[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6077856,"mediaKeyId","2963099-932aec8579f692809843d8426ca33b36","parentId",2963099,"title","Nutrition and food-security groups seek state support for CACFP, Meals on Wheels and farmer-market programs","audioSeconds",662,"startMs",2013000,"endMs",2675000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2963099-932aec8579f692809843d8426ca33b36&start=2013&end=2675","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2963099-932aec8579f692809843d8426ca33b36/thumbnail_2013000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6077856/Vermont/Nutrition-and-food-security-groups-seek-state-support-for-CACFP-Meals-on-Wheels-and-farmer-market-programs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6077856-26c1caf0e5eee8bb494634dc89e94e86/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159233&Signature=bbELJTNrYkOyCBTHi-vuuoDzgN4pLTTG5MwuoDf-ax8x3T--o8BLVAqBJTvpSmN-KUMiAzGI8H9kFjs7riS1OcQY33v8703pIzn7TtrKmZfdJ9brXWjVf3~HU4ZMJ~sAF4WXyk7ydi9reEKnRyzU-jpPDkkvjFVrGy8zp79s9Px8VpEuJQ9KY4q8TR4L1VeOuoiIKLoltnKrbYgMcXxAArJAncIPT5WnxIRVzlknySHAPQAU25FvXS0yu3EidSenySGpGkiJPUfB7T6algiji8VwaNLl6yCT8nU5-njsPDmBJGr3dbyCOuFMaYw5IeMPz4vjnJP4Lxg~ffSWpYBRBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-11T14:06:03Z","article","Representatives of child nutrition programs, older-adult meal services and statewide food security organizations told the Senate Health & Welfare Committee the state needs targeted investment to sustain nutrition programs that serve thousands of Vermonters.

Amy Fales, nutrition and education manager at BROC Community Action, asked the committee to appropriate $182,000 to the Agency of Education’s Child Nutrition Programs in FY26 to support sponsoring organizations that administer the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Fales said the state has lost sponsoring organizations in recent years due to insufficient federal reimbursement for administrative costs; without state help, remaining sponsors could drop out, which would cut meals for children in registered child-care homes.

Mary Hayden, representing Meals on Wheels programs, requested $2 million in FY26 for the Older Vermonters Nutrition Program. Hayden said Meals on Wheels in Vermont served more than 17,000 people and delivered more than a million meals last year; the program provides social contact and medically tailored meals for people managing chronic illness.

Terri Staley of Vermont Food Bank asked for $1.25 million of a $5 million total request to support community food shelves and meal sites that provide fresh and prepared meals across the state; she said partners are seeing increased demand and that some food shelves have much higher client volumes than before the pandemic.

Joanna Doran of NOFA Vermont sought $500,000 to sustain and expand Crop Cash Plus and the FarmShare program, which match SNAP benefits at farmers markets and subsidize community-supported agriculture shares for low-income Vermonters. Crop Cash doubles SNAP purchasing power at participating markets but requires state matching funds to draw down federal resources; a House one-time appropriation covers part of the need but does not fund the expanded Crop Cash Plus pilot.

Committee staff said they will consolidate written budget materials and spreadsheets submitted by witnesses so appropriators can evaluate which items are already included in House funding and which require new appropriations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Health and Welfare - 2025-04-11 - 10:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Childcare nutrition sponsors, older-adult meal programs, food banks and farm-to-family programs asked the Senate committee for targeted state funding to stabilize child and elder nutrition services and to preserve SNAP matching programs at farmers markets.","taxTitle","Health & Welfare, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",38585,"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},6077860,"Shelter and housing groups ask Senate for targeted homelessness and housing operating funds",395,1280000,1675000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2963099-932aec8579f692809843d8426ca33b36&start=1280&end=1675","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2963099-932aec8579f692809843d8426ca33b36/thumbnail_1280000.jpg","/articles/6077860/Vermont/Shelter-and-housing-groups-ask-Senate-for-targeted-homelessness-and-housing-operating-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6077860-6062a15cfe9051c6a6b40c9672323395/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159233&Signature=iNp7Dx9qWsMWWZnYEo5hxeyRIv5ZEJx30JA7PAPkuE7hg88m955sYL4DBdkEl4d4dvsIZiSL9q6aGuKMHgFodcLxQPOP5fUOZlOotUdAI-V3wzzFSznthPEOkDPlJWg4AuB6qY8KQlsdqsoWwjkqMLknE8P16lWgvAyV9XhVPYFVZX2c6aPBFIyG-hmVasuIJVCLUnq~uh464~PnLrATLJsfKBbfdAwBeOCI2RNsR23~~GrF5Tq9q3EqvhORh~Qzlugjed8rRt-6LGKU9paUht0U4m0SLrqxvMYRMjnaBtO-qGbKOU2TC40Mh4j20tG6PdoC7mYD70r-DP3DYg2fXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Community action agencies, homeless service providers and local charities told the Vermont Senate Health & Welfare Committee they need targeted ongoing funding to prevent shelter closures and preserve critical housing navigation services.

