[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6653377,"mediaKeyId","2479946-aafeca192d737f98553591f039c8566e","parentId",2479946,"title","Child advocate asks lawmakers to tighten oversight of ABA providers, require background checks","audioSeconds",415,"startMs",7584000,"endMs",7999000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2479946-aafeca192d737f98553591f039c8566e&start=7584&end=7999","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2479946-aafeca192d737f98553591f039c8566e/thumbnail_7584000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6653377/Connecticut/Child-advocate-asks-lawmakers-to-tighten-oversight-of-ABA-providers-require-background-checks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6653377-fb0a2f0b0b85c3f23d7a431b9ebe6e9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770995978&Signature=YVsWJl0iZdOTmwfjyeVCh~4y1OshlcMCZagB9iVtuESqvdUNStX0Zbb3A8WatZHPcrfQEjew3N8m~S5hBfcJRNbmP5WME37-zAlpD-H6uvfg8cyqm7qLYlvE~XMr3YyYSwlcnOBh1WP-~E2x7~H-ZU9W4XOd77f~oswzVDoL2cn6eMUJS~D5-GlOtGoQ-WMoRjZn-v~FymNoVudcLFLii93OS2--vGDbupiLCbw0aaSGl6NJWfPpKcYMiq5cuA8T1AyeLg31jPfGff9FS40jGxWqDouW9SizXfRfFnBbFsAo0rF9B8I2XhM9Yb4Z9Zsivg13FR67Trxdg4~v3HzhBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Connecticut State Legislature - Public Health","date","2025-03-04T00:55:09.867Z","article","HARTFORD — Connecticut's acting child advocate on Monday urged lawmakers to adopt legislative changes and create a task force to improve state oversight of entities that provide applied behavioral analysis (ABA) services to children, saying existing statutes leave gaps in facility supervision and child-safety checks.

What the child advocate requested: Christina Guillot, acting child advocate, testified in support of HB 7049 and presented recommendations from an investigation the office conducted after concerns were raised about intensive, day‑long ABA programs that serve children with autism. Her office found that while board‑certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) are licensed by the Department of Public Health, the facilities where ABA services are provided are frequently not licensed like child-care centers and therefore are not subject to the same employee background checks and regulatory oversight.

Specific problems identified
- Facility licensing gap: The child advocate said ABA programs provide medical treatment in settings that may resemble childcare centers but lack licensing requirements for facilities, background-check rules for employees and joint investigative procedures when concerns arise.
- Background checks: In a small sample, programs running day‑long ABA services conducted state and federal criminal-history checks, but none voluntarily checked the state child‑abuse registry. Guillot said state law requires background screening in schools and licensed childcare settings and urged parity for ABA programs that serve children many hours per day.
- Notification and data sharing: Guillot told the committee there is no systematic mechanism for the Department of Children and Families to notify DPH when a BCBA is placed on the DCF registry, or for DCF to notify employers about such findings — a gap she said must be fixed.

Proposed response
The Office of the Child Advocate recommended both statutory changes (to require minimum employee checks and clarify reporting channels) and a task force to define which ABA programs should fall under regulated oversight and which state agency is best suited to take responsibility. Guillot recommended the task force include DPH, DCF, the Office of Early Childhood and autism‑services experts.

Ending
Guillot told lawmakers her goal is protective: to ensure children who attend intensive ABA programs receive services in settings with the same types of safety checks that other child‑serving facilities have, and to set up the interagency lines of communication necessary for rapid investigation and prevention.

Short background: ABA services are an evidence‑based therapy for children with autism and can be intensive and medically important; the child advocate said the law has not kept pace with growth in providers and that a limited sample review found inconsistent practices on background checks and reporting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Health Committee Public Hearing","oneSentenceSummary","The Office of the Child Advocate recommended a task force and statutory changes to better regulate applied behavioral analysis (ABA) programs for children with autism, citing gaps in facility licensing, employee background checks and coordination with child-abuse investigation systems.","taxTitle","Public Health, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Connecticut","taxId",15635,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6653381,"Ombudsman and advocates press lawmakers for state oversight of correctional health care",338,8941000,9279000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2479946-aafeca192d737f98553591f039c8566e&start=8941&end=9279","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2479946-aafeca192d737f98553591f039c8566e/thumbnail_8941000.jpg","/articles/6653381/Connecticut/Ombudsman-and-advocates-press-lawmakers-for-state-oversight-of-correctional-health-care","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6653381-eb12be440be389d98051daabdc478833/orig.mp4?Expires=1770995978&Signature=aDxu64vmO803tbkacmcuqfGdKZGMU50WXazdto2cl1ZRq39kFRQyru4vAOGeonP5MkNasLnTIIaUuNbLihkItSnXqN8V0UyssQBD1AzsSofBzrGLaXKmAVmwCjLAzqK90SjoKY9MbiEcw3R9bZAu0zZRIZyD-mu~5S5YYEzef5sci3mMD2~X-cGYAlyHMxXRKIU6cmNQmQW4jYlsLDljc7AmiB6VcTKqq6nJBnnC77j1NNLixPYhcKarBnxyWJLWQjmiXD8XBn4UDwKkjFzjUIy5uanOROiXu9nBCHCc85w~o5yUDzowvb2gpH0S1JMP3nQqpCxDYL8w9RcTtDLMLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HARTFORD — State advocates, a newly created Office of the Correctional Ombudsman and public-health groups urged lawmakers Monday to give the Department of Public Health a greater role overseeing medical care inside Connecticut's prisons, saying the state's current approach contributes to preventable illness and costly litigation.

