Public Comments for 01/23/2024 Health and Human Services
HB37 - Loan repayment programs; creates program for mental health professionals.
vote yes support all health care professionals
HB75 - Foster care; State Bd. of Social Services to amend regulations, application for and use of benefits.
HB150 - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; new participants not required to appear in person.
HB150 is an important provision for individuals who are homebound and not able to appear to continue their benefits. There are many families with disabled loved ones who qualify for SNAP benefits but they are unable to travel and leave their home. Once they qualify for these benefits the renewal process should not have to be in person. Please vote YES on HB150
make support accessible, cut out bureaucracy
HB217 - Hysterectomies and oophorectomies; DHP shall review informed consent requirements.
I am writing to express my support for the bill regarding informed consent for hysterectomy or oophorectomy procedures. It is crucial for patients to be fully informed about their medical procedures and have the freedom to make informed decisions about their own bodies. This bill ensures that patients receive the necessary information and resources before undergoing such procedures, empowering them to make the best choices for their health. Thank you
As a licensed professional counselor who has closely worked with a group in the Hampton Roads area, I've witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of Dr. Perwaiz's unnecessary surgeries on countless women, causing significant mental health challenges. These women were preyed upon and manipulated into undergoing procedures they didn't need. Dr. Perwaiz instilled fear in them, convincing them that their very lives were at stake unless they consented to invasive surgeries, robbing them of their reproductive rights and causing irreversible physical and emotional trauma. It's disheartening to acknowledge that such abuse of power could occur within our healthcare system. Yet, sadly, Dr. Perwaiz's case is not an isolated incident. Across the state, vulnerable individuals are being exploited for financial gain by unscrupulous medical practitioners. While this bill may not single-handedly prevent all instances of such victimization, it represents a crucial step in the right direction. By holding physicians more accountable and prioritizing the protection of patients' rights, we can begin to stem the tide of exploitation and abuse. However, by sending this bill back to committee, I fear we are sending the opposite message. We must continue to advocate for comprehensive reforms that safeguard women's physiological rights and ensure that healthcare professionals uphold the highest ethical standards. Without proactive measures in place, we risk perpetuating a cycle of exploitation and suffering. Let us stand together and demand accountability within the medical community. Let us champion the rights of those who have been wronged and work tirelessly to prevent further injustice. Together, we can create a future where every individual receives the quality care and respect they deserve.
HB217: women should know what consequences these procedures entail HB1035: excellent idea. Please move to report.
YES always to informed consent
I am thankful my Dr was transparent and honest during my hysterectomy. She had a meeting with me and my husband to discuss the surgery, potential options for a less invasive surgery,. Thank you for your consideration off this bill to support women'es rights and reproduction!! Fondly, Mary Beth Libby, M.Ed.
Honorable Mr. Orrock, I ask that you please support HB217, as this bill is very personal to me. I met a wonderful woman and mother, Karen Collins, through a twin Mom club in Spotsylvania. I have known her for a decade. I was absolutely horrified to find out that she had her god given right to have more children taken from her, during an unrelated surgery and without her life being put in danger. Karen is a model citizen and an upstanding ethical person. A complete sweetheart, and her last ovary was taken during an appendectomy without her direct consent. I believe children are a gift from god. The ability to have children and grow your family, under god, is rooted in the same faith that built this nation. These organs are sacred. Without legislation, more misunderstandings / tragedies will continue to occur to wonderful families like my friend Karen. I can't imagine a more horrific thing happening to a more wonderful person. Please prevent this. Had the doctor been legally required to check a box on reproductive organ removal (when life isn't in danger, which it wasn't) - this wonderful Spotsylvania family would have had the blessing of more brothers and sisters. So much suffering can be fixed with this bill. Please support it. Thank you Bobby. I hope this comment is not too late. Respectfully, Jennifer Child, Spotsylvania Virginia. ----- Footnote: This happened to someone I know, personally, and it's heartbreaking and terrible. I am attaching a photo of my friend and her family. (I do not think she would mind). Do you know what is missing in this picture? Her future children that were carelessly stripped from her. This bill is needed.
