Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Youth System Of Care topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
JBC backs youth system-of-care steps: approves departmental request, delays child-welfare capitation change and funds a workforce training center with oversight
Summary
The Joint Budget Committee approved the Department of Human Services'youth system-of-care funding request, authorized drafting of legislation to delay transferring child-welfare residential placements into capitation, and approved funding and drafting authority for a workforce capacity center subject to a two-year sunset and reporting requirements.
The Joint Budget Committee took several policy and drafting actions on the Department of Human Services'youth system-of-care proposal, which the department framed as necessary both to comply with a child-welfare settlement agreement and to implement a statewide system of care for children with high behavioral-health needs.
Amanda Bickle, JBC staff, and a Department presenter (transcript label "Ms. Pope") described the seven-step system-of-care plan the department has developed; a key constraint identified by the department and by providers was a lack of trained, certified providers for "high-fidelity wraparound" and intensive care coordination. The department proposed redirecting some funding to a workforce capacity center (a center of excellence) to train clinicians and certify teams in high-fidelity models, and to delay moving child-welfare residential placement funding into behavioral-health capitation until alternatives and provider capacity exist.
Committee action consisted of three formal motions: - The committee approved the department's BA-10 youth system-of-care request (motion passed 6-0). - The committee authorized staff to draft legislation to delay implementation of the child-welfare residential placement payment transfer into capitation, with the committee asking staff to return with language and an implementation timeline (the committee approved drafting authority; motion passed 6-0). Members debated whether to delay one or two years before the transfer; staff will return with recommended draft language. - The committee approved the department's request to fund a workforce capacity center, subject to legislative drafting; the committee asked for a two-year sunset on the center, reporting requirements, and an RFI/report to capture performance metrics (requests included number trained, fidelity measures and placement outcomes). The motion to approve funding and give drafting authority included a requirement for the department to report back with program outcomes and historical information on prior centers that had existed; the motion passed 6-0.
Committee members repeatedly emphasized the need not to pull residential funding away from counties or providers until concrete placement alternatives, training, and capacity exist. Several members said they were prepared to delay the capitation transfer to avoid destabilizing placements.
Next steps: staff will draft the delay bill and a separate bill or draft language for the workforce center with a two-year sunset and reporting requirements; the department will prepare a short presentation (the committee requested a concise, slide-based briefing) with detailed implementation and cost estimates before the long bill is finalized.
Ending note: the committee treated the workforce center and the capitation delay as linked implementation steps: the workforce investment is intended to build the provider network needed before the scheduled shift to capitation.
