[{"_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",6264128,"mediaKeyId","3098918-1fdabf124c4d31f15aa6256cc7d14eda","parentId",3098918,"title","Committee hears report on special-accommodation grants under Act 76; members flag potential funding gap","audioSeconds",235,"startMs",1446000,"endMs",1681000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3098918-1fdabf124c4d31f15aa6256cc7d14eda&start=1446&end=1681","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3098918-1fdabf124c4d31f15aa6256cc7d14eda/thumbnail_1446000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6264128/Vermont/Committee-hears-report-on-special-accommodation-grants-under-Act-76-members-flag-potential-funding-gap","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264128-a54aaef509f1118033197391a0aa602a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771105795&Signature=Lo7nlzP0N2pCs6sqv6zBekFUCewhExfW1l~9aOQCtcpH0gDnyHuEEa3wTEyMMVwdScq1eJ5ig0VTTZQvvvJ1byvOav02E6c1ZoywX8tn0aMBXKwnFy0vpWDmSKzvubbea6MKbm4xJQ8ay5m8Q7ZtqSzR0IgzM5uNeBfgT21Iebe1qbwowx4IRunGctLudf~t4uQ7OTzt0S99Odk~iv5xC7bp-CKt5mHz8SCDxTS8syyw2K43qLwc5opFJuRvDXqeeHf5tByCxUjjDpixwFSnMLqjF~xXVMqW5qu8QHcBkXc5Bn53p2hI5ZZvtDXWfkPT21C7ZKgbs-b6UcHVt0WXwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-23T20:08:13.92Z","article","The Human Services Committee reviewed a report on special-accommodation grants created under Act 76 and discussed recent administrative changes, funding history and whether the program will face a funding shortfall when one-time federal grants expire.

Committee members said the Division extended grant durations (from six months to annual awards) and allowed grant extensions to give childcare programs steadier support. Discussion acknowledged that COVID-era and preschool development grant funds temporarily boosted the program: past funding levels cited included a historical baseline of about $300,000, a COVID peak near $800,000, and an interim level of about $600,000 supported by a preschool development grant.

Members warned that the preschool development grant is ending and that the Division may have to return to lower baseline funding unless new resources are found. The committee also discussed parallel programs designed to increase provider capacity, including a quality and capacity incentive program that directs approximately $10,000,000 annually to incentivize programs to obtain specialized-care certification and increase the number of providers able to serve children with specialized needs.

Committee members debated whether to continue relying on targeted special-accommodation grants (SAGs) or instead support a systemic approach that increases the number of programs with specialized-care status. Members noted the SAGs were intended to be a stopgap while broader investments increased capacity and said they would track whether demand remains elevated when temporary grants end.

No formal funding action was taken at the meeting. Members asked staff to monitor application volumes and service needs, and to return information on whether permanent funding changes or policy adjustments are needed to ensure continuity of services for children with specialized needs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Human Services - 2025-04-23 - 3:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","The committee reviewed a report on special-accommodation grants created under Act 76, heard that grant durations were extended and funding amounts increased during COVID, and noted a potential future funding gap after one-time federal grants expire.","taxTitle","Human Services, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",35147,"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},6264131,"Committee reviews medical cannabis report; members consider changing qualifying-condition process",583,813000,1396000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3098918-1fdabf124c4d31f15aa6256cc7d14eda&start=813&end=1396","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3098918-1fdabf124c4d31f15aa6256cc7d14eda/thumbnail_813000.jpg","/articles/6264131/Vermont/Committee-reviews-medical-cannabis-report-members-consider-changing-qualifying-condition-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264131-94fb0d1f61e1c5387730365bd15511cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771105795&Signature=LzcNJgfInq097U7x~261azRANWIM7U-RdUp~aGPnWJIK9V-8~engunggL4osj0~OKWGMV2tF6pkdRvYtQ0JhGdQNUSWQdEqxsDXpM9SlAu6IIEqUNS1iyHLCGWSSmu2ULrQORu4qmZGSC228k~AseRyjO~jfyadzzI850WBsW1qkedvjk-FHh3L2EQ2CcK4X89D0FzK2PtBvS~aOyqT7I9Dtxi7HVJMeVvoBIvymBzKcxhQVcHotXkx9OQLo-DqbfOWegYPOBK1ksR-7N74G2Rq7LkZ2ieVEJNCGPOlRgW54IA8iZoQEHFvtG863TCuRTM3Gsxlw28JFy52OriTY9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Human Services Committee reviewed a one-time report on medical cannabis that the committee requested from state agencies and discussed options for changing how qualifying conditions are approved for the medical registry.