I support this bill.
As a woman who had my only remaining ovary removed without my consent and without medical necessity, I respectfully urge the committee to support House Bill 217. The removal of any reproductive organ from a woman’s body should be her decision, and hers alone, unless it involves a life-threatening emergency where its removal is necessary to save her life and consent cannot be given. Doctors should not be allowed to hide behind generic, boiler-plate consent form language allowing them to make decisions about reproductive organ removal “in the best interest of the patient”. The best interest of every woman is to provide her the opportunity to make her own informed decisions about what happens to her reproductive organs. Female reproductive organs serve critical roles in women’s health and quality of life, far beyond reproduction. Their removal results in permanent, life-altering changes to a woman’s body. I was sterilized and immediately thrust into surgically-induced menopause at the age of 37 and now have to subject myself to a myriad of man-made hormones to maintain some semblance of normal life. The physical, mental and emotional changes I have experienced since my doctor made an intraoperative decision to remove my fully-functioning ovary without my consent have ruined the quality of life I enjoyed pre-surgery. Additionally, I am now at an increased risk of multiple health issues, to include shortened life expectancy, and am subject to numerous side effects of hormone replacement therapy. Before this happened to me, I never have imagined how often these unnecessary surgeries are happening to women all over the country. It seems like common sense that a doctor wouldn’t be allowed to remove a uterus or ovaries without a woman’s consent, but somehow our society has historically allowed it to happen at alarming rates. And unfortunately, when it does occur and women seek justice, they are largely dismissed by both the medical oversight and legal communities. I was personally told "it was just an ovary" and to "get over it and move on with your life". Women's reproductive organs should never be treated as disposable or collateral damage. I hope you will take the time to consider how big this issue is, beyond my single story. If you are not familiar with Dr. Javaid Perwaiz, the Chesapeake, Virginia gynecologist recently sentenced to 59 years in prison, please take the time to visit the Wavy News Channel 10 website, and read the investigative report The Patients v. Perwaiz. It is a lengthy ten-part series, but it is an excellent example of why legislation like HB217 is critically necessary here in the Commonwealth. He was not only removing organs without consent; he was also coercing women into consenting to surgeries that were not necessary and taking advantage of his patients’ trust in him. For decades, women’s complaints have fallen on deaf ears, and it wasn’t until the Federal government stepped in that these women were heard and validated. He had hundreds of victims, many who didn’t even know that he had performed unnecessary surgeries on them until after his arrest was publicized. If one doctor can have hundreds of victims; even if there are only a few “bad” doctors in the Commonwealth performing these unnecessary procedures, the number of women in Virginia who are victims is likely in the thousands. There is a substantial public health justification for this legislation and it is absolutely necessary to protect women in Virginia.
HB329 - Marriage & family therapists; Bd. of Counseling to amend regulations related to licensure.
Good morning, I am sorry I can't share my comments live but I am glad for the opportunity to share with the sub-committee on this important issue. License portability is a critical factor in improving access to mental health care for Virginia residents and people across the region. As the owner of group private practice I am often working to navigate issues of licensure for the 10 clinicians on my team and the hundreds of clients that we serve. In this post-covid era where many people are now utilizing teletherapy, portability is a big deal particularly in areas like Northern Virginia where residents of one state often work in another. We have a number of clients who would like to be seen during their lunch breaks but because they work in Maryland or DC they are unable to do so with their Virginia licensed therapist. This issue shows up for college students who may go to school locally but are still across state lines and therefore can no longer work with their therapist. There is also the financial and administrative burden on therapists who want to make their services more broadly available but may not have the means to obtain and maintain licenses in both states. If we are truly committed to improving mental health care access and quality then moving forward with this bill is an essential step we must take. I look forward to opportunities to share more information on how this can be beneficial to constituents and small businesses such as my own.
