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!!

Apparently, Virginia’s doctors and nurses are racist. So says HB 32, which would force us to take “implicit bias training” to get and keep our licenses. This training holds that we’re inherently prejudiced toward those with different skin color. It says your bias is engrained, there’s nothing you can do about it, and you must constantly admit you’re racist and biased. But what does the evidence say? Often used in implicit bias training, the “Implicit Association Test” measures how quickly you associate “good” and “bad” words with white and black faces. If you’re too slow with black faces or associate better words with white faces, the test declares you’re biased. But psychologists and scholars have found that people who retake it rarely get anywhere close to the same results. This has led some of the test’s most prominent backers to admit that it leads to “undesirably high rates of erroneous classifications.” In other words, the test is useless.

Over 500K medical professionals in the US left the field in 2021. Thousands are newly disabled and leaving and retiring early or dying. If your goal is to completely destroy US and VA health care, you will certainly help to do so if this bill passes. Many more will leave the field if this entirely unnecessary imposition burdens the remaining health care workers. This unscientific, harmful, and racist 'training' will further harm the most vulnerable, whom the misguided erroneously think it will protect, because there will be fewer healthcare givers, longer waits, farther travels for help, and they will be absent while in 'training'. Finally, people in healthcare do not impose harms to anyone, as this bill suggests, for the harm occurs via insurance companies, operating budgets, and administrative overreach. These entities also already overburden healthcare professionals. This 'training' is waste of time and money and will turn many away from the people who need them most while worsening shortages in the profession: https://www.aamc.org/news/press-releases/aamc-report-reinforces-mounting-physician-shortage

The addition of various pet projects to be added onto already burdensome continuing medical education has become out of control. They have already added specific required continuing medical education hours for opiates and human trafficking. Although cultural competence is laudable, this is already addressed as a part of the medical education system. Additional required hours is not necessary. If this is allowed, then every year, there will be some additional subject de jour that may get added to required CME hours. Maybe marijuana or motor vehicle accidents etc. The potential list is endless. It is not the job of the legislature to mandate specific CME hours for physicians. That should be left to specialty societies and medical boards who have the expertise. As a practicing physician for over 10 years, I am against this legislative overreach. Please vote no.

Yes to 32! Smart and helpful Cognitive bias consists of systematic errors in thinking due to human processing limitations or inappropriate mental models. It takes critical thinking and humility, both of which doctors should already have, to learn what you don't know. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7838049/ While scientific and medical research is thought to be free from outside influence, ‘science is always shaped by the time and the place in which it is carried out’.52 The research questions that are developed and answered depend on the culture and institutions in our societies, including public–private industry partnerships. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8004354/

Yes to 32. 2H of CEUs training once every 4 years for just those directly interacting with those who are or may become pregnant is a humble reasonable beginning! In promulgating such regulations, the Board shall consider (i) the need to promote ethical practice, 17 (ii) an appropriate standard of care, (iii) patient safety, (iv) application of new medical technology, (v) 18 appropriate communication with patients, and (vi) knowledge of the changing health care system. This training fits within these regulations.

Please say NO to House Bill 32. Our medical staffs need to focus on to help patients.

Stop house bill 32! Apparently, Virginia’s doctors and nurses are racist. So says HB 32, which would force us to take “implicit bias training” to get and keep our licenses. This training holds that we’re inherently prejudiced toward those with different skin color. It says your bias is engrained, there’s nothing you can do about it, and you must constantly admit you’re racist and biased. But what does the evidence say? Often used in implicit bias training, the “Implicit Association Test” measures how quickly you associate “good” and “bad” words with white and black faces. If you’re too slow with black faces or associate better words with white faces, the test declares you’re biased. But psychologists and scholars have found that people who retake it rarely get anywhere close to the same results. This has led some of the test’s most prominent backers to admit that it leads to “undesirably high rates of erroneous classifications.” In other words, the test is useless. This training encourages the very racial division it purports to fight. If a test accuses a white doctor like me of bias, why would black patients want to see me? The doctor-patient relationship is built on trust, but the idea of implicit bias sows distrust. Ask my patients, many of whom are minorities. They wouldn’t say I’ve harmed them, yet the Virginia legislature is saying I have. It’s clear that if you pass this bill, you won’t be fighting racism. You’ll be undermining healthcare and hurting the patients who need our help.

No House Bill 32 . Virginia’s healthcare professionals have dedicated their lives to providing the best care to Virginia’s residents without regard for their skin color. Lawmakers should NOT force them to endure discriminatory and insulting implicit bias training in order to continue their careers. Stop House Bill 32.

Virginia’s healthcare professionals have dedicated their lives to providing the best care to the state’s residents without regard for their skin color and forcing them to endure discriminatory and insulting implicit bias training in order to continue their careers is not in the best interest of their patients. Many clinicians who are already required to take implicit bias training in their states, and they tell us that implicit bias training: Is insulting, demeaning, and takes valuable time away from patient care. Is a waste of time that adds to frustration and burnout. Has caused them to consider leaving their professions; and some already have.

Comments Document

I am Ken Lipstock, MD, an ophthalmologist working in Henrico County in private practice for 37 years. I would like to comment on HB 32. Please see my comments in the attachment which will explain what the science tells about the dependability of implicit bias tests as well as implicit bias training courses. In that light, the advisability of mandating such courses for MD`s and Nurses will be discussed. Thank you all for your service to the Commonwealth.

