At a meeting of the Senate Health and Human Services Confirmation Committee, senators unanimously advanced the nomination of Kevin Hinton to the Board of Aging and Adult Services and referred his name to the full Senate for confirmation.

Kevin Hinton, a pharmacist who said he has worked about 10 years with long‑term‑care patients, told the committee his priority would be improving coordination among pharmacies, assisted‑living facilities and providers to reduce poor transitions of care. “My biggest focus ... is to improve that coordination,” he said.

Hinton described daily realities he sees at discharge and in long‑term care: patients who cannot manage medications financially or physically and pharmacies that absorb costs. “The pharmacy writes off somewhere between 50 and a hundred thousand dollars pretty much every year worth of OTCs and medications that people just can't pay for,” he said, describing unpaid over‑the‑counter and medication costs the pharmacy covers to serve patients.

Senator Stratton raised concerns about gaps in legal and financial protections for older adults who lack family advocates, including wills, powers of attorney and medical documentation. Hinton said providers, assisted‑living staff and pharmacies often serve as informal supports when families are absent and supported the convening of those stakeholders to find systemic solutions.

Senator Stevenson moved to forward Hinton’s nomination to the Senate for final confirmation; the motion carried unanimously. Committee members present who identified themselves at the start of the meeting were the chair, Senator Stevenson and Senators Plum, Thatcher and Stratton; all voted in favor.

Hinton told senators he would focus on workforce and coordination and said he wants pharmacies, assisted‑living providers and medical teams “on the same platform” to improve care transitions for fragile patients. The committee’s favorable recommendation sends his nomination to the full Senate for a final vote.