[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6372258,"mediaKeyId","2148258-f4411248799f3481044b0759c6a4c989","parentId",2148258,"title","House Human Services flags instability in long-term care spending, loss of residential beds and request for provider-stabilization clarity","audioSeconds",2290,"startMs",2295000,"endMs",4597,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2148258-f4411248799f3481044b0759c6a4c989&start=2295&end=4","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2148258-f4411248799f3481044b0759c6a4c989/thumbnail_2295000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6372258/Vermont/House-Human-Services-flags-instability-in-long-term-care-spending-loss-of-residential-beds-and-request-for-provider-stabilization-clarity","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6372258-06f098d93adbc6eb7d9a03b70781e0b3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153149&Signature=lsu9IR0swrUnrGZNtjDn8sIXHPGZz9gyZAW3AJToZX3-~lVBlD1V0zsm-njNPFOQW5uBxi5ND4TE3jEnt6W7s40cnlMoPVSabfd1qAeOvIQNKBJFYcDKjzpiX94isiTAqAy2ODkbHWM-QVCX0tyjaex-9KLnErlL4C2939r4ECpUZsHeSG9ZDzSAwZsfy1dGLrZGvBb~3aYn-E9~mLgs6Po6NFgB-OWXBBzc4jgbxCA~Ou72Ey8~eDpoVgvz4LPMScRMyHwqkIK-B2nxUtkqXtPTxGMNAoNtJdA6akC04UtI9~vJL-3zxRnN~MDyvxtGN1td2h6hFibZs2nHQnSX4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-01-24T18:05:46Z","article","Rep. Teresa Wood, chair of the House Human Services Committee, told appropriators that the committee had deep concerns about long-term care and Choices for Care spending in the Budget Adjustment Act, even though the committee made no specific changes in the BAA submission.

The nut graf: The committee said more than $50 million in the BAA is directed to nursing facilities and extraordinary financial relief for high-cost residential care while lower-cost residential care homes have closed in recent years. Committee members warned the state's focus on high-end institutional costs risks eroding home- and community-based capacity that keeps Vermonters out of nursing facilities.

Wood summarized multiple causes for the spending changes: caseload shifts, underbudgeted facility bed days, a post-budget collective-bargaining agreement for direct-care staff, and extraordinary financial relief already paid or in the pipeline. She said the committee was not recommending line-item changes in the BAA now but intends to revisit the issue in the FY26 process.

The committee cited a net loss of 23 residential care programs since 2020 and estimated that represented a net reduction of 321 beds. Wood said that underpayment through Medicaid rates contributed to that contraction and that the BAA appears to be addressing the highest-cost part of the system (nursing facilities) rather than the full continuum, which includes home- and community-based services, adult day services and residential care homes.

Wood relayed a department figure that only about 59% of authorized home- and community-based services were actually being delivered, a shortfall the committee linked to low Medicaid payment rates and workforce shortages. She also described a recent Vermont Supreme Court remand to the Human Services Board in a case that questioned whether a provider's good-faith inability to recruit employees justified non-delivery of authorized services; the Supreme Court directed the board to reexamine the matter and stated that failure to pay an appropriate wage alone is insufficient to excuse non-provision of services, according to Wood.

On wages, Wood said a signed agreement sets a baseline starting wage of $14.75 for direct-care positions under a recent contract; she said that wage will not be sufficient to recruit workers for many direct-care roles and suggested a $20-per-hour minimum would be more appropriate to maintain services. The committee also described an enhanced, out-of-state contract for a unit in Bennington that pays more than $300 per day for some specialized placements.

Members raised concerns about transparency and equity in provider-stabilization funding. The committee noted post-submission movement of an additional $6 million to Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA), bringing a request discussed in testimony to $10 million for emergency provider stabilization. Wood said the transfer appeared intended to expand the universe of eligible providers but that precise eligibility and allocation criteria had not been clarified to the committee at the time of the hearing. She urged the Legislature to develop more transparent, consistent rules for when and how provider relief is granted.