What witnesses asked for: Devon Ward, the state's correctional ombudsman, told the committee that DPH already performs many public‑health duties relevant to prisons and should be empowered to inspect facilities, monitor infectious disease and help prevent environmental hazards. \"The reality is that infectious diseases do not stay confined within prison walls,\" Ward said, citing hepatitis C, HIV and tuberculosis. The ombudsman and allied groups also called for consideration of national accreditation standards for correctional health care and for the state's licensing, inspection and oversight mechanisms to be aligned with best practices.

High-level themes from testimony
- Oversight and standards: Witnesses urged DPH to adopt or employ nationally recognized standards such as those from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) and to perform routine inspections and environmental checks — for example for radon and drinking-water safety — that could head off litigation and health harms.
- Staffing and recruitment: Testimony underscored chronic staffing shortages for clinicians in prisons and suggested pay, recruitment and administrative changes to retain clinicians. Ombudsman Ward cited instances of facilities without routine care such as optometry coverage for extended periods.
- Mental‑health care: Advocates including NAMI Connecticut and the Regulate DOC Healthcare Connecticut Coalition argued behavioral health must be a central element of any oversight. They urged adding the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to task-force planning and ensuring psychiatric services are explicitly included.

Lawsuits and costs
Witnesses noted recent litigation tied to prison health and environmental issues as evidence that current practices are costly and inadequate. Ward pointed to settled cases involving hepatitis C access and environmental exposures as proof that earlier oversight might avoid large payouts and public‑health harms.

Voices at the hearing
- \"Infectious diseases do not stay confined within prison walls,\" said Devon Ward, correctional ombudsman, urging DPH coordination with DOC.
- NAMI and other mental‑health organizations urged the committee to explicitly integrate behavioral health into any oversight structure and add DMHAS representation on task forces.

Outlook
The committee heard broad agreement that prison health care needs reform and more coordination among agencies. Lawmakers will consider whether to draft SB 1394 with clearer inspection and accreditation language and how to fund any new oversight duties.

Ending
Witnesses urged the committee to focus on achievable, evidence‑based steps — accreditation, infection control, timely staffing and environmental protections — to reduce harm and long‑term costs.","Correctional ombudsman, advocates and veterans' groups urged the Public Health Committee to pass SB 1394 to bring Department of Correction health services under Department of Public Health oversight, require accreditation and strengthen infectious‑disease monitoring and facility inspections.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6653385,"Doctors and veterans press Connecticut for pilot funding of neuromodulation therapy for stroke recovery",6754,5618000,12372000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2479946-aafeca192d737f98553591f039c8566e&start=5618&end=12372","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2479946-aafeca192d737f98553591f039c8566e/thumbnail_5618000.jpg","/articles/6653385/Connecticut/Doctors-and-veterans-press-Connecticut-for-pilot-funding-of-neuromodulation-therapy-for-stroke-recovery","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6653385-a44e7a404c0ecd798572449425cd5f2f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770995978&Signature=S6urz3qtvQGAyQaZqMB5gdLsRg-9iS1FVqaRN9DywQXnjf845-vg1U8KdpDpj3x4an2mVLQWZDsqO5DHdSvfEunnLF29UvB8qjODK8lhzCRik~q2QubEyjsbV~H8OQKtuwdiKWTuiP2k7RgfxO9CzcriR37G2-VTRvDmi1XrZO41zgbDXHJ8b5LdA9VL0u8gMpLmEuOvPkQ4N07WwiK-c9bZttArDXofxmFfuqE7LfIz~Tja65m9Y8VB7Vi66gq-PR0cofq~sM8wPJEq6R~0a6tNDadADP0IBMIZpdR5Nt3mZiUxeHNtYPhlL3yP4Xb37MMMkjWpIQLUMIIiVXN3UA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HARTFORD — Physicians, veterans and advocates urged Connecticut lawmakers Monday to fund a small research-and-treatment pilot offering neuromodulation therapy to veterans and other patients with chronic stroke impairment, saying early clinical experience shows life-changing improvements even years after a stroke.