Dear Delegates of the House Health and Human Services - Health Professions Committee, My name is Megan Dolbin-MacNab - I am a licensed marriage and family therapist and approved supervisor in Virginia. I work in a training setting, teaching and supervising novice marriage and family therapists. I am writing to encourage you to support House Bill 329, introduced by Delegate Mark Sickles, which seeks to ease licensure by endorsement requirements for marriage and family therapists in Virginia. House Bill 329 will allow marriage and family therapists with an unrestricted license from another state to be eligible for licensure by endorsement in Virginia. This change will remove unnecessary licensing barriers and provide more licensed and qualified individuals with the ability to deliver mental health services in Virginia. When I moved to Virginia, I experienced these barriers firsthand. I held an unrestricted license in another state and the process of obtaining licensure in Virginia was extremely challenging. I am also regularly contacted by marriage and family therapists who are relocating to Virginia and seeking my guidance on how to navigate various barriers to licensure. Essentially, the current licensure by endorsement requirements can make it difficult for qualified mental health professionals to practice in Virginia. And this directly impacts those who are in need of mental health services. Most importantly, House Bill 329 will increase access to qualified mental health providers. As a mental health provider and supervisor, who resides in rural Virginia, our mental health clinic maintains a months-long waitlist of people who are desperate for mental health services. There are simply not enough available providers in our area to meet the demand. The consequences of not being able to access mental health services are dire - suicide rates are staggering and unmet mental health needs can result in lost income, fractured relationships, substance misuse, physical health problems, and family and community violence. Any initiative than will make it easier for individuals, couples, and families to obtain needed mental health care is most welcome. House Bill 329 is critical in this regard, as it provides a pathway for increasing the number of highly trained mental health providers who are available to meet the mental health needs of individuals, couples, and families across the Commonwealth. I strongly urge the Committee to support this legislation, which is critical to supporting the health and well-being of all Virginians. Sincerely, Megan L. Dolbin-MacNab, PhD, LMFT American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Clinical Fellow American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Approved Supervisor
HB349 - Advanced registered medication aides; aides who administer drugs in certified nursing facilities.
HB361 - Criminal history record information; dissemination of information to DSS.
HB472 - TANF; repeals provision relating to child care services, reporting.
HB479 - Prisoner; physical examination by licensed nurse practitioner.
I am a physician assistant who has worked in a department of corrections in Massachusetts as a practitioner. My role was doing physical exams after intake and also managing acute and chronic diseases. Advanced practitioners are full capable of completing basic physical exam which includes taking a history, med reconciliation, and creating management plans. If you are educated on the education of advanced practitioners, then it should be known that they are fully capable providers. Adding them as providers to perform this skill prevents delay of care but also delay of jobs or programs in prison where a PE is required.
HB480 - Health care; life-sustaining treatment for minors, exceptions.
My name is Michael Gordon. I am a recovering addict. My clean date is 06/06/2008. I writing this letter because it my duty as a health professional to bring to the table how important it is that we change the barrier crime law. I have spent countless hours and days working with other addicts who trying to find their pathway into recovery. The frontlines are thin because the people whom society deemed unworthy because of some past mistakes cannot work in the field that they could do the greatest good. I did not know when I received my sentence in 1990 for distribution of crack cocaine. I would be serving a life time sentence. Luck for me I don’t have a barrier crime, yet today after getting my GED, going to college and graduating with honors. I still can live in certain areas or have certain jobs. I went from the crack house to the White House and still that not enough for Virginia to forgive me of my past mistakes. We need more people who has made a deep commitment to change to share their experiences with others who are suffering!!
Good morning My name is Dr Steven Cantrell. Past president of SOFT. SOFT is. Parent shopper grpup for families with a child born with trisomy 18, 13’ and related disorders. Trisomy 18 was considered lethal and hopeless 30 years ago Families were not consulted or included in the conversation to withhold all care and their child would die and were not included in this decision. Today medical care has advanced to provide necessary intervention to help. Physicians are willing to provide surgery for.a Brighter future. Simons Law asks that parents have a seat at the Table Allowing parents to participate helps all parties We all did the best for our child. Thank you Dr Steven Cantrell. Ryan’s dad born with trisomy 18
I am the Hello My Name is Heidi Murphy I support Simon’s law because honestly my daughter wouldn’t be here if it was for Simon’s Law. My daughter Sajjona is 6 years old now and also has Trisomy 18 just like Simon. I’m the social media manager of Simons law and advocate for numerous families across the country so they can get fair care. Parents have the right to know if their child has a DNR placed in their chart. Please pass Simon’s Law and allow fair care for children like my daughter Sajjona who I had to advocate for fair care.
