Page applications available to all Nebraska college students

The application process for the Page Program is now available to any Nebraska college

student who may be interested. The deadline for submitting page applications and letters

of recommendation for the 2022 legislative session will be Friday, October 1 at 5:00 p.m.

The page selection committee will meet in October to select individuals to fill those

Positions. For more information. https://nebraskalegislature.gov/unicampages/

Press Conference No Funding for Children with Disabilities Again This Year

Last week, a small group of legislators killed LB 376, a bill I introduced to create a Medicaid waiver, called a Family Support Waiver, to support children with Developmental Disabilities.  The bill would reduce the number of individuals on the A&D waiting list for developmental disability services that now has over 3,000 people.  Wait time is 6-8 years on average and is radically growing.  Because of the long-term critical underfunding and a service model that has not been updated for decades, Nebraska families with disabled children have struggled greatly.

The Family Support Waiver could make would help families provide care at home with services designed to help the disabled child develop to their fullest potential. For some, that would eventually mean being able to live independently. This is already a federal program available for state participation that includes a federal matching amount. I had worked with Senator Stinner to limit the fiscal impact of the bill and identify the funding in this year’s budget. The senators who filibustered the bill ignored the fact that the money is available and Appropriations Chairman Stinner had agreed. 

This fight has brought a lot of light to the issue and has solidified my resolve. I will continue to fight for these kids and families who desperately need our help.  The link above is a press release the ARC of Nebraska will be releasing. To continue to bring light to the people who need this funding, they are hosting a press conference on Thursday at 11 a.m. Please clink the link to learn more.

Senator Machaela Cavanaugh, Nebraska Legislature 402-471-2617

Newly proposed regulation changes relating to childcare centers and certain schools or school programs has garnered a lot of comments.   These proposed administrative regulations are in response to FEDERAL law and not as a result of any bill passed by the Nebraska Legislature. The federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 requires DHHS to develop a state plan that includes group size limits for specific age populations, as determined by the State.  The group size limit is in addition to provider-to-child ratios. The federal law requires A PLAN but does not require certain ratio or size limits. The state can alter those limits in their state plan.

A public hearing on these proposed regulations was held on May 19th.  My staff attended the hearing and I’ve been in contact with local representatives from some of the affected programs.  While the deadline for public comment has passed, the department has indicated because of the large amount of feedback, it will continue to take comments but has asked that those comments are submitted ASAP.  Any comments should be sent to:  DHHS.Regulations@nebraska.gov.

Also, there will be another public hearing on this matter and another opportunity for parents and providers to weigh in on the proposed regulations.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

I’ve designated Legislative Resolution 29 as my priority for this year. LR 29 will create the Eastern Service Area Child Welfare Contract Special Investigative and Oversight Committee of the Legislature. 

The standing committee, Health and Human Services, will work collaboratively with the LR 29 Committee in studying the child welfare contract, the RFP (Request for Proposal) process and contract decision making process. The committees will also study the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Administrative Services with respect to the award, implementation, and oversight of the contract. Findings and recommendations will be issued no later than December 1, 2021.  

With allegations of financial mismanagement and poor performance of the current contractor, I felt this was of utmost importance. Taking care of these vulnerable children IS of utmost importance. The contractor, Saint Francis Ministries, has commented to the Health and Human Services Committee, that their original application and bid for the $147 Million services contract was fraudulent. The latest CEO of that company used that very word in their report. So, why should the State of Nebraska continue to throw money at the contract in hopes of improving performance? In addition to the original amount, HHS issued an “emergency” contract with an additional amount that makes their payments even higher. Why? Because until other plans can be made and implemented to take care of the 2500 children involved, there is no one else to do it. The decades-long experiment in Nebraska with child welfare privatization has proven over and over that the process is fraught with problems.  

Children in the eastern service area deserve better. Let’s see if we can get to the root of the problem.

A related bill is LB 428. Section 2 of AM 566 requires the Legislature to complete an evaluation of the “pilot program” of privatization of child welfare case management services in the Eastern Service Area by December 31, 2021. The bill would authorize the Legislature to hire a consultant to assist in completing the evaluation. LB 428 is currently on Select File, or the second round of debate. It is a Health and Human Services Committee bill that is very likely to pass. 

Here’s a recent television news article about the wait list known as the “DD wait list.”

https://www.ketv.com/article/3000-vulnerable-nebraskans-wait-years-for-services/35747215

Senator Machaela Cavanaugh introduced a bill in Appropriation Committee on February 24, 2021 to appropriate $17 million to the DD wait list.  This would not provide services to all the persons on the wait list but it would for an approximate 31% of the persons on the list.  Along with LB 376, a bill to authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to apply for a new Family Support waiver heard by the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, she hopes to make headway in getting services to adults and children with developmental disabilities. Jenny Koley testified telling of her experience living independently but with supports. Denise Gehringer testified as a family with a member who has developmental disabilities.  Thank you, Jenny and Denise.

Jenny Koley, Denise Gehringer and Senator Machaela Cavanaugh outside the hearing room after the hearing.