Senate Committee on Health and Welfare

 

AGENDA

 

Room 17 and Zoom

March 26, 2024 - March 29, 2024

Last Updated 3/29/2024 9:17 AM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-health-and-welfare.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

10:30 AM                   Joint Assembly

Judicial retention

 

-                                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

9:00 AM                   H. 72 - An act relating to a harm-reduction criminal justice response to drug use

Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Lila Bennett, Executive Director, Journey to Recovery Community Center

Dakota Roberts, Harm Reduction Specialist, AIDS Project of Southern Vermont

Jess Kirby, Director of Client Services, Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform

Drew Hazelton, Chair, Vermont EMS Advisory Committee

Jessa Barnard, Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society

 

9:45 AM                   H. 543 - An act relating to Vermont’s adoption of the Social Work Licensure Compact

Committee discussion and mark-up

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Angela Paoli, LICSW, Mental Health Provider; President, National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Vermont Chapter

Lauren Layman, General Counsel, Office of Professional Regulation, Secretary of State's Office

 

10:30 AM                   H. 847 - An act relating to peer support provider and recovery support specialist certification

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Wilda White, Consultant, Peer Workforce Development Initiative

Kelly Dougherty, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Health

Zachary Hughes, Board Vice President, Vermont Psychiatric Survivors

Lisa Lord, Director of Operations and Workforce Development, Recovery Vermont; Vermont Association for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery (VAMHAR)

Gary DeCarolis, Executive Director, Vermont Recovery Network

Lauren Layman, General Counsel, Office of Professional Regulation, Secretary of State's Office

Nicole DiStasio, Director of Policy, Department of Mental Health

Chip Mitiguy, Recovery Coach, Turning Point Center of Addison County

Brendan Atwood, Public Health Policy Director, Department of Health

 

11:45 AM                   Parent Child Centers

Josh Miller, Executive Director, Janet S. Munt Family Room

Forrest Gardner, Family Room Family

Zeinab Bulle, Family Room Family

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

Thursday, March 28, 2024

9:00 AM                   H. 247 - An act relating to Vermont’s adoption of the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact

Mark-up and vote

Jennifer Carbee, Director and Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Lauren Layman, General Counsel, Office of Professional Regulation, Secretary of State's Office

 

9:45 AM                   H. 766 - An act relating to prior authorization and step therapy requirements, health insurance claims, and provider contracts

Introduction and walk-through

Jennifer Carbee, Director and Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Rep. Alyssa Black, Co-Sponsor, House Committee on Health Care

Michael Fisher, Chief Health Care Advocate, Office of the Health Care Advocate, Vermont Legal Aid

 

10:30 AM                   H. 72 - An act relating to a harm-reduction criminal justice response to drug use

Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Grey Gardner, Senior Staff Attorney, Drug Policy Alliance

Elizabeth Deutsch, RN, Assistant Director and Director of Nursing, Howard Center’s Chittenden Clinic

Grace Keller, Chair, Vermont Overdose Prevention Network

 

11:30 AM                   H. 72 - An act relating to a harm-reduction criminal justice response to drug use

Evidence based funding

Nolan Langweil, Principal Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

Friday, March 29, 2024

9:00 AM                   Disability Awareness Day

Susan Aranoff, Senior Planner and Policy Analyst, Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council

Max Barrows, Outreach Director, Green Mountain Self Advocates

Hasan Ko, Self- Advocate, Champlain Valley Voices

Anastasia Douglas, Chair, Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council

 

9:15 AM                   H. 72 - An act relating to a harm-reduction criminal justice response to drug use

Mark-up

Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

9:45 AM                   H. 543 - An act relating to Vermont’s adoption of the Social Work Licensure Compact

Mark-up and possible vote

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:30 AM                   Security Briefing

John Poleway, Chief, Capitol Police Department

Agatha Kessler, Sergeant-at-Arms, Vermont State House

Kevin Williams, Acting Chief, Capitol Police Department

 

11:00 AM                   H. 847 - An act relating to peer support provider and recovery support specialist certification

Mark-up

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Rep. Eric Maguire, House Director, Rutland Dismas House

 

11:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

ATTENTION WITNESSES

 

Please email handouts to the committee assistant at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting time. With few exceptions, any documents you send to a committee assistant are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s web page.

 

Should you require accessibility services, please click here and note that requests should be made 48 hours in advance of testimony.

 

 

 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Kiki Carasi-Schwartz at kcarasi-schwartz@leg.state.vt.us