Parents, mothers, give life to their child, they should be the only ones making such life and death decisions. As the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Supreme Court of the United States has confirmed: § 1-240.1. Rights of parents. A parent has a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent's child. Note: "CARE OF THE PARENT'S CHILD" The question that each one of the committee should ask themselves: Do you want to make a life and death decision for your child, who you brought into this world, raised and kept safe and thriving their whole life, or not.
HB504 - Licensed professionals; DBHDS to amend definition to include licensed behavior analysts.
HB514 - Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Assoc. w/Strep. Infections, Adv. Council on; sunset.
I am a clinical psychologist in the state of Virginia, a mother of three, a mother of a child with PANS/PANDAS and one of the founders of the Virginia Alliance for PANS/PANDAS (VA4PA). Going to school to get my psychology degree i never learned about PANS/PANDAS, yet lack of knowledge did not prevent my child from developing this devastating condition. Treated promptly and adequately, children and young adults with PANS/PANDAS can return to their pre-illness baseline. Untreated, the illness progresses rapidly and can result in serious and debilitating disabilities. For some, it is a death sentence. The PANDAS/PANS advisory council is crucial in raising awareness of PANS/PANDAS, advancing education and promoting research within the state. Awareness and education are key for early diagnosis, and adequate treatment. Please support HB514 and allow the Council to continue to work it started when it was first instated. Your support is truly lifesaving. Thank you, Daniela Sosa Sarkar, PsyD
Dear Members of the House Committee on Health and Human Services, I’m writing today as a parent and a founding member of the Virginia Alliance for PANS/PANDAS Action (VA4PA) with an urgent request for your support for HB 514 and accompanying bill HB 513. PANS and PANDAS may sound like benign disorders, but I assure you the reality is nothing short of horrifying. This is not hyperbole. This is an unrelenting, merciless illness that stretches comprehension. For everyone in today’s committee meeting, if you know and care about a child or young person, this bill affects you. Countless families across Virginia are suffering because there’s grossly insufficient awareness and education about PANS/PANDAS. Families frequently have to travel out-of-state to find doctors who are aware of and can treat the disease (most often self-paying), creating an enormous financial and emotional burden as they try to get help for their severely ill children. Without treatment, young people face the risk of a life of severe and progressive disability, and even death. Untreated PANS and PANDAS also create an unsustainable burden on the state, schools, police, hospitals and even insurers. The Advisory Council on PANS/PANDAS has played a critical role in making recommendations to the health commissioner on research, diagnosis, treatment and education relating to PANDAS and PANS. The Council also has also played a key role in educating schools about the illness, where teachers, counselors and nurses often have keen insight into shifts in a child's abilities and behavior. Under the leadership of Senator Suetterlein, the Council made excellent progress on this front until its work was disrupted by the pandemic and was subsequently sunset. On behalf of myself, my family and VA4PA, I ask for your deepest consideration and support for the reinstatement of the Council. Virginia’s children and families deserve the best our healthcare system has to offer, not a lifetime of unrealized potential, debt and suffering. Thank you for your support.