Committee members said the report flagged uneven systems for adding qualifying conditions and described several approaches used by other states, including (1) provider discretion, in which a qualifying provider determines eligibility, and (2) a formal review board or regulatory commission review. Members noted that Vermont's current process dates to the original statute establishing the registry, which required committee agreement on listed conditions and resulted historically in an incremental, case-by-case additions process.

Members discussed trade-offs between a provider-discretion model (which some states use) and a centralized review. The committee also discussed the cost and availability of medical education for providers (the report noted existing curricula at UVM) and the limited federal research base on cannabis. A committee member recommended inviting James Pepper, director of the Cannabis Control Board, to discuss potential statutory and administrative changes and next steps for the committee.

No formal policy or statutory change was adopted at the meeting; members characterized the discussion as preparatory and agreed to schedule a briefing with the Cannabis Control Board to explore options for a more systematic process for evaluating and approving new qualifying conditions.","The Human Services Committee reviewed a one-time legislative report on medical cannabis. Members discussed options for how qualifying conditions are added to Vermont's medical cannabis registry and agreed to invite the Cannabis Control Board director for discussion of next steps.",{"_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},6264137,"Human Services panel reviews Vermont Ethics Network palliative-care report, plans MAID update",687,125000,812000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3098918-1fdabf124c4d31f15aa6256cc7d14eda&start=125&end=812","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3098918-1fdabf124c4d31f15aa6256cc7d14eda/thumbnail_125000.jpg","/articles/6264137/Vermont/Human-Services-panel-reviews-Vermont-Ethics-Network-palliative-care-report-plans-MAID-update","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6264137-734981a5b52f701347da2878dc1b1840/orig.mp4?Expires=1771105795&Signature=FJK-3KYFmW-NlDGNq3iITrhv15kcjP3C-OzR8Sc386t0WqsrfGmROUo5mvoM1JKPtDhOSoFhDhjHA0MdwiTWJIl4jyudu2THlRx-mBDsrJ4oyjfAXKMeqMdNzt4g7ExtuX8rCQZrpy2UCItZBLxZLJxEf2WezM7-89-ev8xa-1tnMBm1~iaNcK~AvCqN5G1hjQvajjDHHKFAGBzvFCfISfL0MujX51lJWE-7wDufZqbZ4IyC5tmMgfau8xuwelofEZGbGx5KUmoaVzr7eN2uOxelC8HARlNtYVLPhap-XV5fxkuZmrm137zmqRlNz-5SPYlRLem3nAmbVFi~o6H5nw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Human Services Committee reviewed the Vermont Ethics Network
nnual report on palliative care and agreed to invite outside groups to brief the committee on access to medical aid in dying and related end-of-life supports.

Committee members were presented a summary of the Network's report, which described statewide events and partner activity intended to keep end-of-life care and decision-making visible to lawmakers. Committee members said the report showed substantial community engagement and listed multiple partner organizations participating in palliative-care work.

Members noted the report did not offer statewide policy recommendations for the coming year but documented outreach and education efforts. Committee members asked about specific measures such as advance-directive registration, hospice use, and whether the state is seeing shifts in where people die (home versus hospital). A committee member said the Network reported difficulty producing certain longitudinal measures and that some web materials have had wide reach (the Network\fited video views), but the group could not reliably identify viewers\u000by state.

The committee discussed recent legislative changes to medical aid in dying (MAID), including removal of a residency requirement. Committee members heard that Patient Choices Vermont and other providers saw increased interest after those changes and that some health providers and regions still lack capacity and referral infrastructure to support people seeking MAID. One member recounted reports of limited hospice and home-health access in parts of southeastern Vermont after service reorganizations.

As follow-up, members agreed to invite Cindy Brussese of the Vermont Ethics Network and Betsy Walkerman of Patient Choices Vermont to update the committee on MAID access, changes in advance-directive processes, and regional capacity for palliative and hospice services. Committee members also said they would check with visiting-nurse representatives (Jill Olsen was named as a contact) about hospice utilization and service coverage.

The committee did not take formal action on policy changes during the discussion; members framed the next step as scheduling briefings and collecting additional data on access, registration processes, hospice length-of-stay, and regional service gaps.","The House Human Services Committee reviewed the Vermont Ethics Network\nnnual palliative-care report and discussed access to medical aid in dying, agreeing to invite representatives from Vermont Ethics Network and Patient Choices Vermont for an update.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears report on special-accommodation grants under Act 76; members flag potential funding gap

Committee reviews medical cannabis report; members consider changing qualifying-condition process

Human Services panel reviews Vermont Ethics Network palliative-care report, plans MAID update