Allison Calderer of Capstone Community Action requested $6.025 million to the agency’s Housing Opportunity Program to expand family voucher assistance, extend pandemic-era ERAP supports used for emergency rental assistance and to add staff for housing navigation and transitional housing. Calderer said extending vouchers from two years to three would give families more time to improve economic stability; last year the program fielded 434 applications.

Paul Dragon, executive director of Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, said his Burlington Community Resource Center (CRC) served 3,100 unique people in 2024 and at times more than 200 people per day. He asked the Senate to appropriate $550,000 annually to operate the CRC, warning that “we will close as of July 1” without the funds.

Senators asked whether requests overlap with H.91 and other House proposals; committee staff said some items are in the House fiscal plan while others would require new appropriations. Witnesses were asked to provide written cost sheets and spreadsheets to help appropriators reconcile requests.

Speakers also noted that ERAP and other pandemic-era, one-time funds are ending; agencies said that losing those streams will force staff reductions and threaten coordinated entry positions and other essential supports. The committee’s staff said it will compile the testimony and related written materials for the Appropriations Committee as it refines priorities.","Community action agencies and homeless service providers asked the Senate Health & Welfare Committee for funding to sustain emergency shelters, housing vouchers and the Burlington Community Resource Center, warning that some services will close without ongoing support.",{"_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},6077865,"Long-term care providers urge rate increases, ask to include home-based services in FY26 budget",3099,685000,3784000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2963099-932aec8579f692809843d8426ca33b36&start=685&end=3784","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2963099-932aec8579f692809843d8426ca33b36/thumbnail_685000.jpg","/articles/6077865/Vermont/Long-term-care-providers-urge-rate-increases-ask-to-include-home-based-services-in-FY26-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6077865-9763235afd1ec18cc816ffa1736ffe83/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159233&Signature=aUUAqt3M48livGRywm~ced8MvhwTyScbpqSYBepQ3zP-cfB1JeIwXu6naI4KG0kDZxqnJqgdGpWCxPhQ6~ipQ5E7K8fPB2M6BRKFDYsPb-A1MUdrvXc8TZj-RQfTTjkl9BuRIcTgWwM582yGePU34KFr12ewBDlQeDnw09c3SPYX~tn9FQBIg7KSW5HofBcTcij5K~B6DNJxiCAAlM6DOuHuIxktEHvVH9hnm8DLRSXFc8F3XSvZKXFFWY1A~iZRPk5vaWl~is03oVD4tK5gBqXcmZlXcbbeoB4cXnx32n~rMvVBBgArPLBy8YcEx-NlZ~EfoeRtJDzFdDp8x3Wyqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Nursing homes, home-health agencies and community-based long-term service providers pressed the Vermont Senate Health & Welfare Committee on Monday to increase Medicaid reimbursement and expand rate adjustments to services not fully covered by the House budget.

Several witnesses said the House's funding would move many services partway toward the 2023 rate-study recommendations but left gaps. Jill Nazareth Olsen, executive director of VNAs of Vermont, said the House adds “about two thirds” of the money the field requested from an updated rate study and stressed that funding home-based alternatives helps keep people out of higher-cost institutional settings.

Molly Doonan, representing the Long Term Care Crisis Coalition and several housing organizations, told senators “housing is health care” and called for more funding to preserve SASH (Support and Services at Home) and for the SASH for All pilot that serves younger adults and families. She asked for a $400,000 request for that pilot.

Speakers requested that adult day and skilled home health be included in the 2% increase that community-based providers received in the House budget. VNAs provided a figure for skilled home health — about $1.84 million in general funds and $756,000 in federal funds for that change — but said the total for adult day services was “not specified” during the hearing while staff continue to reconcile technical spreadsheets.

Helen Maiden of the Vermont Healthcare Association, which represents nursing homes and assisted living, urged the committee to support the House approach to nursing-home payments that follow an established formula and to preserve access across communities. “The number one predictor of whether you need long term care services is age,” Maiden said, noting Vermont’s demographic trends.