Ending: The committee signaled it will press the issue in the FY26 budget and Medicaid rate-setting process, including formal rate reviews and legislation to address lower-paid home- and community-based services, to stabilize capacity across the long-term care continuum.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Appropriations - 2025-01-24 - 1:05PM","oneSentenceSummary","Rep. Teresa Wood, chair of the House Human Services Committee, told appropriators the committee had significant concerns about BAA allocations to long-term care, noting a large share of funds are flowing to nursing facilities while residential care homes have closed and community services are under-delivered.","taxTitle","Appropriations, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",30573,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6372261,"House Human Services backs Reach Up inflation stipend and urges fuller use of federal SNAP 'bank' months",594,1455000,2049000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2148258-f4411248799f3481044b0759c6a4c989&start=1455&end=2049","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2148258-f4411248799f3481044b0759c6a4c989/thumbnail_1455000.jpg","/articles/6372261/Vermont/House-Human-Services-backs-Reach-Up-inflation-stipend-and-urges-fuller-use-of-federal-SNAP-bank-months","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6372261-b08e99e73dbc5089d584a9e3a00ba6f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153149&Signature=CIupr-7-uruwKe2cT9e32yoITmH5jTFme4C2SQ7CekvpHZvccDDnpSET31lHBDPWJeEuKY3SEP4kE8GqDH4f6rDxbM1wfulj0AK5KNRYMmHG79~0D4-cqDq7tisMOT2FBNmbMMOeweOv86xA4PJT19d85lqqc0fc2XbCtSAdXm1f6JVMCfIEUTMeI6g-OR8KdxJLEZFdCcLeJbnNLfinkjsnWfWEzTE9dRuqVj6~MxyE9ND8HVSihdfc-HpaBDv~cB2I94OSOhx8STzrmyrWi3tF~GS02XZwVPPJq9IWzK1Q6iFgywS3BkRU6P7SiZeAUAosE0rNT1a1MJYjuPmaFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rep. Teresa Wood, chair of the House Human Services Committee, said the committee recommends using underutilized FY25 funds in Reach Up and supporting a federal SNAP bank provision to avoid losing available federal benefit months.

The nut graf: For Reach Up (basic-needs support for caregivers and low-income parents) the committee proposed a one-time inflation-response stipend for current participants and recommended keeping a remainder in the line item to account for caseload volatility. For SNAP (3SquaresVT) the committee urged fuller use of the federal \"bank\" of roughly 29,000 voucher units that represent monthly allotments available to the state and that will expire when the federal fiscal-year allocation resets.

On Reach Up, Wood said the caseload is smaller than previously forecast and that the committee would propose dispersing a one-time stipend described in committee materials as \"$101100\" to current Reach Up participants (the transcript did not specify whether that figure refers to a total or a per-participant amount). Committee staff said the Reach Up participant count at the time of testimony was 3,732 and recommended retaining a remaining $126,000 in the line item because caseloads can be volatile.

On SNAP, the committee supported an additional $1.3 million in funding to make use of a federal provision that allows the state to apply an existing bank of benefit units during interim coverage when a household's paperwork or recertification is pending. Wood described the bank as \"29,000 units\" and said those units represent month-long vouchers; staff clarified the bank is scheduled to expire at the federal fiscal-year reset (the committee described that as September 30). \"It allows that grace period,\" Wood said, explaining that the units are federally funded and can prevent a one-month interruption in benefits while paperwork is processed.

Committee members said using the federal bank reduces paperwork churn and prevents short-term terminations that then require a full reapplication. The committee urged DCF to use the bank more fully this year rather than let unused units lapse.