from a literature review: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8004354/ "Implicit bias in healthcare: clinical practice, research and decision making" "Bias is the evaluation of something or someone that can be positive or negative, and implicit or unconscious bias is when the person is unaware of their evaluation. This is particularly relevant to policymaking during the coronavirus pandemic and racial inequality highlighted during the support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Bias training could bridge the gap from the lack of awareness of bias to the ability to recognise bias in others and within ourselves. Awareness of implicit bias must not deflect from wider socio-economic, political and structural barriers as well ignore explicit bias such as prejudice." "A systematic review focusing on the medical profession showed that most studies found healthcare professionals have negative bias towards non-White people, graded by the IAT, which was significantly associated with treatment adherence and decisions, and poorer patient outcomes (n=4,179; 15 studies).24 A further systematic review showed that healthcare professionals have negative bias in multiple categories from race to disability as graded by the IAT (n=17,185; 42 studies) but it did not link this to outcomes.25 The reviews bring into question healthcare provider impartiality which may conflict with their ethical and moral obligations.25,26" "In 2019, the MBRRACE-UK report revealed that maternal and perinatal mortality in pregnancy was five times higher in Black women compared with White women, and this data has also been replicated in US data with a similar order of magnitude of three to four times.45,46 While official reports have not offered clear explanations as to the causes of such differences, it has been suggested that a combination of stigma, systemic racism and socio-economic inequality are relevant causative factors rather than biological factors alone.47,48 Lokugamage calls for healthcare professionals to challenge their own biases and assumptions when providing care using a ‘cultural safety’ model.49,50 Such a model could help identify areas for power imbalances in the healthcare provider–patient relationship and resultant inequalities. Cultural competence training has been evaluated in a Cochrane systematic review, and a number of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) included did show that training courses (of varying lengths) did provide some improvement in cultural competency and perceived care quality at 6–12 months’ follow-up (five studies; 337 professionals; 84,00 patients).51 " Gopal DP, Chetty U, O'Donnell P, Gajria C, Blackadder-Weinstein J. Implicit bias in healthcare: clinical practice, research and decision making. Future Healthc J. 2021 Mar;8(1):40-48. doi: 10.7861/fhj.2020-0233. PMID: 33791459; PMCID: PMC8004354.

YES, as someone who has researched the maternal health crisis and the problem of implicit and explicit bias in the medical education field. It sadly exists and adding training is a great modern idea

vote YES! excellent idea

YES social worker here in support. Thank you to Del Clark, Del Thomas, and all involved. The essential teachings about implicit bias in medicine will have potentially life saving results.

Social worker here- strong YES support for this bill. Black mothers are dying at 3-4x the rates of white mothers due to complications or pregnancy related causes (Roeder, 2019). Black women, more than any other group, are not believed by medical professionals (Benjamins, 2013). Symptoms and pain are dismissed. There is something wrong with a system that does not value lives of Black pregnant people equally to white pregnant people (Purnell, 2019; Yosso, 2005). The US is the only industrialized country with a rising maternal mortality rate... and one of only 13 countries worldwide (Black Mamas Matter Alliance, 2018). 40% of these maternal deaths are avoidable if all pregnant people—regardless of age, race, and zip code—have access to quality healthcare (American Heart Association, 2019).

I am a board certified, full-time practicing physician of Emergency Medicine, and I am writing to STRONGLY OPPOSE bill HB32. I truly feel that well-intentioned bills like this have the opposite effect from what is intended. "Implicit bias" is a bogeyman, with very little data to support its existence in the modern practice of medicine. Certain studies have purported to detect implicit bias against certain groups, but these studies often suffer from poor design quality and dubious conclusions from the data. The reality is, there is no evidence that this problem actually exists. Furthermore, it feels as though the government is mandating a political agenda, not a true medical one. By mandating that medical practitioners complete culture sensitivity and implicit bias training, the Legislature is actually alienating them, as well as creating one more regulatory annoyance. Speaking specifically about Emergency Medicine, the field is on the verge of collapse. Physicians are transitioning out of the field or retiring early faster than they are being replaced. Bills like HB32 only serve to make practitioners feel more alienated and put upon. HB32 is a bad idea.

Discontinue DEI-cultural competency in health care. Please treat the human being. We all bleed red.

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!!

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!!

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!!

Re: HB241 - McQuinn There are increasing numbers of children residing in the Commonwealth surviving with medical complexity. Children with Medical Complexity (CMC) are increasing due to improved outcomes for premature infants and conditions that rely on technology outside of the hospital environment. Due to the shortage of home nursing in the Commonwealth, this leaves parents with the difficult decision of deciding if they can continue in the workforce to support their family or remain home to take care of their dependent child. Daycares are not set up to care for these children and lack licensed professionals that are able to provide tube feedings, oxygen, medication treatments and developmentally appropriate play and therapy services. Other states have taken this problem on in order to provide daycares that are licensed, thereby allowing parents to continue to be employed and rely less on social supports to ensure the well-being of their family.

Comments Document

Good Afternoon, On behalf of the Virginia Association of Hematologists and Oncologists (VAHO) and the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), I have attached a letter of support for HB 278.

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!!

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!!

My name is Teri Morgan and I am the Executive Director for the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities (VBPD). I write to you this afternoon to provide public comment on HB 327 dealing with the State Rental Assistance Program for the Settlement Agreement Population. The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities is in support of this bill. Legislation such as this will have a positive impact on individuals with disabilities. The State Rental Assistance Program assists in providing opportunities to individuals within the settlement agreement population to find rental housing that meets their individual needs. The program allows individuals the ability to choose where they live, whom they live with, and who supports them providing needed independence. VBPD is in support of HB 327.

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!!

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!!

Comments Document

Attached, please find written testimony on behalf of the Pyramid Healthcare, Inc. family of companies in opposition to HB 434, which would require that any residential substance use disorder treatment facility licensed by DBHDS must prepare and record a certified discharge plan upon a patient’s discharge or withdrawal from the facility. While we provide discharge-planning services for our clients and believe this is crucial to ensuring long-term recovery, we oppose the bill as written. To be clear, discharge planning is essential to ensuring our patients are able to sustain long-term recovery. Currently, we provide discharge planning services for our clients; however, the language of the legislation duplicates existing safeguards, puts additional administrative burden on providers, and invites punishment to high-quality providers serving vulnerable patient populations. As part of our existing agreements with regulators, accreditors, and payers, we regularly undergo various audits throughout the year of our processes, procedures, and documentation for our clients, including related to discharge planning. As such, creating additional layers of administrative requirements related to discharge planning are unnecessary duplications of existing procedures.

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.

Comments Document

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.

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!!

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!!

Patients need to be verbally consulted about the dangers of opioid addiction. They need to understand the risk of addiction for themselves and the need to ensure that no one else can acquire their pills. Doctors also need to be responsible to provide lowest dose for shortest time to assist the patient in not becoming addicted.

Every little action helps!!!🛑💢🛑Good Morning - HB699 is being introduced in the Virginia House this morning. There isn’t a family, or community This piece of legislation will save lives by informing all patients, and the parents of patients, of the potential for dependency and addiction to an opioid– at the time it is most needed- before it is prescribed; and, by making patients aware of alternatives to opioids that exist for their acute pain. These life-saving conversations between prescribers and patients will also help to identify the signs and symptoms of dependency and encourage the securing of these drugs in the home to prevent diversion and the use of dangerous and deadly street drugs that could contain fentanyl. Thank you.

