[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6288132,"mediaKeyId","2544564-655ba8c18a3335e1832dd95996770bf4","parentId",2544564,"title","Panel backs targeted increases for children's services, supervised visitation and mentoring programs","audioSeconds",194,"startMs",1082000,"endMs",1276000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2544564-655ba8c18a3335e1832dd95996770bf4&start=1082&end=1276","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2544564-655ba8c18a3335e1832dd95996770bf4/thumbnail_1082000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6288132/Vermont/Panel-backs-targeted-increases-for-childrens-services-supervised-visitation-and-mentoring-programs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288132-487a774e508fec8e3bfc6c116e6ecb94/orig.mp4?Expires=1773621765&Signature=l7V7fAcDJ3c2Tm4h~wqiXeMTtJGOMclbBQRgkT2fIcvo~vkg7GVT7rWg82FZpLYgiUGfyHJLhtfQE-YwZEmhwlfChLKj0E9Pl1q43eolF3teYyqtx1eqTa-kUvNPHDrY2XDsdShNMK5WM0b8K~3DH8FxABByBpu~AW36DqoHlhgmAZt4oHly-EFvJn30a7m1ypYnBPhvz107IzKmxMG2KDBuBQWkseYkKTV3YMhCzHr-QRu5EIiC2vLU8swk3ioI1RehbtYuL3FYH4hsu7vBs4vRhpicuwxhe0chlyMaqzBLFuCeInZsAnxeJDts76M47m0aBjTYgntf7q-m2RsK1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-11T07:06:08Z","article","Theresa Wood, chair of the House Human Services Committee, briefed members on March 10 about a package of targeted investments the committee recommends for children's programs and preventive services.

Children's Integrated Services: Wood said Children's Integrated Services is a required component of EPSDT (Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment) for Medicaid-eligible children. An agency cost study indicated the per-month cost is $738 while the current reimbursement is $650; the committee recommended raising the rate to $675 per month, at an estimated cost of $450,000. \"We are currently paying $650. We are recommending that that move to $6.75,\" Wood said.

Building Bright Futures: The committee recommended increasing base general-fund support for Building Bright Futures, the public-private partnership that provides evaluation and data for child-care policy. The committee noted the increase would leave the state still covering under half of the organization's operating costs; Wood said the group serves as the evaluator for Act 76 implementation.

Supervised visitation: The committee recommended a one-year, $30,640 appropriation to support supervised visitation coordination currently provided by the Center for Crime Victim Services. Wood said the funds would come from a prior tobacco-settlement appropriation that sits in the judiciary budget and that the language would direct the judiciary and DCF to seek a statewide solution. \"There is no money allocated for this coordinating effort right now; the Center for Crime Victim Services has been doing it out of their funding and they said we can't do that anymore,\" Wood said.

Mentoring and prevention funds: Mentor Vermont requested $1 million but the committee recommended a $200,000 increase. Wood said the committee expects those funds to come from the Department of Health's prevention account (cannabis excise-tax revenue), which the committee said contains roughly $11 million for prevention activities. \"We are requesting that the Department of Health be directed to use at least $200,000 for Mentor Vermont,\" Wood said.

2-1-1 operations: The committee recommended increasing base funding for the statewide 2-1-1 information-and-referral service to maintain 24/7 eligibility screening for shelter and crisis needs. The committee said the one-time funding that sustained 2-1-1's round-the-clock operations should be added to base funding (committee cited $332,000 as the intended base increase after correcting a typographical error).

Other items and context: Wood also flagged concerns that higher-cost institutional services (nursing homes, PNMI group homes and state employee wages) received budgeted increases while many lower-cost home- and community-based prevention services were left with no inflationary adjustments in the governor's recommendation. The committee intends to use identified funding sources where possible and to include language directing agencies to coordinate on use and grant requirements.