HB514 will re-establish the PANDAS/PANS Advisory Council and extend its sunset provision so that the Council can continue important work that was interrupted by COVID and then sunset. Education and awareness are still needed to reach doctors, school nurses, teachers, families and others about this diagnosis that requires prompt medical attention. Please Vote YES on HB514
Today I am speaking for myself and on behalf of thousands of sick kids and families in Virginia. PANDAS/PANS is a devastating illness that affects young people, triggered by common bacterial and viral infections like strep and even the common cold. The immune system mistakenly attacks healthy brain tissue, resulting in an array of disabling symptoms. Left untreated, it can result in lifelong disability, rendering individuals unable to function, and can even lead to loss of life. Lack of early intervention places a heavy burden on schools, police, and health care systems. PANS and PANDAS do not discriminate; if you know a child or a young person, this bill affects you. I have a daughter who developed PANDAS/PANS at the age of five. It was very sudden and very severe. My daughter went from being a happy, healthy, normal child to suddenly experiencing severe anxiety, depression, tics, rage, and cognitive decline, falling several years behind in school, as well as many other serious and alarming symptoms. My daughter’s school was very confused about the drastic change and did not know how to handle her. I took my daughter to seven specialists but they were unable to help her due to lack of knowledge or concern that insurance wouldn’t cover treatment. Because her treatment and diagnosis were so delayed, the disease advanced rapidly to the point where she could no longer function. It took five months to get my daughter treatment, but I know of Virginia families where it took ten years or more. Can you even imagine that? Since PANDAS/PANS is treatable and curable, the anguish VA families experience every day could easily be avoided. PANDAS/PANS is not a rare disease. It is a rarely diagnosed disease. The inability to diagnose and treat PANDAS/PANS stems from a profound lack of awareness. This is why we need to reinstate the PANDAS/PANS Advisory Council. Patients suffering from PANDAS/PANS deserve health professionals and educators who are aware of and trained in these disorders; research to advance understanding of the disease; and treatment that addresses without delay this complex and multi-system illness. This is the role the Advisory Council can and should play–making critical recommendations on PANDAS/PANS to the VA Health Commissioner and Department of Education. The council was already making good progress before it was sunset. We need its important work to continue–for Virginia’s young people, families and society as a whole. Please vote yes so we can just get the job done.
HB537 - Home Visiting Program; established, report.
HB550 - Adult adoptee; access to original birth certificate.
As an adopted person residing in the Commonwealth of Virginia, I am asking you to please vote YES on HB550 which would restore the right of adult adopted persons who were born in Virginia to obtain their own original birth certificate without hindrances. Currently, the state law in VA denies adult adopted person born in VA the right to their own original birth certificate, a discriminatory practice that non-adopted people born in Virginia do not face. Adopted people should be treated equally under the law as non-adopted citizens. Denying original birth certificates access to a group of Virginia born adults is discriminatory and a human rights injustice. Please vote YES on HB550 showing that you believe Virginia born adoptees deserve the same dignity, respect, and equality as non-adopted persons born in the state of Virginia. Thanks.
Dear Chair Tran and Members of the Subcommittee:: The Capitol Coalition for Adoptee Rights is a coalition of state and national organizations seeking equality for all adoptees, with a focus on the District of Colombia, Maryland, and Virginia. The Coalition and its partner organizations support HB550, a bill that does the simple and overdue job of restoring to Virginia-born adult adopted people with the right and ability to request a copy of their own original birth records. We ask for a DO PASS recommendation from the subcommittee. Best regards CAPITOL COALITION FOR ADOPTEE RIGHTS /s/ Susie Stricker Spokesperson
Please support HB 550. Backing HB 550 will guarantee all Virginia-born people are granted equal rights to request, pay a nominal fee, and receive access to their own, original birth certificate. Current law denies adults who were born in Virginia and later adopted the same, unrestricted right to access their birth certificate that every other Virginia born person enjoys.
As a person born and adopted in Virginia, I strongly support HB550 and I am asking for you to vote favorably when it comes before you in the subcommittee. I was told by an attorney that I would need to petition a court in Richmond in order to get my original birth certificate, and that the petition would likely be denied. This is unfair, when any other adult born in Virginia can receive their (original) birth certificate for a nominal fee. I am 62 years old but the state of Virginia treats me like a non-adult in this regard. This issue is important enough to me that I am volunteering with Virginia Adoptee Rights Alliance. I would appear in person but I am out of the country, as it happens. I am taking time out of my vacation abroad to write this message. Thank you.