Comments Document

In 2002 my 16 year old son was walking home from a shopping center. He was followed into the woods and shot and robbed for $30. He almost died during surgery but he fought to live. After being in the hospital for a month he became addicted to drugs. We had no idea. We knew nothing about drugs and addiction. By the time we found out our son was deep into his addiction. I feel like we should have been warned of the possibility of addiction. We would have done a lot of things differently. We were just happy he survived the shooting and coming home. He struggled with his addiction for 18 years until he was poisoned with fentanyl. The pain of his loss is with us every day. My son was anti drug before being in the hospital. He should have been able to live a happy normal drug free life. He tried so hard to fight his addiction. It just wasn’t fair. I miss him every second of every day.

Comments Document

In 2002 my 16 year old son was walking home from a shopping center. He was followed into the woods and shot and robbed for $30. He almost died during surgery but he fought to live. After being in the hospital for a month he became addicted to drugs. We had no idea. We knew nothing about drugs and addiction. By the time we found out our son was deep into his addiction. I feel like we should have been warned of the possibility of addiction. We would have done a lot of things differently. We were just happy he survived the shooting and coming home. He struggled with his addiction for 18 years until he was poisoned with fentanyl. The pain of his loss is with us every day. My son was anti drug before being in the hospital. He should have been able to live a happy normal drug free life. He tried so hard to fight his addiction. It just wasn’t fair. I miss him every second of every day.

Comments Document

In 2002 my 16 year old son was walking home from a shopping center. He was followed into the woods and shot and robbed for $30. He almost died during surgery but he fought to live. After being in the hospital for a month he became addicted to drugs. We had no idea. We knew nothing about drugs and addiction. By the time we found out our son was deep into his addiction. I feel like we should have been warned of the possibility of addiction. We would have done a lot of things differently. We were just happy he survived the shooting and coming home. He struggled with his addiction for 18 years until he was poisoned with fentanyl. The pain of his loss is with us every day. My son was anti drug before being in the hospital. He should have been able to live a happy normal drug free life. He tried so hard to fight his addiction. It just wasn’t fair. I miss him every second of every day.

My name is Donna Watson and my son Troy Howlett passed away from a fentanyl poisoning in 2018. My name is Donna Watson and my son Troy Howlett passed away from a fentanyl poisoning in 2018. My senior Troy's senior year of high school he was in a car accident and had to be med flighted to MCV. After several surgeries, and nine months of being placed on pain pills, my son was addicted. They knew exactly what they were doing. My son fought a 12 year battle in and out of rehabs. Trying to break free from this addiction. It was too late. The pharmaceutical companies knew exactly what they were doing as well as the doctors. I can't bring my son back, and God knows I wish I could, but I do have a voice to help other families not go through what I've been through. My life will never be the same. My son will never Mary, and have children and a family. My son was robbed of his life. These people need to be held accountable.

To Whom It May Concern, There isn’t a family, or community untouched by the opioid crisis. Please help Virginia be part of the solution to eradicating the opioid epidemic by supporting HB699. This piece of legislation will save lives by informing all patients, and the parents of patients, of the potential for dependency and addiction to an opioid– at the time it is most needed- before it is prescribed; and, by making patients aware of alternatives to opioids that exist for their acute pain. These lifesaving conversations between prescribers and patients will also help to identify the signs and symptoms of dependency and encourage securing of these drugs in the home to prevent diversion. Thank you, Kimberly A. Matthews, Ph.D.

Comments Document

Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing (PROP), a national nonprofit organization with a mission to reduce morbidity and mortality caused by overprescribing opioids, urges the support of House Bill 699 sponsored by Representative Michelle Maldonado. PROP’s members include clinicians and researchers in the fields of Pain, Addiction, Public Health, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Primary Care, Occupational Medicine, Evidence-Based Medicine, and other specialties. We are supporting the immediate passage of House Bill 699 because the bill requires prescribers to inform patients and parents of patients about the risk of addiction when prescribing opioids. Unfortunately, many clinicians are ill-informed about the addiction potential of opioids and are thus unable to voluntarily communicate these risks to parents. Making it mandatory for prescribers to discuss opioid risks will result in better-informed parents, patients, and prescribers.

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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant

Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.

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!!

My name is Michaela Lieberman and I’m an attorney and the interim director of Health Justice and Public Benefits at the Legal Aid Justice Center. We support HB 787 because it is an essential step in guaranteeing access to justice for individuals appealing the loss or reduction of their critical benefits like SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid. HB787 amends the Administrative Process Act to allow Circuit Court judges to review legal issues in additional to factual issues in administrative appeals of public benefits cases like SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid. Currently, the APA only allows judges to review how administrative hearing officers ruled on the facts of a case – not on how hearing officers ruled on or applied the law in a case. Here’s why this bill matters: When my client, a 21-year-old survivor of a traumatic brain injury who depended on extensive home-based personal care services to keep him living safely at home, lost more than half of his services after the State arbitrarily reduced them, he appealed the reduction because he faced the grave risk of institutionalization in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Even though my client raised this ADA argument at his Medicaid appeal hearing, the hearing officer assigned to his case ignored it. My client decided not to appeal the hearing officer’s decision to Circuit Court, in part because the APA would have prevented the Circuit Court judge from reviewing the hearing officer's legal analysis (or absence thereof); in its current form, the APA would have only allowed the judge to review whether the hearing officer got the facts right. So the APA- as it’s currently written – gives unelected, unappointed hearing officers the final say on what the law is in SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid cases. HB 787 would change that. It would allow Circuit Court judges to review administrative hearing officers’ legal findings de novo, just as judges can in all other administrative appeal cases that come before them. We urge you to vote yes on HB 787 so Virginians facing reductions in/losses of critical benefits like SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid have access to justice, too.

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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!!

I support HB831. This bill will provide needed support to increase quality and equitable healthcare. It will also help those that may doubt whether maternal morbidity is a significant issue see with real numbers that it is.

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!!

