CAFCA
Public Policy Committee MinutesCAFCA
Public Policy Committee Minutes
January 2, 2007
Members present: Cyndi Dodds via phone (Namaqua Center), chair, Catherine Hoich (Arapahoe House), Megan Aldritt (Catholic Charities of Denver), Ruth Ann Russell (Family Tree), Arnie Goldstein (Excelsior YC), Fofi Mendez (Mendez Steadman) and Susannah Carroll, Katie Mason and Peg Long (CAFCA).
The meeting was called to order at 12:10 pm.
Legislative Agenda
Foster Care Agencies of Colorado (formerly CPA Network) CPA rates bill – Sponsor Rep. Cheri Jahn & Senator Betty Boyd
This bill would allow CDHS to have veto power over negotiation processes submitted by counties. Currently, CDHS apparently only has the authority to accept negotiation proposals. This bill would require counties to pay the state-set CPA rates in the absence of an approved negotiation process. It would require CDHS to add any legislated CPA provider Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) to the calculated rate rather than adding it to county CW block grants as is current practice. We have not seen the draft bill but support the concepts as they have been described. Peg and Fofi spoke with Steve Bates at the Child Welfare briefing about a similar solution for residential provider COLAs. In SFY 2006-07, CDHS added the 3.25% provider increase directly to the rates based on cost reports. It may be possible to amend the CPA bill to include TRCCFs for the COLA protection. The single-subject limitation may preclude us from doing s, but see the 1084 discussion below for another option.
CDHS HB 05-1084 amendments
Fofi reported that CDHS does not yet have a draft bill and this will likely be a late bill to make the changes the Department feels are necessitated by the mandated Medicaid reform. If we cannot amend the foster care rate bill to include TRCCF COLAs, we could amend this bill to accomplish the same.
HB 06-1023 Amendments
Congress has reinstated the exemption of children in foster (out-of-home) care from legal status documentation requirements. HB 06-1023 exempts those under 18, so most children in out-of-home care would be exempt from documentation. Fofi confirmed that the age 18 exemption applies to DYC youth as well. We are still concerned about youth who remain in the child welfare system beyond their 18th birthday. While we may watch any bills to further amend this bill in 2007, we do not anticipate any active support or opposition to them.
CAFCA bills
Felony Exemption in Adoption - Sponsor Rep. Terrance Carroll
CAFCA is seeking limited exemptions to the prohibition on adoption by persons convicted of a felony. We anticipate some opposition to this. Megan pointed out that some CPAs license all of their adoptive parents as foster parents first and place the children to be adopted in the home in order to gauge the parenting skills and fit prior to proceeding with the adoption. This bill could require a review of that practice for some adoptive applicants since the bill will prohibit placement of a child in the home of an applicant who has a felony conviction prior to the court’s ruling favorably on the petition. Peg pointed out that foster parents currently face the same prohibitions regarding felony convictions and would not be able to obtain a foster care license. This bill does not address the foster care prohibition as there is no court oversight for issuing a foster care license.
Expedited Relinquishment cleanup – Sponsor Senator Paula Sandoval
This bill will clarify CPA responsibilities regarding administrative notice provisions in expedited relinquishment proceedings and birth parent rights and responsibilities.
Fofi said a bill allowing the naming of a co-parent will likely be brought this session. It will be broader than a same-sex parent concept and could include naming kin or another party or couple as a co-parent.
Senator Keller bill – foster care task force
This bill proposes a number of changes to improve the foster care system. It is focused on county actions regarding placement decisions, giving foster parents sufficient information, methods for determining foster parent applicants’ altruism, etc. Peg attended the stakeholder meeting on the bill and expressed concerns that real reform can likely take place only if the entire child welfare system is reviewed, from family preservation efforts through adoption, foster care and residential care practices. Others also expressed concerns. Senator Keller called Peg to discuss further the systemic issues and options. She may ask that Governor Ritter appoint a commission to study needed changes to the system and will likely not bring the bill that was drafted. Fofi said that Senator Keller is also working on a bill that would require health insurers to adopt the ICD9 list of eligible diagnoses used by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to provide internal behavioral health care services to insureds. Although this would expand privately covered behavioral health services, it could reduce the state’s cost of providing behavioral health services through such programs as the Child Mental Health Treatment Act (HB 1116).
Appointments of CDHS and HCPF Directors
Although neither appointee has officially been announced, it appears that Joan Henneberry will be appointed HCPF Director and Karen Bye will be appointed CDHS Director. Joan is currently Director of Consulting and Research for Government Health at Policy Studies, Inc. Karen Bye served as CDHS Executive Director under Governor Roy Romer and is currently the Director of Human Services for Broomfield County. Also, Todd Saliman is the new Director of the Office of State Planning and Budget (OSPB). Henry Sobanet, former OSPB Director, is retiring but will continue with the office in a consulting role.
2007 CAFCA Legislative Luncheon February 15th
There was much discussion about the impact of Amendment 41, the lobbying reform initiative that passed in November 2006, on the annual legislative luncheon. Mendez Steadman staff will be attending a workshop on January 5th hosted by the drafters of the initiative to find out more about the measure’s intent, impact and anticipated statutory language to implement it. Limitations in what elected officials may accept impact such advocacy activities as CAFCA’s legislative lunch. Peg has not reserved a location for the February 15th event as she did not want to lose the deposit in case the event was later cancelled. CAFCA has never broken even on this event and is always at the mercy of the committee schedules and calendar deadlines when it comes to attendance by legislators. Fofi suggested that this year members instead focus their efforts on educating the 13 new legislators who are on the House and Senate Human Services and Judiciary Committees. Activities could include taking each of these people to lunch on the date the legislative luncheon was originally scheduled. Small regional groups of CAFCA members could join in inviting the new legislators to lunch and use existing PR materials such as the fact sheets CAFCA developed for adoption, foster care and residential care, to educate legislators about the types of programs offered by members and the children served. Peg will provide the fact sheets. Fofi will obtain updated contact information for these new individuals.
CSFR/PIP Training 1/10/07
Peg urged all CAFCA members to attend this training and gain insight into how the state and county child welfare minds work and why. Knowledge of the CSFR and the state’s PIP is the key to creating and offering programs that counties will demand. Safety, permanency and well-being may seem like buzz words, but they are valuable goals that are driving the child welfare system from the federal level through the county level. Understanding the CSFR and PIP are keys to the success of member organizations.
Date: January 10, 2007 (Wednesday)
Time: 8:30 – 1 p.m.
Location: Tennyson Center for Children, 2950 Tennyson St., Denver
Cost: $25 members and affiliates, $35 nonmembers
Targeted audience: CEOs, Clinical Directors, Managers, Treatment Supervisors
Space is limited to 25 people due to the nature of the presentation.
Registration forms are available on the CAFCA webpage: www.cafca.net.
Old Business
None.
New Business
The 2007 session opens on January 10th. Weekly bill review meetings will be Fridays, beginning January 19th and will continue through February. All meetings begin at 8:00 a.m. and are held at Mendez Steadman, 1370 Pennsylvania, suite 400, Denver. Cyndi Dodds encouraged interested CAFCA members to attend stating that a variety of perspectives and expertise are helpful when determining CAFCA’s position on relevant bills.
Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m. Next meeting: Tuesday, February 6, 2007.
Respectfully submitted,
Peg Long