Witnesses asked the committee to fund the rate-study updates and the 2% across-the-board increase for home and community-based services, and to add adult day and skilled home health where they were left out. Committee staff said they will consolidate written materials and cost sheets for appropriations consideration.","Representatives of long-term care providers, home-health agencies and the Long Term Care Crisis Coalition told the Senate Health & Welfare Committee they need higher Medicaid rates and inclusion of adult day and skilled home health services in rate adjustments.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6077869,"Vermont medical groups press Senate for primary care workforce funding and residency slots",358,149000,507000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2963099-932aec8579f692809843d8426ca33b36&start=149&end=507","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2963099-932aec8579f692809843d8426ca33b36/thumbnail_149000.jpg","/articles/6077869/Vermont/Vermont-medical-groups-press-Senate-for-primary-care-workforce-funding-and-residency-slots","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6077869-e86cd93470938cbc73ff6134eea26962/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159233&Signature=l-Mi7LejkVLm5eWTO88E~lW2uHvjhX0B1ofsD7qnujNnQd-l4QXKHBZ8vxoDL1kK1qmbsaX4KNztdW5sfM2hlHJr-Qg0A1yQUR1S~1tDe8QsNSPaH-lFY7tfYczdMmntORR8SsshZaiK0oXFXCrslftPG3Bog-iurltWYPbFQEXPHFMHtn1E3hb8iva62eddAPiVSpVNLb0TxfbzueR69DH-y0Ipi~p6u3~gX9J81ydNIUGcNB4WwCj-f3E0JX-JGogN6SnpbuVwEoZg7pUL4VkfeHF5MUtMhSuqe8Sj4gNqBPzNvX~8y4RlBRNfAHCik-r~P6C-l8pV-P3w1V7tcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Primary care physician groups and community health organizations told the Vermont Senate Committee on Health & Welfare on Monday that the state risks losing gains in primary care access unless the Legislature funds workforce and pilot programs now.

The Vermont Medical Society’s executive director, Jessa Barnard, told the committee the state is “on the precipice of losing that progress” in its primary-care reforms and flagged two expiring ACO/All-Payer Model programs and two Blueprint programs that help wrap services around primary care practices. “We know we are currently 115, primary care clinicians short,” Barnard said.

Barnard and other speakers asked the committee to preserve three kinds of funding: (1) continuing Blueprint community health team and behavioral-health pilots that are only partly funded in the House budget; (2) scholarships and incentives that bring medical students back to Vermont; and (3) new graduate medical education funding to stand up rural family medicine residency positions.

Dr. Belanski, who said he is running a consortium to launch a family medicine training program, told senators the program “is ready to go right now. We can start in July. We need bridge funding of less than a million dollars for four years.” He estimated that once trainees are in place the program will “break even because they see Vermonters” and that about half of residents trained in rural programs stay to practice locally.

Mary Kate Coleman of Bi-State Primary Care Association asked the committee to back funding that would bring Medicaid payments for federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) closer to the cost of care, to continue family planning rate increases and to preserve payments for community health teams and medical home payments in the Blueprint for Health.

Speakers noted four distinct funding gaps: a third-year pilot carryover request of about $1.385 million in general funds, workforce programs (scholarships and training pipeline supports) not included in the House budget, FQHC payment increases, and the mental-health pilot within the Blueprint not yet funded. Testimony emphasized that training clinicians in rural settings is the most reliable way to recruit them to serve those communities.

The committee chair and staff said materials are posted on the committee’s web page and that request details will be consolidated for appropriations staff. Senators repeatedly asked for written cost sheets and confirmed some items are already included in the House fiscal plan, while others would require additional appropriation.

If the Legislature wants to preserve Vermont’s primary-care reforms, witnesses said, it needs specific funding for scholarships, residency start-up and pilot continuation rather than general directions. “Train them where we need them the most,” Dr. Belanski said when describing the rationale for rural residencies.","Physician groups and primary care associations told the Senate Health & Welfare Committee they need targeted budget money to sustain the state’s primary care reforms, preserve community-based “blueprint” services and launch new rural family medicine residency positions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Nutrition and food-security groups seek state support for CACFP, Meals on Wheels and farmer-market programs

Shelter and housing groups ask Senate for targeted homelessness and housing operating funds

Long-term care providers urge rate increases, ask to include home-based services in FY26 budget

Vermont medical groups press Senate for primary care workforce funding and residency slots