Next steps: The committee will forward the prioritized adjustments to Appropriations and expects grant agreements and reporting language to be included where the committee recommended transfers or directed use of prevention funds.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Appropriations - 2025-03-10 - 2:05PM","oneSentenceSummary","The committee recommended targeted funding increases: a monthly rate boost for Children's Integrated Services, one-time supervised-visitation support from prior tobacco funds, modest increases for Mentor Vermont and Building Bright Futures, and a base increase for 2-1-1 operations.","taxTitle","Appropriations, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",30573,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6288137,"House panel proposes regional program to replace hotel-motel shelter funding, seeks FY25 levels",589,1784000,2373000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2544564-655ba8c18a3335e1832dd95996770bf4&start=1784&end=2373","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2544564-655ba8c18a3335e1832dd95996770bf4/thumbnail_1784000.jpg","/articles/6288137/Vermont/House-panel-proposes-regional-program-to-replace-hotel-motel-shelter-funding-seeks-FY25-levels","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288137-ea40b952602e03b27d94f4d790b592c2/orig.mp4?Expires=1773621765&Signature=RUF~Ea-QlUZYV7fR2ULn1quox7Anl7~NuVPlZ13HdRDNqdDTBfpJFcTtShXmaUK-D-9DwXr7xetwRHUzaBIM~47hNCxBKny-ky-07YcGfloXj0Fc4LsDTiLLNRqq1buG3DPLVe8IsgqIeUm~y9grsEtR1ZgKKB3z8WnRWaBRID8uZOrwOUyHDINvQTH1FIXTnXkqqKtOF8WhfEi6oIiuv6V-eXV1Ta7h3VjVEMYNP-dB2YNdSDlQSw0gEfGRdEfii8JvjH4EzsO6IzvoTq6EZIHd~6viEssGg2hSLzmlbSnTJXmwCO7YtUgGXmckpqqjgSbewE-KweSPGorcsjUQZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Theresa Wood, chair of the House Human Services Committee, told members on March 10 that the committee is developing a regional transition-to-housing approach intended to reduce Vermont's reliance on hotel and motel placements for people experiencing homelessness.

Wood said the governor's recommended budget included $30,500,000 in one-time funds for what the administration has called the GA hotel-motel program, on top of an $8,100,000 base. The governor's proposal would total $38,600,000 for fiscal year 2026, she said, while fiscal year 2025 funding stood at $44,600,000. \"We are recommending that the FY25 levels be kept and not the FY26 levels,\" Wood said, explaining that the committee is building a transitional program using FY25 funding levels as the operating baseline.

The committee described the new approach as a systems change: a temporary shelter-and-transition-to-housing program administered at regional scale through subgrants and coordinated case management. Wood said the committee intends to favor regional resource organizations and community action agencies to carry out the program and to prioritize family needs within regional plans. \"It is intended to build a program that reduces our reliance on hotels and motels to actually have integrated case management service and a requirement to participate in case management services,\" Wood said.

Committee members described the plan as a year of transition to avoid abrupt resource changes while the new regional structures and subgranting relationships are put in place. Wood said the committee expects detailed legislative language and a bill (H.91) to follow so members can evaluate the new structure and regional definitions. She emphasized the need for broad buy-in from state agencies, regional partners and advocates: \"It's a very, very significant systems change, and it requires a lot of buy in from a lot of people,\" she said.

The committee also noted that the proposed program would merge components currently run separately, including Housing Opportunity Program (HOP) grants and other shelter spending, to create a more integrated regional model. Wood said the panel will continue to refine the language and the program details as H.91 moves through the legislature.

