Committee advances bill reorganizing Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education, adopts stakeholder-driven amendment

The House committee voted to pass as amended a health bill that restructures the Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education and clarifies roles and data requirements for family navigators and deaf mentors.

Amendment 13, offered after meetings with four stakeholder groups, was accepted by the committee by consent. Tammy Dominguez of the Indiana Association of the Deaf, Lindy Powell of Saint Joseph Speech and Hearing, Christina Commons of FSSA (First Steps) and Rachel Swartwood of the Department of Health each described steps the amendment takes to define family navigators, continue use of deaf mentors, and require transparency on center policies and posted data.

The amendment followed stakeholder discussions held the previous week and was drafted, chairman Barrett said, to ensure the center operates “in an unbiased manner.” Dominguez told the committee that “with 90 percent of deaf babies born to hearing parents, their ability to acquire language and thrive … depends on access to a comprehensive range of early intervention services.” Lindy Powell said the changes are “a small step toward a more neutral, unbiased center” and praised requirements for public posting of data and clarified scope for family navigators.

Christina Commons, director of the Bureau of Child Development Services at the Family and Social Services Administration, told the committee First Steps services are provided under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and emphasized federal requirements: “States cannot arbitrarily limit the amount of services a child or family can receive under Part C,” she said, adding that services must align with an individualized family service plan.

Rachel Swartwood of the Department of Health said the center “works across the health, education and family and social service systems” and that the department supports the amendment because it “helps support the mission of the center to promote positive outcomes for all deaf and hard of hearing children through information services and education.”

Senator Brown, closing for the bill, said the legislation also contains other provisions retained from the original draft, including home modification grants of up to $20,000 for eligible seniors and updates to opioid treatment program regulation and credentialing rules for ambulatory surgery centers. He said the bill intends to reduce delays in access to services and to make licensing for CNAs and QMAs easier.

Committee members agreed to pass the bill as amended and requested a roll call. The committee vote recorded 11 ayes, 0 nays; several members were listed as excused. Committee remarks said the bill is likely to be recommitted to Ways and Means for alignment on certification and licensing language (CNA, QMA) between the Department of Health and licensing entities.

In related action, the committee took by consent Amendment 14, which the chairman described as clarifying HIPAA protections for disease-reporting and expanding authorization for some podiatry procedures to be performed with office anesthesia — a change intended to reduce use of more expensive surgical centers.

The committee noted work remains on the CNA/QMA sections and that some technical amendments will be revisited as language is refined before final passage.

Votes at a glance: the committee recorded the pass-as-amended motion with the roll call showing members recorded as voting yes: Representative Shackleford; Representative Bauer; Representative Porter (explained vote, aye); Representative McGuire; Representative Carball; Representative Goss Reeves; Representative Hostetler; Representative Issa; Representative King; Representative Ledbetter; Representative Barrett. Several members were excused. The committee reported the motion carried 11–0.

The committee will forward the amended bill for further drafting and review on licensing and certification provisions.