The National Shattering the Silence Coalition is a non-partisan volunteer organization of peers and families of adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI). Our Virginia legislative advocacy strongly supports the "core" components of mental health service delivery as defined in this bill and its passage for individuals with psychiatric illnesses such as Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depression, and neurocognitive disorders with psychotic features, such as Post-ICU Syndrome (PICS). Our organization supports special needs Medicaid 1115 SMI waiver funding in support of these "at risk" populations requiring intensive care in specialty clinics, such as the proposed neurocognitive specialty clinic, in the home and in the community.

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!!

There must be a complete separation between law enforcement oversight and medical provider oversight in this State. Currently we have very poor oversight of judges and attorneys. We are also one of two States, if I’m not mistaken, where judges are appointed. So basically needed checks and balances to these systems must be preserved at all costs. There are no boards law enforcement boards in this State including police, attorneys or judges that allow cross collaboration with other licensed professionals. When me and my children became victims of targeted crimes in the child welfare and mental health system at the hands of law enforcement officers and medical providers, the law enforcement community that I reached out to for help covered up what took place including the commonwealth attorneys office in Fairfax County. Commissioner Dr. Danny Avula of the Department of Social Services is the one who took what I reported seriously and met with me to understand fully what took place. So why did Dr Avula look into what I reported and others didn’t... in my opinion it’s because at the end of the day he is a medical doctor who took an oath to “do no harm”. So in short, due to the type of system of government we have in Virginia, it is imperative that we do not mix law enforcement with medicine. The crimes that so easily happened to me and my family were all due to the fact that these lines of distinction have become blurry over the years in our State. And at the end of the day, we need to ensure that we do not have any unnecessary encroachments into the way these systems must exist in our type of government infrastructure to preserve very necessary checks and balances.

Hamkae Center supports HB 970 because it crucially addresses barriers to healthcare that our community members face due to immigration status. This bill matters to Asian Americans because more than 40K Asian Americans in Virginia are uninsured or underinsured, and half of them have non-citizen immigration statuses. Affordable healthcare was one of the top 3 issues Asian American voters in Virginia identified as important. This bill is a cost-saving measure that will ensure our children have the preventative care they need to live full, healthy lives for the rest of their lives.

It is important that Virginia create a welcoming space for families to flourish. Children are our communities greatest joy. Access to healthcare for children is an important step in making sure we have healthy and well cared for children in our Commonwealth. The Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights and our forty-five members urge you to vote yes on HB970, and give deserving children a healthy start in life.

It is important that Virginia create a welcoming space for families to flourish. Children are our communities greatest joy. Access to healthcare for children is an important step in making sure we have healthy and well cared for children in our Commonwealth. The Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights and our forty-five members urge you to vote yes on HB970, and give deserving children a healthy start in life.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments, the American Lung Association in Virginia is pleased to strongly support Cover all Kids, House Bill 970. The Lung Association believes that every child in Virginia should have access to affordable and comprehensive health coverage. House Bill 970 would get us closer to that reality by creating a health coverage program available to all children in Virginia, regardless of immigration status. This policy change would offer a new and affordable health coverage option to almost 1 in 10 (10.2%) uninsured children in Virginia. Virginia has approximately 88,500 children who do not have health coverage, ranking 25th in the nation for the percentage of children who do not have health insurance and 11th in the highest total number of uninsured children. In Virginia, 9,000 undocumented children from families with low income are uninsured with another 4,000 likely underinsured. House Bill 970 would provide these 13,000 children the health coverage they need. Virginia should join 11 other states and the District of Columbia who currently uses or plans to use state-only funds to cover income-eligible children in Medicaid/CHIP who are otherwise ineligible due to immigration status. This program would mirror Virginia Medicaid/FAMIS enrollment, eligibility processes, and income eligibility levels and benefits would include behavioral health, dental, and preventative care services. The Lung Association strongly supports this bill as a way of increasing access to healthcare for all Virginians. Please vote YES on HB 970 to make sure that all children, have access to affordable, accessible, adequate health coverage. If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to reach out to me. Aleks Casper aleks.casper@lung.org

My name is Dr Christine Page-Lopez, I am an associate medical director at Neighborhood Health, a community health center in Northern VA and am a practicing pediatrician. I represent the Virginia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as the countless pediatric patients of mine that do not have health insurance. For the past 10 years I have been a pediatrician to a largely immigrant patient population who live in poverty. I have seen firsthand the challenges that the lack of health insurance has on my patients and their families. My uninsured patients have poorer health outcomes and unmet health care needs. Their lack of health insurance also --restricts access to well childcare and preventive health services, including routine vaccines. --and is associated with poor management of acute and chronic medical conditions, which then can lead to increased use of emergency rooms and hospitalizations. Ultimately those who are uninsured often delay or go without needed care, which can lead to worse health outcomes over the long term. This includes medical, dental and mental health problems. By providing this unique group of infants, children and adolescents with health insurance, Virginia can improve their medical, dental, mental health and educational outcomes for their childhood and adult lives.

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!!

This is an important bill to help some of the most vulnerable children in Virginia.

Thank you so much for passing this bill. This bill will help take care of thousands of children, leading improvement in school performance, better careers, less loss of work time for their parents. Our country stands for Justice for all and this is basic human right. It will also keep the emergency rooms more available for true emergencies. Let’s take care of the ones who come to our country because it is not safe in their country. In addition I would like to add that though it is important to help the asylum seekers, it is more important to help not create this situation for them in the first place. US is the biggest arms and weapons manufacturer and supplier, so every conflict happening in other countries is prolonged by our arms dealers. Let’s work towards reducing conflicts rather than increasing casualties, starting with Gaza and Ukraine. Thank you delegate Tran for proposing this bill. I am all for it.

I am asking the Delegates to support HB970. It is an important Bill that if passed will help in closing the coverage gap and ensuring healthcare access for some of the most vulnerable children in Virginia. If you value human life and believe our Commonwealth should value a culture of life, please support this bill. Thanks.

As a longtime supporter of Medicare For All, I firmly believe that healthcare is a human right that should be guaranteed to *all* - regardless of income or age or immigration status. Sadly, we are not likely to see action at the federal level on universal healthcare any time soon. This is why measures like HB970 at the state level are so important in closing the coverage gap and ensuring healthcare access for some of the most vulnerable children in Virginia. If legislators believe our Commonwealth should value a culture of life, please demonstrate it by supporting this bill.