My name is Jamie, however in 1979, I was born as Hope Marie, in Norfolk, VA. I was relinquished for an adoption, which was finalized when I was 6 months old. In accordance with Virginia code, at the finalization of my adoption, the law required that my original birth certificate, which recorded the facts of my birth, to be taken from me and sealed. This was done solely due to the fact that I was adopted. Not relinquished, but adopted. My birth certificate was not sealed at the request of my birth mother. It was not even an option she was given, because neither termination of parental rights documents or Virginia law offer or promise anonymity to a parent from their own offspring, since it is not a guarantee that would be legally possible. She did not want my identity or hers to be kept from me, instead that was forced upon us by the law. Obtaining one’s own birth record is a basic right that all other groups of people have except adopted persons, and a right that Virginia-born adopted persons had prior to 1972. Virginia HB550 does one simple thing - give adult adopted persons the unrestricted right to obtain their own original birth certificate. Restoring this right is essential to ensuring equality for all adult adopted persons and I ask for your favorable report of this bill.
We support HB 550 as written; a “clean bill” with no restrictions to access by Virginia-born adoptees. *Current Virginia law severely limits adopted people from obtaining their OBCs and other adoption information. *HB550 does away with this very limited current legal process and restores the right of all Virginia-born adopted people to obtain their OBCs upon request at the age of 18 with no restrictions or conditions. The adoptee would simply fill out a form and submit it directly to the appropriate department for a nominal fee. *HB550 is not about search and reunion, though search and reunion can happen The bill is about civil rights. *We often hear the term “balance of rights” in the OBC debate. There is no “balance of rights” here. Everyone born in Virginia except those who are adopted, have an unquestioned right to obtain their own birth certificate upon request and a nominal fee. The current sealed records practice confers upon the documents and the adopted people to whom they pertain, some kind of personal and political stigma. *HB550 is about adoptee rights only. Rights and interests are unequal. *There is no evidence in any state that records were sealed to “protect” the reputation or “privacy” of biological parents who relinquished children for adoption. (*Identifying information about surrendering parents often appears in court documents given to adoptive parents who can at any point give that information to the adopted person. (In some states adoptive parents, at the time of the adoption order, can petition the court to keep the record open.) The names of surrendering parents are published in legal ads. Courts can open “sealed records” for “good cause” without birthparent consent or even knowledge. Critically, the OBC is sealed at the time of adoption finalization, not surrender. If a child is not adopted, the record is never sealed. If a child is adopted, but the adoption is overturned or disrupted, the OBC is unsealed. Please remember that the OBCs of persons with established relationships with biological parents as in stepparent and foster adoptions are also sealed.
Letter in support of HB550, including illustrations about how current Virginia law works to incentivize the use of DNA and how HB550 would simplify that process and make it more private and discreet.
Honorable Delegates of the HHS Social Services Subcommittee, Greetings to you and attached please find an AAC support memo for HB550, which will restore unrestricted access to original birth certificates for all Virginia adult adopted persons. We are very happy to be working alongside our partner advocates at the Capitol Coalition for Adoptee Rights (CCAR) to advance this vital human and civil rights imperative. Hope this helps, with tremendous thanks for all efforts to advance adoptee equality in the Old Dominion State. Regards, Tim. Tim Monti-Wohlpart American Adoption Congress National Legislative Chair
HB806 - Nursing staff at state psychiatric hospitals; employee destinations, payment policies, etc.
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HB808 - State psychiatric hospitals; temporary detention orders, delayed admission to determine med. needs.
HB808 is an important bill for those who are experiencing a medical emergency or medical condition that presents with behaviors which are often considered solely a mental health issue. Hospitals are quick to transfer patients that present with mental health issues without looking further into any underlying medical conditions. Please vote YES on HB808
Support, to support health of the overall individual. If a TDO is to help the person's health (in theory) then vote to prioritize their health which includes physical and mental. Meet medical needs
HB982 - State plan for medical assistance services; plan to include adult hearing screenings, etc.