What was proposed: Speakers asked the Public Health Committee to authorize $2 million to cover surgery, device, rehabilitation and research for 10 veterans at UConn Health and Hartford HealthCare. The request would fund implants of the VIVISTEM vagus‑nerve stimulator, intensive targeted occupational and physical therapy, neuroimaging and gait research to measure how the brain reorganizes after stimulation.

Why supporters argue it's urgent: \"This therapy ends up being really miraculously effective,\" neurosurgeon Dr. Chris Connor told the committee. Connor described patients who had long plateaued after stroke regaining function that restored the ability to cook, hold a grandchild and live independently. Patient John Newt, who testified remotely after receiving VIVISTEM in May 2024, said his mobility and hand use have improved: \"My mobility has improved about 40% according to the Fugl-Meyer test,\" he said.

Clinical case for research
- Physicians said VIVISTEM is FDA‑cleared for upper‑extremity weakness after ischemic stroke, but use and long‑term outcomes are still being studied. Supporters want to collect MRI and EEG data, gait lab measures and standardized functional scores to document effects on limb function, walking, pain and possibly bowel/bladder control.
- \"We want to know if the brain is reorganizing and which parts reactivate,\" said Dr. Connor. Physiatrist Dr. Gregory DeGrucci said veterans often have complex exposures and early-onset strokes; he and others argued pilots targeted at veterans could both help those patients and generate data for broader care.

Questions raised by lawmakers
- Evidence and scale: Several lawmakers welcomed the initial positive anecdotes but pressed for clarity about how a $2 million pilot would translate into broader coverage. Committee members asked whether the VA had been engaged; clinicians said they had begun outreach and that the VA could pay for community care if a therapy is proven effective.
- Costs and sustainability: Witnesses acknowledged federal grant funding is constrained and said a state-funded pilot would establish preliminary data to seek wider reimbursement from insurers and the VA.

Voices and roles
- Dr. Chris Connor, neurosurgeon (UConn), testified about surgical outcomes, the need for intensive 6‑week, three‑times‑weekly occupational therapy and the plan to do MRI and EEG research. He described the first patients' functional gains and said the program aims to enroll 10 veterans and study outcomes over 12–24 months.
- Dr. Gregory DeGrucci, physiatrist (Hartford HealthCare), said veterans have higher stroke rates and complex needs and endorsed a center of excellence model to coordinate surgical, rehab and research services.
- Veteran John Newt testified that after VIVISTEM he regained daily abilities he had lost.
- Supporters included veterans groups and clinicians who argued that even a small pilot could prove the approach, spur insurer and VA coverage and expand care.

Outlook
Lawmakers pressed clinicians to firm up plans for VA coordination, research protocols and a path to payers if results are positive. Several members said they were sympathetic but wanted detailed costing, timelines and assurances the pilot would produce publishable, generalizable data.

Ending
Proponents said a $2 million pilot would be a modest, high‑leverage investment to test a promising therapy for chronic stroke disability and to catalyze broader insurer and VA support if the research confirms the clinical benefits reported by early adopters.","Physicians asked the Public Health Committee for $2 million to fund 10 veterans for VIVISTEM vagus‑nerve neuromodulation and associated rehab research, saying early results show sustained gains years after stroke; lawmakers pressed for evidence, VA coordination and long‑term funding plans.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6653391,"Connecticut hearing probes private equity, seeks clearer review of health-care mergers",4291,1041000,5332000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2479946-aafeca192d737f98553591f039c8566e&start=1041&end=5332","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2479946-aafeca192d737f98553591f039c8566e/thumbnail_1041000.jpg","/articles/6653391/Connecticut/Connecticut-hearing-probes-private-equity-seeks-clearer-review-of-health-care-mergers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6653391-e37056d43f93dc0851059bc88509d8d4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770995978&Signature=gO5GXg6Ps2pdPxrBxHbuNAIUG0VACRWEjlMNdehNUv~MMXxvJSaxduWrAQ-eqIVP9rOyAm6p-q0tFCph2lGpp5FPuqd3jy09pq9tHzhZ28XPRl3HYOzYd4M2IDJUsVhTx3rT1E1ef8Fwo5sRmYrh0sTIvyacKQD7rWvIojJhPX1~8EnK3q51KgRA~GvciKd2jWJTsiNZyQLwgc0Rq-U6byUtZ~I9BVkBceA0Ag7c68yuEFoh1C6hlEnklTWC~ZtfyQZKtsHiFZK0xi~~E34QwEu2Uqs1ADbnmQV1WTHv-OXECda-kxdOkLjOqIo73Crl2j275jmyGFXdIOnkoUrGiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","NEW HAVEN — Connecticut regulators and clinicians on Monday clashed over a bill aimed at giving the state a broader look at mergers and acquisitions in the health-care sector, as attorneys and public-health officials urged lawmakers to expand review authority and doctors warned of unintended consequences for independent practices.

