Legislative Update

Devon Green,

VP Government Relations

As we head into town meeting week next week, the countdown to crossover has begun. Things are starting to move fast!

 

Regulatory Flexibilities: The House Health Care Committee voted out a bill that would extend certain COVID regulatory flexibilities, including health care provider licensure for an out-of-state provider in good standing at a facility when a provisional license is not available. The legislation includes a new section that requires this type of “deemed” licensure to be considered a Vermont license to address concerns that some health insurers are not accepting this form of licensure.

 

Budget Adjustment Act: The FY 23 Budget Adjustment Act will go to a conference committee to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions. The differences that impact hospitals include:

  • The House version includes $9.25 million for and inpatient adolescent psych unit. The Senate eliminated this provision.

  • The Senate version has greater flexibility for pipeline funding. The House version requires health care facilities to provide assistance with living costs.

Mental Health: There was a lot happening with mental health this week.

  • The Department of Mental Health presented their FY 2024 budget initiatives to the House Health Care Committee:

  • ED Alternatives: $1.6 million for an urgent mental health crisis center run by Northeast Kingdom Human Services for individuals in mental health crisis. The Northeast Kingdom currently has very few mental health resources.

  • Mobile Crisis Expansion: Proposal to use $422,812 to continue to expand the mobile crisis program.

  • Peer Credentialing: $375,000 to establish screening, training, and credentialing for peers with an estimated 60 individuals trained in the first year.

  • Forensic Facility Legislation: The Department of Mental Health presented on S.89 and its proposal for 9 forensic beds as residential outpatient care for those involved in the criminal justice system and for those who have a considerable amount of risk for violence. The plan is to use 9 existing beds in the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital for this population.  

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Regulators may get more flexible on UVMMC mental health care investment

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Health regulators to decide how UVMHN will spend $18M on mental health