HB1035 - Places of public accommodation; possession and administration of epinephrine.
This bill will save lives.
HB217: women should know what consequences these procedures entail HB1035: excellent idea. Please move to report.
STATEMENT OF FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) Position: SUPPORTS HB 1035, Places of public accommodation; possession and administration of epinephrine Dear Chair Sickles, Vice Chair Tran, and members of the Health and Human Services Committee: On behalf of the more than 878,000 Virginia residents with potentially life-threatening food allergies, including the more than 140,000 children 18 and under, FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education), based in McLean, the nation’s leading non-profit engaged in food allergy advocacy as well as the largest private funder of food allergy research, strongly supports Delegate Bennett-Parker’s legislation HB 1035, Places of public accommodation; possession and administration of epinephrine. As of July 2022, Virginia’s food allergy population was estimated at 878,090 which is bigger than the combined populations of Newport News, Richmond, and Virginia Beach. Furthermore, life-threatening food allergies are on the rise as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that over the past 20 years, the rates of children with food allergies has increased by more than 50% and for children with a peanut or tree nut allergy, it has tripled. Life-threatening food allergies and the risk of fatal anaphylaxis are growing at an even faster rate among Black and Asian-American children. Finally, the CDC also found that 8% of all children have food allergies which is the equivalent of two children in every classroom. As you may know, there are no cures for individuals with life-threatening food allergies and the only way to stop an anaphylactic attack is through the quick administration of an epinephrine auto-injector. When an anaphylactic attack happens, time is of the essence, meaning there is often not time to wait for an ambulance to arrive. Furthermore, once or every ten seconds or roughly 3.4 million times a year, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the hospital or emergency room. Delegate Bennett-Parker’s bill is a common-sense, no-cost solution to ensure that Virginia’s sizable food allergy population is safe in all public places including those outdoors. Current law defines the use of a public place as an indoor area used by the general public like a movie theater. Under HB 1035, this definition would be expanded to include outdoors and would help protect the food allergic community and those allergic to bee stings who visit one of Virginia’s 42 state parks. The bill also continues to shield those acting at times of an emergency from any liability. We believe that HB 1035 is a common-sense, logical extension of the state law already in effect by allowing the use of epinephrine auto-injectors in all public places and encourage the Health and Human Services Committee to support it. Sincerely yours, Jason Linde Senior Vice President, Advocacy Contact: Jlinde@foodallergy.org
HB27 - Kinship foster care; placement of child with foster parent.
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United Methodist Family Services (UMS) supports HB 27, establishing a kinship foster care prevention program. This legislation will provide a much needed framework to promote increased kinship placements across the Commonwealth when a child cannot safely stay with their parent/guardians. It is imperative that we support relatives financially as well as establishing the legal framework for foster care prevention. This will provide access to relative support maintenance payments and the framework for local departments to make these placements more often, easily and in better support of families and also encourage legal permanency if returning to parent/guardians is not possible. Nationally, VA is out of step with kinship placements in foster care and this legislation will help move the Commonwealth in the right direction which will allow for better outcomes for our young people who have experienced abuse, neglect and trauma by allowing for stronger cultural connections, reducing placement disruptions and trauma.
With regard to HB27, I am in full support of this program. I am a local child welfare worker in the Richmond area. I work with kinship foster parents on a daily basis. For many families, the difference between foster care placement and custody transfer is simply the financial assistance afforded to them by becoming kinship foster parents. As you all are aware, there is a workforce crisis in child welfare. More kids entering foster care when many of these families and children can be served outside of foster care services save for the financial benefits contributes to higher caseloads. Children rarely leave foster care unscathed by any type of trauma. This program would reduce the foster care workers' workload, the unnecessary delays on permanency caused by Court timelines, and the undue trauma that youth in foster care face simply by being in the foster care system EVEN if they are placed with relatives. The impact statement for HB27 only captures the number of families currently served through In-Home services who would qualify for this plan. The Impact Statement fails to mention the hundreds to thousands of children and families who are in foster care with kinship foster parents who could otherwise be served through the Parental Child Safety Placement Program to avoid foster care altogether. That said, the impact of this program is much greater than the already stated data. Regarding HB 1313, Virginia's youth who aged out of foster care should be served for as long as the Commonwealth will allow. I am supportive of the age range for Fostering Futures be raised to 23. Many youth lose their footing between the ages of 18-20. By the time they are ready to return to Fostering Futures, they are closer to their 21st birthday and losing the support Fostering Futures offers them, and sometimes these youth are worse off than when they turned 18 in terms of readiness to support themselves. To have 2 additional years between 21 to 23 when they have experienced sometimes the lowest point in their lives and are truly ready to begin their adult life would make a profound difference in the outcomes for former foster youth. Please support this age amendment!
