Megan Leopold, staff with the Kansas Legislative Research Department, presented the Bethel Joint Committee on Home and Community Based Services interim recommendations to the Committee on Social Services Budget.

Recommendations included implementing a Graduate Medical Education (GME) program at the Kansas Behavioral Health Center for Excellence; drafting a budget proviso to change statutory CHIP eligibility language so the program is defined as 250% of the current federal poverty level (rather than referencing the 2008 poverty level); addressing CHIP wait lists and lockout periods; offering budget proviso funding for local communities to recreate a previously published resource guide for families; providing additional state grant funding to supplement federal SUD provider allocations; and continuing to rebase PACE rates via annual budget proviso.

Leopold asked whether the committee wished to hear proposed legislation; members declined to go into details at that time. Representative Will Carpenter and Representative Barbara Ballard participated in the discussion; Carpenter noted the GME recommendation and Ballard asked for more information about specific elements such as how funding would be requested within the budget process.

Ending: The committee received the interim recommendations and discussed that some items could be pursued as statutory changes or through budget provisos. Staff indicated follow-up on proposed language and fiscal estimates would occur as needed.