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House subcommittee backs bill letting APD treat forensic and competency clients by clinical need
Summary
The Health Care Budget Subcommittee reported House Bill 569 favorably after Representative Cheney said the measure would allow the Agency for Persons with Disabilities to allocate Department Disability Defendant Program resources by clinical assessment rather than by separate legal categories.
Representative Cheney presented House Bill 569, telling the Health Care Budget Subcommittee that the measure would allow the Agency for Persons with Disabilities’ Department Disability Defendant Program to serve individuals "based on clinical assessment and outcomes rather than legal definition." She said the change would let APD better use secure treatment, supervision and care to return forensic clients to court or to serve individuals found incompetent to stand trial.
Supporters on the panel voiced quick approval. Representative Tant said the change "has been needed for a while" and praised APD’s effort to "streamline and be able to conserve more funding so that we can help more people." Cheney waived closing debate, and the committee chair called the roll for a vote.
The clerk recorded multiple affirmative responses and Chair Andrade announced that HB 569 was reported favorably out of the subcommittee. The bill’s presentation materials described the fiscal effect as indeterminate but anticipated a positive impact from more efficient use of APD resources.
Next steps: the bill was reported favorably by the subcommittee and will proceed through the House process for further consideration.
