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Senate committee advances bill to merge three health agencies into cabinet structure, cites Olmstead obligations and collaboration technology
Summary
The Senate Medical Affairs Committee voted 12–0 to report S.2 favorably to the full Senate after adopting a composite amendment that consolidates DMH, DAODIS and DDSN into offices under a cabinet-level agency and adds collaboration and Olmstead-related coordination language.
The Senate Medical Affairs Committee gave a favorable report, 12–0, to S.2, a bill that consolidates three state health agencies into subagencies under a cabinet-level structure. The measure focuses on the Department of Mental Health (DMH), the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug (DAODIS) services, and the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN), creating successor offices described in the amendment as the Office of Intellectual and Related Disabilities, the Office of Mental Health and the Office of Substance Use Services.
Committee staff summarized a composite amendment incorporating five subcommittee amendments. Key changes adopted at subcommittee and on the floor included renaming the substance-related office to the "Office of Substance Use…
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