ChildSavers is a 100-year-old, Richmond-based nonprofit. Our mission is to guide our community’s children through life’s critical moments with trauma-informed youth mental health and child development services. As a behavioral health provider on the frontlines of the youth mental health crisis, we are laser-focused on ensuring children get the mental health care they need to build resilience and healing. 90% of the children we see in our clinic are Medicaid members, meaning they face some of the most difficult socioeconomic challenges. As the demographics in our region change rapidly, we are seeing more and more children without insurance coverage. Their families face the extra burden of attempting to pay for care out-of-pocket while coping with the child’s behavioral health concerns. We believe in the right of every child to access the healthcare they need to thrive. For this reason, we ask the committee to vote in favor of HB970 and extend coverage to an additional 13,000 children and youth in the Commonwealth. Cover All Kids.

Delegates: I am asking for your support of House Bill No. 1426 which establishes a Dynamic Benefit Adjustment System of public assistance benefits. This system would appy to all public assistance programs which is a tremendous gesture in support of children, families and disabled individuals. I serve on the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore's Advocacy Program and I cannot think of anything better to advocate for than House Bill 1426. Please pass this bill and move it forward. Thank you. Sandra Brandt, Virginia Beach on behalf of Food Banks and STEP-UP, Incorporated who work with individuals who need food everyday.

Comments Document

Chair Train and Members of the Health and Human Service – Social Services Committee: My name is Aleks Casper, and I am the Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association in Virginia. Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments, we are pleased to support House Bill 970. The Lung Association believes that every child in Virginia should have access to affordable and comprehensive health coverage. House Bill 970 would get us closer to that reality by creating a health coverage program available to all children in Virginia, regardless of immigration status. This policy change would offer a new and affordable health coverage option to almost 1 in 10 (10.2%) uninsured children in Virginia. Virginia has approximately 88,500 children who do not have health coverage, ranking 25th in the nation for the percentage of children who do not have health insurance and 11th in the highest total number of uninsured children. In Virginia, 9,000 undocumented children from families with low income are uninsured with another 4,000 likely underinsured. Federal law prohibits children with an undocumented immigration status from accessing health coverage through Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. Virginia should join 11 other states and the District of Columbia who currently uses or plans to use state-only funds to cover income-eligible children in Medicaid/CHIP who are otherwise ineligible due to immigration status. This program would mirror Virginia Medicaid/FAMIS enrollment, eligibility processes, and income eligibility levels and benefits would include behavioral health, dental, and preventative care services. The Lung Association strongly supports this bill as a way of increasing access to healthcare for all Virginians. Please vote yes on HB 970 to make sure that all children, have access to affordable, accessible, adequate health coverage. If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to reach out to me and aleks.casper@lung.org. Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments.

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!!

I am a pharmacist working in Lexington, Virginia with my own business. I have many time Phil prescriptions at a loss with the inability to tell my customers that I’m being paid of course by their insurance that is not right Pharmacist should be paid at least the cost plus a dispensing fee to provide a service for the patient.

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!!

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!!

Delegates: I am asking for your support of House Bill No. 1426 which establishes a Dynamic Benefit Adjustment System of public assistance benefits. This system would appy to all public assistance programs which is a tremendous gesture in support of children, families and disabled individuals. I serve on the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore's Advocacy Program and I cannot think of anything better to advocate for than House Bill 1426. Please pass this bill and move it forward. Thank you. Sandra Brandt, Virginia Beach on behalf of Food Banks and STEP-UP, Incorporated who work with individuals who need food everyday.

My parents taught me to judge people based on their character and values. I was taught to be respectful to others and work hard no matter job or task given at the time. Forcing medical students and professional physicians to partake in unconscious bias and cultural competency is shameful. We need qualified medical professionals. Please stop focusing on race, gender, etc to divide humanity.

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!!

Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you today to advocate passionately for the passage of this crucial bill aimed at combating implicit bias in healthcare—a pervasive issue that has detrimentally affected the well-being of African Americans and other minorities across the United States. This proposed legislation is not just a matter of policy; it is a moral imperative and a crucial step towards achieving equitable healthcare outcomes for all citizens. Implicit bias within healthcare systems has been extensively documented, leading to profound disparities in the quality and accessibility of medical care. African Americans and minorities often face systemic hurdles that compromise their health outcomes, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality rates. This bill seeks to address these disparities by implementing comprehensive measures to identify, mitigate, and prevent implicit bias within healthcare practices. Healthcare professionals need robust training programs to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and tools to recognize and counteract implicit biases. Moreover, we need a bill that mandates the collection and analysis of healthcare data disaggregated by race and ethnicity, enabling a transparent evaluation of disparities and facilitating targeted interventions. By passing this bill, we send a powerful message that Virginia is committed to fostering a healthcare system rooted in fairness and justice. We acknowledge the urgency of dismantling the systemic barriers that hinder access to quality care for marginalized communities. This legislation is not a mere formality but a tangible commitment to the well-being of all citizens, irrespective of their racial or ethnic background. In conclusion, I implore each member of this esteemed legislative committee to recognize the gravity of this issue and vote in favor of this bill. Let us unite in our pursuit of a healthcare system that reflects the principles of equality and justice, ensuring that every individual, regardless of their background, receives the care they deserve. Our actions today will shape a healthier, more equitable future for our state.

Yes I'm a supporter of the bill hb1269, as a returning citizen, I have completed my sentence, 18 years with 85% and my five years of parole, but I still have this invisible wall, wich I called disenfranchised that stopped me from being whole again, my experience, being denied to get a job, like Walmart, Advance Auto, Panera bread. My arrest happened in 2001, under the 14th amendment due process for law, an equal protection law, everybody should be giving a second chance, if they completed their full punishment, to help give back to the community so they won't make the same mistakes we did. When people are disenfranchised it supports recidivism. I got my voting rights back in I voted for the first time this year, but I'm not getting full rights as an American citizen, yes please can you consider giving us returning citizens a full second chance thank you Mr Bernard Mills

This is on behalf of all of the individuals who want to give back. We have been in recovery and are attempting to work as Peer Recovery Specialists. In most places we are forbidden to be employed to do our work. Our lived experience is an asset that can support others in changing their lives. If we cannot be employed by the same entity that provides us the certification, how does that make sense. Peers are a force that are passionate to be there and work hard to assist others in their pathway of recovery. We come with no judgement, just a shear desire to show lives can change. We walk beside those with mental health and substance use challenges. So many of us have been turned down. There is a need for Peer Support Specialists all over the state. It is the barrier that excludes us from doing the work we are meant to do. Please understand our plea and take into account we can actually be part of the solution during the epidemics facing all of our fellow citizens. Substance use deaths can potentially be prevented by allowing us to connect and support others. We were in their shoes, we have come out on the other end, we can be a great resource for the behavioral health industry. Our value is insurmountable to the affect on a team to reach out citizens. Please allow us to do our work. With respect and gratitude, support this bill. Thank you, Cindy Kimmons, Registered Peer Recovery Specialist, Forensic Peer Specialist.

