Chairwoman Warren opened the hearing on HB2639.
Natalie Scott, Revisor's Office, provided an overview of the bill and stood for questions. (Attachment 16)
Kerrie Lonard, Office of the Child Advocate, provided testimony in support of the bill. She stated the Office of the Child Advocate appreciates your time and attention in recognizing the needs of young people and families caught in the gap, the importance of safe, stable appropriate access to community based early intervention services addressing the various needs to include intensive day programming, respite, and stabilization. (Attachment 17)
Representative Cyndi Howerton, 98th District, Kansas House of Representatives, spoke as a proponent to the bill. She said this bill expands on a stabilization center model already operating successfully in Johnson County, where youth can be served. She said the goal of a stabilization center is not punishment - it is stabilization, connection, and support. (Attachment 18)
Kristalle Hedrick, CEO, Children's Alliance of Kansas, provided testimony in support of the bill. She stated by funding flexibility for crisis intervention and stabilization this bill moves us closer to the kind of services that children and families deserve. (Attachment 19)
Written only proponent testimony was submitted by:
Brenna Visocsky, Kansas Appleseed (Attachment 20)
The proponent conferees stood for questions.
Megan Milner, Deputy Secretary, KS Department of Corrections, provided neutral testimony on the bill. She asks for consideration by this committee, a revision to the definition of crossover youth.Their concern is regarding the limited definition being used to define all future work around crossover youth. (Attachment 21)
Tanya Keys, Deputy Secretary, Department for Children and Families (DCF), provided neutral testimony. She stated DCF has concerns that the amended definition on a youth adjudicated offender who are also at risk of entering the foster care system. The narrower definition might unintentionally result in a youth dual adjudication as as Child in Need of Care and a juvenile offender to not be considered a priority for admission to a crisis stabilization center. (Attachment 22)
Steven Willis, Kansas Community Corrections Association (KCCA), provided neutral testimony. He stated the KCCA supports the concept of youth stabilization centers and believes they can provide an important intervention option. To ensure these centers succeed, they recommend ensuring justice-involved youth for admission, not only for child welfare placements, protecting the Evidence-Based Programs Account so community programs remain sustainable. (Attachment 23)
Neutral written only testimony was submitted by:
Lara Blake Bors, Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee (JJOC) (Attachment 24)
Drew Adkins, KS Department for Aging and Disability Services (Attachment 25)
The neutral conferees stood for questions.
No further conferees.
Chairwoman Warren closed the hearing on HB2639.