Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Agency of Human Services briefs Senate Health & Welfare on structure, mental‑health priorities and workforce gaps
Summary
Secretary Jenny Saracens and AHS leaders presented an overview of the agency’s departments, district offices and priorities, emphasizing mental‑health and substance‑use care, workforce vacancies and plans to reopen psychiatric hospital beds.
Jenny Saracens, secretary of the Agency of Human Services, told the Senate Health & Welfare Committee on Jan. 16 that the agency coordinates six departments and manages programs intended to improve Vermonters’ health and well‑being, while acknowledging significant workforce and system‑capacity challenges.
Saracens and agency deputies described the agency’s structure, district office network, core values and priorities; answered senators’ questions about vacancies and staffing; and asked the committee to schedule follow‑up sessions on specific topics, including Act 167 and school‑based health financing.
"The agency of human services is the largest agency in state government," Saracens told the committee, saying its mission is "to improve the condition and well‑being of Vermonters." She listed six operating departments: Public Health; Disabilities, Aging, and Independent…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
