03/22/1994 03:00 PM House HES

  HB 412 - COMMUNITY CARE FACILITIES                                           
                                                                               
  CHAIR TOOHEY asked Pat O'Brien to testify.                                   
                                                                               
  Number 036                                                                   
                                                                               
  PAT O'BRIEN, Social Services Program Officer, Division of                    
  Family and Youth Services (DFYS), Department of Health and                   
  Social Services (DHSS), testified in support of HB 412.  She                 
  stated there had been amendments made to the legislation                     
  including additional cross-references drafted by Terri                       
  Lauterbach and the DHSS was comfortable with the legislation                 
  as written.  She offered to answer questions.                                
                                                                               
  CHAIR TOOHEY indicated that the committee should have a copy                 
  of the committee substitute (CS) dated 3/16/94 version E.                    
  She then asked if there were any questions for Ms. O'Brien.                  
                                                                               
  Number 100                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. OLBERG asked if the legislation would save the state                    
  money.                                                                       
                                                                               
  Number 101                                                                   
                                                                               
  MS. O'BRIEN explained that savings is the focus of the bill.                 
  She stated that currently the DHSS has an overloaded                         
  licensing staff that has difficulty meeting expected                         
  standards for the ratio of licensors to the number of                        
  facilities they license.  She said the DHSS does not expect                  
  to hire more staff, so the only option is to combine a                       
  number of varying standards into the statute that will ease                  
  the workload of the licensors.  She further explained that                   
  both private agencies that perform licensing and licensing                   
  supervisors across the state support the effort as an                        
  important efficiency measure.                                                
                                                                               
  REP. OLBERG asked if money will be saved because more people                 
  will not be hired.                                                           
                                                                               
  MS. O'BRIEN asserted that the DHSS will do more with the                     
  same resources or less.                                                      
                                                                               
  Number 143                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. B. DAVIS asked if Chair Toohey wanted to hear further                   
  testimony.                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIR TOOHEY said it was her intent to discuss the proposal                  
  and move it out of committee.                                                
                                                                               
  REP. B. DAVIS made a motion to pass HB 412 out of committee                  
  with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note.                    
                                                                               
  CHAIR TOOHEY, hearing no objections, declared that HB 412                    
  was so moved.  She then brought HJR 54 to the table.