Ending: The committee provided draft budget language for the Reach Up stipend and SNAP technical language and encouraged Appropriations to adopt the measures to reduce benefit interruptions and respond to inflation pressures among basic-needs households.","The committee recommended a one-time inflation-response stipend for Reach Up participants and urged the Department for Children and Families to use available federal SNAP \"units\" (about 29,000 month-vouchers) before they return to the federal pool at the next fiscal-year deadline.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6372267,"House Human Services: allow Child Care Financial Assistance Program access to AHS caseload reserve",460,110000,570000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2148258-f4411248799f3481044b0759c6a4c989&start=110&end=570","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2148258-f4411248799f3481044b0759c6a4c989/thumbnail_110000.jpg","/articles/6372267/Vermont/House-Human-Services-allow-Child-Care-Financial-Assistance-Program-access-to-AHS-caseload-reserve","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6372267-f727cac75c9bf75a9aa12866f8a3d99e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153149&Signature=Nlwkbmf5n88azM0rS-Iu6lEvhGmc35msC~a7w46wHVf86yT7pIT6PutXBj5di-B0DctbEAWrunj2~Cenb7a6hDqCsPa05YZZN-~7h2wYY~r30HLHuVdwvlaQj9gVjm37ISAiOPlKvUoDpLsZJgpSkaXb7BYjOZuqdOwLD6DZ2i5pcOivG~qk3JYG9z5i8K4Be86wGjkafK2F2HlvHH-m1pwxCKk8xBfPpMDTxluZN72qwIgMXnCp-TbkQ0C42qCZJmTv6NPFENkVcHM9V-6-pQpmpdGS5B-WB7GV9hZFIRENcZ83~J-BhLBl4qQ4yyNxEyb~CL37iEUKZ67b6RHGiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rep. Teresa Wood, chair of the House Human Services Committee, told the House Appropriations Committee that her committee supports most of the administration's Budget Adjustment Act requests related to child care but wants explicit language to allow the Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP) to access the AHS caseload reserve.

The nut graf: The committee emphasized that CCFAP is an entitlement created by the legislature and that access to the caseload reserve should be clarified in the BAA language so eligible families continue to receive services while the program ramps up after eligibility expansion.

Wood said the committee did not recommend cuts to CCFAP and underscored that it remains an entitlement requiring the state to meet its obligations. \"There have been no cuts to the Child Care Financial Assistance Program,\" she said, adding that there are sufficient funds in the program to fulfill eligibility obligations and that the administration's proposal does not change that legal entitlement.

Committee members discussed whether a separate reserve fund should be created but landed on using the existing AHS caseload reserve as the appropriate mechanism to provide short-term access for CCFAP needs. Wood said Commissioner Adam Gresham suggested using the AHS caseload reserve, which has carried a balance large enough historically to cover other caseloads such as Medicaid.

The committee also said it wants language enabling, at a future point if funds permit, transfers from a special fund into the caseload reserve to bolster that reserve. That transfer authority, the committee said, would be a ways-and-means policy decision to consider if the special fund balance exceeds obligations.

Wood pointed members to a two-page Joint Fiscal Office memo (prepared by Emily Burn) posted on the committee's public web page that explains the forecast and uptake assumptions for the child-care expansion. The committee noted that the program is still in a ramp-up phase following an eligibility expansion effective in October and that it may be 18 months before utilization stabilizes.

Ending: The committee asked appropriators to add clarifying language to the BAA enabling CCFAP access to the AHS caseload reserve and suggested tracking a possible future transfer authority from a special fund into the reserve as a policy option during the FY26 process.","The committee recommended that the Child Care Financial Assistance Program be explicitly permitted to draw on the Agency of Human Services (AHS) caseload reserve to cover existing entitlement obligations, and suggested future language to allow transfers from a special fund into the caseload reserve if surpluses arise.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6372272,"House Human Services urges extension of winter-weather emergency shelter rules through June 30",814,574000,1388000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2148258-f4411248799f3481044b0759c6a4c989&start=574&end=1388","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2148258-f4411248799f3481044b0759c6a4c989/thumbnail_574000.jpg","/articles/6372272/Vermont/House-Human-Services-urges-extension-of-winter-weather-emergency-shelter-rules-through-June-30","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6372272-c146f47d23f81f9344dba3979b8ca2d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153149&Signature=T-bk~jcaR26H2Uw4a6yX1D~1eUBPsW6t5cFSzGkFf7zLq5c5~UmEjKFkZwq8UrPLxOHXoA4jHFc67ewEQymaFp3EV7Mal5WafE1B0n7fRXHwuopVEiD8bUtAAibQ~SVRsAXFS8ihb1STvvX2MSR4jrViTF9ZHlhbv9hyDhtDOOi4x6qELVjxel6pZPWN-BqQmhLRvMatQ4YYBebmAyi3CpxsjFGzirE2h6~ZnzZvlV4JFhvLIcWgJz9u~~VhPPwwDNxDfG32xnCemgyHLlRIH~bKCy8U9UenNHmY4NGErGaWUL8RF0OS4ATFIGFQ6OPwbYM4Cyxxzg-Tv4occuXX9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rep. Teresa Wood, chair of the House Human Services Committee, told the House Appropriations Committee on Jan. 24 that her panel recommends extending Vermont's winter-weather emergency shelter provisions through June 30 to avoid a repeat of last year's ad hoc response.

