DBHDD",391,193000,584000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2405955-7fe8c376d42c57d03d841158d34ce6d9&start=193&end=584","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2405955-7fe8c376d42c57d03d841158d34ce6d9/thumbnail_193000.jpg","/articles/6661773/Georgia/House-committee-approves-bill-moving-mentalhealth-and-disability-program-licensure-from-DCH-to-DBHDD","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6661773-f45e3eb14d8c06788ddeb5e7e6f04dfa/orig.mp4?Expires=1775400024&Signature=kp2ordCk3pLeU6RFaVYab8SbVAA5~Ii6CXR8SknPnpOm53nTxSjtJw87jpApy44Qpy-gpDBTx9uYqc8zKLfsWcHK8YaXEXIrBv~25ZdJg-Va0AY4p~HC89FB3onJdJdrmZ~ltvtiQWeozP253xoGDe5j668p46MqLdRuZWANd3hco4L1XzcDy~rGZaXceDHbEXapxkB0OGJMhSp6GF9LERTYRKj5T7hSIxw-c0ng-LKBaCYZN2pd-kUe30wAQjFPFkVC4rZ6MAICLQ0msq1Iomv8UKFhcVRMUptpL4PztEU9dwg1Rju7V6WLYAhgPd5aip228x3y9dJpebAwmwQ2zQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A House committee gave a due‑pass recommendation to a bill that would transfer licensure authority for mental‑health, substance‑use treatment and certain developmental‑disability residential programs from the Georgia Department of Community Health to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

Representative Petrie introduced House Bill 584 (LC 570238) as a departmental alignment measure, saying the change is intended to “align programs to where we have federal and state in the same place.”

The bill edits existing statutes to remove references to the Department of Community Health for programs that primarily serve people with mental illness, substance‑use disorder or intellectual and developmental disabilities and adds those programs to DBHDD’s statutory responsibilities. Joe Hood, chief operating officer for the Department of Community Health, told the committee the change is largely administrative and described the bill as a “find and replace” that removes duplicative audits and regulatory overlap.

“We align state and federal together,” Hood said, adding the two departments had calculated staffing and operational costs and included an appropriations shift in both departments’ budgets. The bill includes a transition window through the end of calendar year 2025 to move rules, staff and funding.

Committee members who spoke favorably said the measure builds on prior work to reduce duplication. Representative Oliver cited earlier reviews of overlapping regulation and said the bill “represents real progress in helping the providers comply.”

The committee voted by voice vote to give the bill a due‑pass recommendation. The motion received a second; committee members responded “aye” and no opposition was recorded in the transcript.

What the bill does not do: it does not change Medicare or Medicaid program eligibility rules, and the committee record did not show changes to federal grant awards. The committee discussion and Hood’s remarks framed the measure as aligning state licensure with DBHDD’s federally related program responsibilities.

Next steps: with the committee’s due‑pass recommendation the bill moves to the next step in the legislative process. The transcript does not record final floor action or a signed enrollment.","A committee voted to give a due‑pass recommendation to a bill that reassigns licensure and programmatic oversight for mental‑health, substance‑use and developmental‑disability facilities from the Department of Community Health to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and shifts related appropriations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves bill requiring water‑safety video for new mothers before hospital discharge

Committee advances bill to require Medicaid coverage of tobacco‑cessation treatments with no prior authorization

Committee backs statewide certification for community health workers with 2‑year credential and background checks

House committee approves bill moving mental‑health and disability program licensure from DCH to DBHDD