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!!

I feel this is a good bill to pass as long as there is careful consideration that the person being employed is working their program of recovery and active in their own recovery. As addicts we often go too fast when we first get here and need to work through our own traumas and have a strong foundation in order to be able to do a job as a peer Navigator or help in the SUD field or mental health. I feel 3 years is a good number to do this as long as they are following the suggested guidelines. It has been my experience that it has not been easy to get employeed with barrier crimes in these work fields or even just regular jobs with a background. It stinks because it makes very hard to work and better yourself without someone giving u a chance. I've seen others go back out over this very thing. I myself didn't become employed til I was 5 years clean and still with time clean find myself losing myself in this type of job because it's so mentally and spiritually draining at times. I've learned alot since being here and cannot stress enough the importance of boundaries that are healthy and self care along with prioritizing my own recovery over anything I do. Not just in the work place. Thank you for considering my thoughts on this.

I work as a peer support specialist and do not have a barrier crime in my past. Because of the I feel if we has someone in our organization with this in their past they are more qualified then I am to help others with the same kind of history. I know that I have done better in my recovery by talking to people who I can relate to who have shared some of the same experiences. If a person has committed a crime and paid for it whether it be by fines, imprisonment, or whatever they should not prevented from being employed because of their past. So many people who could benefit from their experience are missing out because of these unfair laws. Thanks Sue Eller

Comments Document

I have a distribution charge that has prevented me from taking custody of a baby in my family which led the baby to be put in foster care. I also applied for a supervisor position at a CSB and was hired contingent on the background check. I was working at a CSB and attempted to be cleared by Department of Mental and Behavioral Health Services. I was told they did not want to rock the boat. I currently am still a CPRS with over 8 years free from substances and active in my recovery. I understand that there should be a time limit however after the work put into becoming successful, it can become frustrating as well. I petitioned for a pardon in the state of Virginia. I am currently awaiting the decision. Enclosed as an attachment in the letter of support from the commonwealth attorney that supports me growing in my profession.

I am a person that has has 22 years from my sentence of robbery. I took a purse from a shopping cart with no weapon or force. I turned my life around after prison and got my CSAC and have been trying to use it since. I didn’t know then that I wouldn’t be able to work with it. I have progressed past it because of opportunities helping in the non Profit sector and switched my career to outreach for substance abuse instead of you selling but this current law that this bill is trying to replace is hurting our patients currently suffering because of staff shortages. Melissa Brown 550-807-0978

There is an urgent need to address our mental health crisis, and yet a serious workforce shortage means many people are unable to get the help they need when they need it. HB1269 would allow service providers, in some situations, to hire qualified workers currently unable to be employed because of a prior offense that often is totally unrelated to their ability to do the job, and without any risk to the public.

Please vote YES on HB1269. Removing barrier crime rules for employment in mental health/addiction services allows the experts to get to work. Long term recovery from substance use disorder is possible, and peer recovery specialists with lived experience are crucial for ending the opioid crisis. I am sober today because individuals in recovery gave me hope and guided the way by sharing their experience. Those that have been incarcerated and pursue recovery are in a unique position to be of great service to others facing similar challenges. A sense of purpose and usefulness goes a long way to staying in recovery and being a reliable community member.

vote YES. Makes me think of how Peer support is an effective support intervention because they are relatable. Ones that have been through struggles are often exactly the most helpful and credible and trusted to others in the same spot.

vote YES, people can change. Just look at the current Speaker of the House, who was given a fair second look and is now a powerful influential figure

With the tremendous need for mental health and addiction counselors, we need to encourage those who have the desire and the skills to work with this population. Please vote YES to pass HB1269. People do change.

I am in support of passing HB1313. Virginia ranks amongst the 3 worst states for outcomes for youth aging out of foster care. I work daily with youth in foster care who are both in the Fostering Futures program and those who have "aged out" of the program. Participation in the Fostering Futures Program reduces the risk of homelessness, early pregnancy, trafficking, unemployment, and food insecurity. Increasing the eligibility age to 23 will give these youth the support they need to avoid these pitfalls and learn the skills required to become productive members of our community. Expanding the age requirements will save the state money and prevent devastating outcomes for our youth.

I am the Executive Director and Founder of Connect With a Wish. We are a nonprofit organization benefitting local youth in the Hampton Roads area from birth to 25 yrs. In the past 5 years we have expanded and added programs to serve the aging out population as the need is great and increasing. 20% of these young adults are homeless at the time they age out of foster care. 18 months after their 21st bday that number jumps to 40%. While in foster care under the age of 21 the priority is often Safety and placement. This in itself is often consuming . The direction and support of Independent living skills often has to take a back seat to crisis. This in conjunction with with the fact that our youth have experienced varies levels of trauma delaying their levels of maturity. For those reasons and others our youth are not equipped to succeed at 21 yrs old. Increasing the age to 23 yrs for youth aging out of foster care will give these young adults more time to work with their social workers, organization and supports to better prepare them to live independently. This will increase their chances of becoming productive members of our community. This is why I am in full support of HB1313 Thank you to Delegate Anne Ferrell Tata for bringing this to light.

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.