The Office of the Attorney General and the Office of Health Strategy supported Governor Ned Lamont's HB 6873, saying the measure would strengthen a 2014 notice-of-material-change law and give the state new tools to spot consolidation and private-equity activity that can affect access, cost and quality. \"This bill, if passed, will update and strengthen a statute this legislature wisely enacted in 2014,\" Nicole Demers, chief of the antitrust section at the Connecticut attorney general's office, told members of the Public Health Committee.

Why it matters: State regulators asserted the federal Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) threshold leaves many transactions invisible because serial smaller deals can escape review. The bill would lengthen the notice period from 30 to 60 days, add a $10 million assets/revenue threshold and explicitly flag private-equity, insurance carriers and management-services organizations, which proponents say will give the state early visibility into potentially harmful deals.

Key details and debate
- Attorney General's office: Nicole Demers and staff said the office needs more time and mandatory data to estimate market concentration and to escalate inquiries when there are signs of anticompetitive activity. Demers said the expanded language would let the office capture complicated arrangements such as management-services organizations and investments by private-equity firms.
- Office of Health Strategy (OHS): Commissioner Deirdre Gifford said the state has seen growing \"financialization of health care\" and that OHS and the AG need to consult when market moves raise concerns about access, quality or affordability. \"We put in work with this committee last year that would have intensified oversight,\" she said, adding the bill aims to balance scrutiny with limiting administrative burden on routine transactions.
- Medical community: Physicians and leaders of independent practices urged caution. Several specialists testified that partnerships with management-service organizations (MSOs) or private-equity-backed MSOs had enabled them to expand access, open urgent-care locations, add research trials and offer lower-cost outpatient procedures — and that broad new reporting could deter such arrangements. \"The partnership has allowed me to delegate the business aspects of my practice so I can focus on delivering care,\" said Dr. Dinesh Kapoor, an oncologist who described a minority-MSO structure for his group.

Concerns and trade-offs
- Resource gap: OAG and OHS witnesses said the offices lack staff and funding to review a large surge in filings. Demers told the committee the AG's eight-person antitrust section needs additional positions to implement any expansion; otherwise the office would exercise enforcement discretion and triage the most worrisome filings.
- Narrowing vs. catching deals: Supporters said the bill is targeted at transactions that current federal thresholds miss, including roll-ups and sale-leasebacks, while critics urged specific exclusions or expedited paths for small-scope transactions to avoid gumming up routine deals.

Voices from the hearing
- \"We are seeing an increase in what's known as financialization of health care,\" Commissioner Deirdre Gifford said. \"We are seeing harmful practices of financially motivated entities that can disrupt care for patients and hurt the communities.\"
- \"A hospital-driven consolidation is driving up patient costs,\" said Dr. Joe Capa, a gastroenterologist, but he added that private-equity partnerships have helped his independent practice expand access and reduce costs in his markets.

Outlook and next steps
Lawmakers asked staff to consider narrowing language and to explore resources to implement any expanded review. Several members urged carve-outs or expedited processes so routine transactions can proceed quickly while authorities concentrate on deals that materially affect market power. Supporters urged mandatory funding for OAG and OHS to make the bill operational.

Ending
The committee held hours of testimony from regulators, physicians, hospital and union representatives and industry groups. Lawmakers signaled they will try to preserve the bill's goal\u0014greater transparency around investors, sale-leasebacks and complex deals\u0014while refining the mechanics so oversight can be carried out without unduly burdening small providers.","Lawmakers and regulators debated Governor Lamont's HB 6873 to expand state review of health-care transactions, with the attorney general and Office of Health Strategy urging more authority and resources while doctors and private practices warned the bill could hamper independent providers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Child advocate asks lawmakers to tighten oversight of ABA providers, require background checks

Ombudsman and advocates press lawmakers for state oversight of correctional health care

Doctors and veterans press Connecticut for pilot funding of neuromodulation therapy for stroke recovery

Connecticut hearing probes private equity, seeks clearer review of health-care mergers