Since the pandemic, the foster care system has been in crisis after crisis. During the pandemic the children were sitting in isolation for 14 days at a time to confirm they were not carrying the corona virus. The isolation exasperated the mental health of those living and working in the foster care system. Virginia saw 65% of the foster homes close and end their license and we have not seen foster homes replace them. The Kinship Bills will open hundreds of homes for the youth suffering in foster care, and the best part is these are homes with individuals that know and love this child. Local DSS offices and placement facilities were short staffed and experiencing high rates of burnout. Youth were (and sometimes still are) living in temporary situations (such as DSS offices, Hotel rooms, shelters, etc.) until a foster home, group home or other permanent living situation can be found. Keep in mind that this was not just a Virginia problem, it was happening nationally. Since August many class action lawsuits have been brought against Child Protection Agencies for failing to provide quality services and meet requirements. California (Los Angelus County) is being sued for individuals in extended foster care being homeless. Organ, New York and Texas have similar actions around inadequate or unsafe housing arrangements. Virginia has an opportunity to reconcile the effects of the foster care crises by extending fostering futures to the age of 23. There are many concerns about the cost of extending foster care services. There is an opportunity to define the case management and qualifying expenses in the future. But these services are needed now, these young adults do not have good credit or someone to co-sign on a car loan, rental apartments or anything else. These youth have been living in crisis the last 4 years and preparing to do it without a safety net has been the last thing on the minds of social workers and youth themselves. The proof is in the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) results reflecting only 36% of youth received independent living skills support. Many of the localities are not meeting federal and state requirements for supporting individuals between the ages of 14 and 21 in teaching and preparing them for adulthood. When you are thinking about this big cost, I would like to remind you that 80% of individuals being trafficked are from foster care, one out of 5 individuals in jail/prisons are from foster care, 50% of individuals homeless are from foster care. The foster care system teaches individuals they do not need people to help them, they need systems and often spend a majority of their lives with economic assistance supporting them. The extension of fostering futures, more homes within families and support in getting vehicles can help increase the success rates of youth leaving foster care and decrease the cost to Virginia for the youth’s lifetimes. Please improve foster care by approving the kinship bills, extending support services till 23, and approving the budget to get them behind the wheel and off to a good start in their journey to becoming happy healthy adults!
Voices for Virginia's Children Strongly supports HB27 and HB 1313
Comments Document
The attached document contains comment on HB27 and HB1313 providing support and asking the House Appropriations Committee to pass and fund both of these bills, which will invest in the lives of Virginia's most vulnerable children and youth.
Kinship caregivers have the potential to significantly reduce the level of trauma experienced when a child is removed from their home. When someone takes a child into their home, their financial obligations increase. Current financial aid for kinship caregivers is very limited and all have extensive requirements. If passed, this will allow kinship caregivers to be eligible to receive the same payment as foster parents, removing a huge barrier.
Children's Home Society of Virginia supports establishing a Kinship as Foster Care Prevention program. Entering the foster care system is a traumatic event in any child's life. When there is an appropriate, safe, kinship placement option that would prevent a child from entering foster care, it would reduce the amount of trauma a child has to endure by ensuring permanent connections with that child's community are maintained and fostered. This can have lifelongB effects on a child. We thank Delegate Callsen for bringing this bill and hope you all will vote in support of it.