I am in full support of extending the eligibility age of the fostering futures program to 23 year. I have seen many young adults in foster care fall off the proverbial cliff at 21 when support is halted, even among those who have everything going for them. The issue is that youth over 18 in foster care (or fostering futures) have no one to turn to when life's challenges approach - small bumps in the road can turn in to catastrophic events and there is no family to serve as a safety net. Expanding the eligibility age to 23 year will help disconnected youth become more stabilized before they are reliant solely on themselves, which will hopefully improve the tragic statistics for youth aging out of foster care. This extended age eligibly will also provide foster youth the time needed to finish a 4 year degree before support is ended. The reality is, that older foster youth need all the assistance they can get, because far too many of them become homeless, incarcerated, or deceased before their 24th birthdays. After severing their family connections, we owe them the extended assistance to achieve a healthy transition to productive adulthood.

We are counting on your leadership to support HB 1313. This bill gives young people participating and working hard in the fostering futures program enough time to accomplish their goals in order to reach their fullest potential! Vote yes for this common sense legislation!

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!!

Please allow and increase the age to 23 to allow greater resources and opportunities for the foster youth. Take a stance to make a difference and help those who have come from difficult circumstances. This can make a huge difference.

Increasing the age of fostering futures is imperative to the youth who are involved through no fault of their own. While youth aging out of foster care face multifaceted challenges, the lack of housing is a basic survival need that is often unmet. The current housing crisis is one that impacts a wide population, but foster youth continue to face homelessness at a higher rate than most. This is likely a direct reflection of the fracture of the relationship and support of their birth family and a result of their displacement through circumstances outside of their control. It has been widely recognized and adopted into policy/practice that youth aging out of foster care are qualified for Medicaid up to that age of 26 years old due to the fact most health insurances allow guardians to keep their children on their health insurance. If we can recognize this health-related gap then it is only logical and best practice to weigh the same logic to their housing needs. We are the guardians of these youth even if they have aged out of foster care. They are deserving of safe shelter which is the exact commitment that was made on their behalf when they were removed from their birth families and guardians. This investment in them is a logical high return of investment for preventing a cycle of homelessness and more children entering the foster care system.

My name is Alison Fagan and I am the Connect to Careers Program Manager at Connect With a Wish. I assist and guide the Independent Living and Fostering Futures young adults in foster care into the workforce with the help of five support services/goals. I am in full support of this bill.

I am writing today in strong support of Delegate Anne Ferrell Tata and HB1313. At our organization we work daily with this population and see the need to expand the age of Fostering Futures to age 23. Our organization kept in budget from 2016- 2021 under $1,000 for emergency homelessness for those who have aged out of care. In 2022 we spent $15,150 in 2023 we spent $25,601. None of which we had in budget. At age 21 young adults who have various levels of trauma and have little to no supports are just not ready to Independently live. The statistics show with %20 homeless at the time of aging out. That number increases to %40 18 months after turning 21. These numbers hit home for VA as we are ranked 48th in the United States when it comes to how many young adults we have who are not adopted or have a secure support. We need to do better to provide the change needed to enable these young adults to age out and become productive members of our community. VA can be the change!

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!!

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!!

Comments Document

Dear Chair Sickles and Vice Chair Tran: Attached please find written testimony from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) requesting amendments to H.B. 1340 . Thank you for your consideration of our position on this important issue.

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!!

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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant

Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.

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!!

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!!

The Federation of Virginia Food Banks supports HB1426. The benefits cliff creates a poverty trap where the risks and gains of working become disincentives and barriers to self-sufficiency and economic mobility. This bill is a needed step to ensure that as beneficiaries' earned income increases, the reduction in benefits is balanced and equitable, promoting self-sufficiency while avoiding abrupt and significant drops in assistance.

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!!

I am writing to express my support for the proposed bill introducing a Dynamic Benefit Adjustment System. This approach will benefit our community in that it would allow people to seek better opportunities without losing wages. We must incentivize families to climb out of poverty, without penalizing them. .

A single parent gets a job making minimum wage, accepts benefits to support their family. Some time later, they earn a promotion now making just enough to no longer qualify for the same beneficial programs but not enough to make ends meet without that support. Throughout my career I have encountered numerous situations where a person declines a promotion because they would no longer qualify for the much-needed assistance they and/or their family relies on for support. What message are we then sending? Certainly not the right one for humanity as a whole. Take that same scenario, look at it from the viewpoint of the child. We are teaching them that obtaining better jobs will cause their family to struggle. Dynamic support must be provided for individuals and families to encourage one's growth and end the cycle we often see in families. This bill would not only provide the support for but change the narrative as well.

I am writing to express my support for the proposed bill introducing a Dynamic Benefit Adjustment System. This approach will benefit our community in that it would allow people to seek better opportunities without losing wages. Further, it will help individuals reach a state of self-sufficiency for the long haul.

On behalf of the Capital Area Food Bank, I am writing in strong support of HB1426. In FY23, the Capital Area Food Bank distributed more than 17,000,000 meals to our neighbors in need in northern Virginia and witnessed the effects the sunsetting of pandemic-era benefits programs had on our region. Because the emergency benefits were retracted all at once, rather than gradually over a period of time, many in our community were forced to skip meals or seek out free food distributions to keep food on the table. That same benefits cliff concept can apply when income fluctuates, creating a system where a small boost in income can lead to a total loss of the benefits that are relied on to make ends meet. We know from our own research that food insecure individuals in our service area rely on government benefits to cover nearly 20% of their monthly food budgets, so a sudden loss of these benefits would be devastating. HB1426 would create a nimbler benefits system that does not penalize recipients for seeking out higher-paying jobs or pursuing opportunities that could improve the economic prospects for themselves and their families. Allowing recipients to make more gradual adjustments to their budgets as their income increases will improve economic self-sufficiency and remove a significant roadblock for those seeking to advance their careers.

Delegates: I am asking for your support of House Bill No. 1426 which establishes a Dynamic Benefit Adjustment System of public assistance benefits. This system would appy to all public assistance programs which is a tremendous gesture in support of children, families and disabled individuals. I serve on the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore's Advocacy Program and I cannot think of anything better to advocate for than House Bill 1426. Please pass this bill and move it forward. Thank you. Sandra Brandt, Virginia Beach on behalf of Food Banks and STEP-UP, Incorporated who work with individuals who need food everyday.