The nut graf: The recommendation keeps in place winter-weather rules that suspend the 80-day limit and room caps for emergency motel placements while the Legislature and agencies finalize a permanent emergency-shelter program and related budget language. Committee members said the extension is intended to prevent immediate unsheltering while an improved program is developed this spring and summer.

Wood described last year's emergency response as costly and poorly used, saying that hastily created congregate shelters and motel placements required millions and left many people unsheltered. \"It was a disaster,\" Wood said, noting both human costs and wasted resources. The committee recommended extending the winter-weather provisions because the permanent program would not take effect until the new fiscal year beginning July 1.

Committee materials and staff figures cited in the hearing put current motel placements and emergency-room \"boarding\" in context. At the time of the presentation the Department for Children and Families (DCF) had identified roughly 1,408 motel-placed households; Wood's staff used a planning estimate of 1,425 rooms for the remainder of the covered period. The committee also noted a $351,000 underutilization figure in non-housing general assistance lines (for burial assistance, limited personal care and similar items) that is separate from the emergency shelter tally.

Under the winter-weather rules described in the budget language, the 80-day counting rule does not apply and there is no fixed limit on the number of motel rooms that may be used when a household meets the statutory eligibility conditions (families with a child 19 and under, people with disabilities, Vermonters 65 and older, survivors of domestic violence and people evicted through no fault of their own). Wood said the committee is not proposing eligibility changes but is recommending keeping the winter-weather exceptions in place through June 30 to bridge to a permanent program.

Wood and other committee members said two family shelters (in Williston and Waterbury) are slated to close April 1; Rutland is negotiating for a year-round site and the administration has reported positive progress there. The committee stressed the need to avoid repeating last spring, when several hastily arranged congregate settings drew heavy criticism for lack of transportation and poor take-up despite substantial spending.

Wood said the city of Burlington used local and Housing Opportunity Program resources to mount its recent temporary response to very cold weather and that a combination of local and state funds has been used in other emergency responses.

The committee provided draft language and public documents (including a Joint Fiscal Office memo cited in its materials) that it said would be available to appropriators to enact the extension if the Appropriations Committee chooses to adopt the recommendation. If approved, that extension would apply only until June 30, the committee said, because a new permanent program is expected to be implemented starting July 1.

Ending: Committee members emphasized this extension is intended as a short-term measure while a statutory program and budget for emergency shelter are finalized; they said legislative hearings and a task force report scheduled for next week will guide a longer-term solution.","The House Human Services Committee recommended that state winter-weather provisions that remove limits on motel rooms and the 80-day cap for emergency shelter remain in effect through June 30 to avoid repeating last year's emergency-response problems and give time to implement a permanent shelter program.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House Human Services flags instability in long-term care spending, loss of residential beds and request for provider-stabilization clarity

House Human Services backs Reach Up inflation stipend and urges fuller use of federal SNAP 'bank' months

House Human Services: allow Child Care Financial Assistance Program access to AHS caseload reserve

House Human Services urges extension of winter-weather emergency shelter rules through June 30