Next steps: Committee staff will present bill language and model details to appropriators and other stakeholders; final funding levels and program design will depend on further committee negotiations and language in H.91.","The committee signaled support for keeping FY25 funding levels for the hotel-motel emergency shelter program and directed the development of a regional, community-action-led transition-to-housing program rather than continuing the current statewide hotel reliance.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6288142,"House Human Services panel urges scaling back governor's CCFAP cut, recommends infant-toddler rate increase",711,184000,895000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2544564-655ba8c18a3335e1832dd95996770bf4&start=184&end=895","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2544564-655ba8c18a3335e1832dd95996770bf4/thumbnail_184000.jpg","/articles/6288142/Vermont/House-Human-Services-panel-urges-scaling-back-governors-CCFAP-cut-recommends-infant-toddler-rate-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288142-a35eab594742f8daeea3dbc3f9a623c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1773621765&Signature=KJ8B5VIBMu9IuJ47qo61-iX80M27qKcaQuyfSaVau14VrY5EnesQfwofKzvNcSQ2m5xw6YZ75JYfsOC8SsiS9hVMbR78Of4IV~dMKUMtDXY42Slo8vsyCgjd-aUJKkiwZeHEBxX3nqLRJjmQAHt2jknE30tUjTGjtTs2qfYnlbsTXodZNgaNEQMDaadNYpEqAp~7PXNE9wd6lST6U7ga9uuF~ZzJgmj5gc~a8FGSVrksOHi~2WnmkTdB8xpWQEwDHtb2vnttH0i-Dq7fFZJMaThPKOMBlMtAMf4MZvby1yM-MaVOt3neKpnn-L-WjRjg2ZgaWaT7LhhuvILo2GLisg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Theresa Wood, chair of the House Human Services Committee, told the committee on March 10 that her panel recommends reducing the governor's proposed cuts to the Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP) and restoring funding to support infant and toddler care and compliance with federal rules.

Wood said the governor recommended a $3,500,000 reduction in one CCFAP line tied to utilization and forecast work with the Joint Fiscal Office (JFO), but the administration also proposed a separate $19,000,000 reduction that the committee views as premature given outstanding federal requirements and workforce needs. \"Because it is an entitlement service, if for some reason that forecast turns out to be erroneous, then, I'm sure that we will all see a budget adjustment request,\" Wood said.

The committee recommended using roughly $5.9 million of the $19 million proposed reduction to increase infant and toddler reimbursement rates by 5.5 percent, a change Wood said is within limits set by the child-care statute enacted as Act 76 (which the committee described as enabling increases up to 1.5 times the most recent rate). That $5.9 million figure reflects the committee's rounding of a more specific number discussed during the meeting: $5,872,612. Wood said the proposed rate change would affect nearly 1,800 infants and about 1,400 toddlers.

The committee emphasized that access for infants and toddlers still lags despite recent progress. \"For the first time, in the past year, we are actually seeing the number of providers increasing,\" Wood said, while acknowledging workforce and provider churn remain concerns: a committee member cited churn rates that are \"still close to 50 percent.\" The committee said increasing rates is intended to improve access by addressing provider costs tied to lower child-to-staff ratios for very young children.

Committee members also flagged federal 2024 child-care rules that cap family co-payments at 7 percent of income. Wood said Vermont has a temporary waiver from that federal requirement and that the waiver appears to expire in mid-2026; she said the Department for Children and Families (DCF) is contracting with an outside vendor to estimate the state's cost to come into full compliance. \"We do not know what the amount of that is at this time,\" Wood said, adding that the estimate will take time to produce and that relying on the $19 million cut before that estimate exists would be premature.

Wood characterized the committee's approach as prioritizing needs and providing the Appropriations Committee context for comparing human-services requests to other statewide priorities. She said the committee marked items as highest, high and medium priorities so the Appropriations Committee could see how human-services needs compare across the budget.

The committee approved its budget recommendation on a 10-1 vote, Wood said; the meeting transcript recorded the committee's reported vote but did not list individual roll-call votes in the record.

What happens next: DCF's forthcoming compliance estimate and any change in federal policy will influence final funding decisions. Wood said an entitlement program such as CCFAP could require a budget adjustment if utilization exceeds forecasts.","The House Human Services Committee recommended restoring part of a proposed $19 million reduction to the Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP), including a 5.5% infant-and-toddler rate increase, and flagged federal 2024 child-care rule compliance and a temporary waiver as reasons to avoid larger cuts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Panel backs targeted increases for children's services, supervised visitation and mentoring programs

House panel proposes regional program to replace hotel-motel shelter funding, seeks FY25 levels

House Human Services panel urges scaling back governor's CCFAP cut, recommends infant-toddler rate increase