As a former social worker and current Qualified Mental Health Professional, I have seen the need for this bill firsthand. Most people don't desire to be beholden to the federal benefits programs to which they subscribe to meet their and their families' needs. They want to "get off the system," but doing so immediately jeopardizes their ability to provide for themselves and their families because of the immediate and cutting reduction in benefits seen when they begin to earn a living wage or are working toward that. Often, earning a few dollars more leads to reductions in benefits that cost them hundreds or thousands of dollars in food and healthcare expenses. In situations where choices have to be made between necessities such as rent and transportation, tough decisions must be made leaving tax-paying citizens hungry or without the medicine and medical attention vital to their survival. In the end, this costs more in exacerbated health conditions, lost wages, poor nutrition and other societal ills. Over the past two years, the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore has seen an increase in food insecurity (hunger) of 400% in its service area. Please help our neighbors in this community by passing this bill. Thank you.

Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia and the Virginia Goodwill Network understand the significant negative impact of the benefits cliff on our associates and on our ability to hire, train, and promote those who may lose the entirety of their benefits as they start to make higher weekly wages. Collectively, Goodwill employs more than 3,300 Virginians. Our mission is changing lives-helping people help themselves through the power of work. The benefits cliff is a significant impediment to economic mobility and disproportionately impacts organizations like ours that employ those with barriers to traditional employment. We seek associates that are intellectually or developmentally disabled, formerly incarcerated, and those who are at great risk of homelessness. Our job training initiatives, internal promotion ability, and placement of our associates in careers outside of Goodwill supports increased economic mobility. However, those who still need some portion of state or federal benefits as they start to earn more are at a high risk of falling off the benefits cliff and having to quit employment; thereby stymying their economic mobility. We believe this initiative helps bring this issue to light and provides a solution to ameliorate the benefits cliff issue.

I am writing to express my enthusiastic support for the proposed bill introducing a Dynamic Benefit Adjustment System. This innovative approach to public assistance is a commendable step towards creating a more responsive and equitable system for beneficiaries. The key provision of the bill, establishing a Dynamic Benefit Adjustment System for the gradual reduction of public assistance benefits in response to increases in beneficiaries' earned income, reflects a forward-thinking approach to addressing the evolving needs of individuals and families relying on public assistance programs. This approach ensures that as beneficiaries' earned income increases, the reduction in benefits is balanced and equitable, promoting self-sufficiency while avoiding abrupt and significant drops in assistance. I particularly appreciate the section that outlines the automatic adjustment of income thresholds based on a formula considering the state's minimum wage, inflation rates, and cost of living indexes. This mechanism ensures that eligibility criteria stay relevant and responsive to economic conditions, providing a fair and dynamic framework for individuals seeking assistance. The commitment of the Department of Social Services to regularly review and adjust the formula based on empirical evidence and economic factors demonstrates a dedication to the effectiveness of the Dynamic Benefit Adjustment System. This adaptive approach is crucial in addressing the changing landscape of economic conditions and ensures that the system remains a viable and supportive resource for those in need. Moreover, the provisions for oversight and reporting to the General Assembly and safeguards to protect beneficiaries during economic downturns or unusual circumstances showcase a comprehensive and responsible approach to implementing the Dynamic Benefit Adjustment System. In conclusion, this bill represents a positive step forward in enhancing public assistance programs' efficiency, fairness, and effectiveness. I urge you to lend your support to this important initiative that aims to create a system that not only provides assistance but also encourages and supports individuals in their journey towards self-sufficiency. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to witnessing the positive impact that the Dynamic Benefit Adjustment System can have on our community.

I am writing to urge you to pass HB1426. It would be a tremendous gesture in support of children, families, and disabled individuals in our service area to increase support for benfits cliff reform. As a foodbank employee, I see people from all walks of life coming to the Foodbank because they are desperate for food to help them out until their next EBT is available. We as a society need to do better in supporting our children and disabled individuals. I have a personal friend who is not able to work due to a chronic condition, CVS. She suffers every month because she isn't able to purchase enough food on the small stipend she gets each month. Stress on very hard on CVS patients and when she stresses over meals she ends up in the emergency room which leads to additional stress. If we can eliminate hunger for people, it will help free up resources in other areas down the road. Please pass HB1476. Thank you.

The passing of this Bill will be a huge win for families working to support their families through career advancement opportunities. Individuals will no longer have to contemplate if their income gains associated with a higher-paying career outweigh the loss of public assistance. From a private sector viewpoint, we could see business grow as more individuals seek career development. Those in the public sector can effectively work with individuals and families.

In strong support of children, families, and disabled individuals, please move HB1426 forward out of committee. As a mom of two adult children with Down syndrome who wants them to have fulfilling and productive lives, their access to needed services and resources becomes more difficult every day. The eligibility systems need to be more nimble and flexible in the given economy that we now live in. Inflation and other cost increases on housing, food, transportation, and the like only favor the wealthy. In fairness, this bill will allow a more equitable approach.

On behalf of the Foodbank of Southeastern VA and the Eastern Shore, I enthusiastically endorse House Bill 1426. As an organization that delivers over 20,000,000 pounds of food to those in need, we often see the negative effects of the benefit cliff. Citizens should not be penalized financially for advancing their careers or obtaining a new job. The ability to taper benefits gradually will help our neighbors to reach greater heights without costing their personal budget. The proposed bill would allow people to continue to seek better opportunities without the possibility of lost wages. This benefit helps residents achieve self-sufficiency faster and for the long-term; further reducing dependence on the public welfare system in the future. Thank you for your consideration. Chris Tan President and CEO Foodbank of Southeastern VA and the Eastern Shore

The benefits cliff is defined as the point on the economic mobility path where those dependent on governmental benefits and entitlements increase income but not enough to cover the additional expenses associated with the loss of benefits. The benefits cliff emerged as an unanticipated consequence of implementing the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), commonly referred to as Welfare to Work, the welfare reform legislation aimed to reduce dependency on government assistance and to increase self-sufficiency. Low income families often qualify for benefits that help to cover the cost of basic necessities, such as housing assistance, SNAP (food stamps) and subsidized childcare. The “Cliff Effect” occurs when families begin to lose benefits as their earnings increase. In most cases, the loss in benefits equates to significantly more than the increase in earnings. The result is that families earn more without improving their financial situation. Significant attention must be given to identifying the point where work pays off. The benefits cliff creates a poverty trap where the risks and gains of working become disincentives and barriers to self-sufficiency and economic mobility. The goal is to engage in revitalization efforts that index the assistance, so beneficiaries become eligible and prepared to cross the benefits cliff and become economically self-sufficient.

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!!

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!!