MINUTES OF MEETING

      ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

 

      Sixty-seventh Session

      April 22, 1993

 

 

 

The Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services was called to order by Chairman Jan Evans at 1:23 p.m., April 22, 1993, in Room 330 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada.  Exhibit A is the Meeting Agenda, Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

      Mrs. Jan Evans, Chairman

      Mrs. Vivian L. Freeman, Vice Chairman

      Ms. Kathy M. Augustine

      Ms. Marcia de Braga

      Mr. James A. Gibbons

      Mr. Dean A. Heller

      Mr. William A. Petrak

      Ms. Stephanie Smith

      Mr. Louis A. Toomin

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

      Mrs. Gene W. Segerblom

      Mr. Wendell P. Williams - Excused

 

GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT:

 

      None

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

      Dana Bennett, Research Analyst

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

      Blanche Zucker, Chairperson/Committee for the Protection of         Children

      May Shelton, Director/Washoe County Social Services

     Dr. Paula Ford, Executive Director/WE CAN, Inc.

      Barbara Ballentine, Executive Director/YWCA of Reno-Sparks

      Michael J. McMahon, Welfare Director/Churchill County

      Janine Hansen, State President/Nevada Eagle Forum

 

 

 

Mrs. Evans informed the committee Assembly Bill 452 would not be heard as scheduled.

 

ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 35:      Establishes goals for prevention of child abuse and neglect and commends Nevada's Committee for the Protection of Children.

 

Blanche Zucker, Chairperson/Committee for the Protection of Children, spoke in support of ACR 35. She indicated the Committee administered the Children's Trust Fund established by legislative action in 1985 for funding child abuse and neglect prevention programs in the state of Nevada. Her written testimony is submitted as Exhibit C.

 

May Shelton, Director/Washoe County Social Services, in support of ACR 35, supplied the committee with graphs (Exhibit D) which indicated the rise in child abuse/neglect reports between the year 1986 and calendar year 1992.  For the state there was a 91 percent increase; for Clark County, a 54 percent increase; for Washoe County, a 145 percent increase; and for the rural counties, a 182 percent increase.

 

Ms. Shelton noted for the past several years, reports the Central Registry put together contained the same three main problems: l) Parents cannot cope;      2)Lack of sufficient income; 3) Alcohol/drug dependency. She stressed the need for more programs in the communities dealing with parent skills, parent support programs, programs to teach children how to protect themselves, and public awareness.

 

Discussion ensued between committee members and Ms. Shelton. Mr. Gibbons queried, because of the alarming statistics involving child abuse in Nevada, how many reported cases resulted in prosecution? Ms. Shelton said the District Attorney's office handled such cases but she would research the question.

 

In response to Mrs. Evans's inquiry as to how the Children's Trust Fund was supported, Ms. Shelton indicated the program was funded through fees from birth and death certificates plus federal grant challenge monies.

 

Dr. Paula Ford, Executive Director/WE CAN, Inc., ("Working to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect"), spoke and presented testimony (Exhibit E) in support of ACR 35.

 

Barbara Ballentine, Executive Director/YWCA of Reno-Sparks, also presented testimony (Exhibit F) supporting ACR 35.

 

A suggestion offered by Mr. Petrak regarding a source of needed revenue for the child abuse program targeted delinquent child support payments. Mrs. Evans affirmed enforcement in Nevada had increased dramatically in recent years through the tracking of Social Security numbers of delinquent parents.

 

      MR. TOOMIN MOVED TO ADOPT ACR 35.

 

      MR. PETRAK SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. (ASSEMBLYMEN FREEMAN,           SEGERBLOM AND WILLIMAS WERE ABSENT AT THE TIME OF THE           VOTE.)

 

      ********

 

ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION 27:Urges Congress to support "ENABLE" program.

 

Ms. de Braga gave a brief project summary description of "Enable, Inc." and introduced Michael J. McMahon, Welfare Director of Churchill County who cited objectives and the need for assistance (Exhibit G). Essentially the request for support through AJR 27 would facilitate the acquisition of federal funds needed to develop a network of community based family service centers throughout Nevada's 15 rural counties. The purpose within those centers would be to create a "one-stop shopping center" whereby all services would be accessed at one point.

 

Mr. McMahon indicated monies from the federal, state or local levels were not available, especially for rural counties. "Today's Government Challenges" (Exhibit H) depicted percentage breakdowns for health and human services throughout the state and targeted access sites in rural Nevada.

 

Responding to Mrs. Evans's inquiry concerning grants, Mr. McMahon  stated the amount of grants were approximately $5 million for an 8 month period of time. During this 8 month period they expected to identify and develop sites within the l7 points throughout the state.

 

Janine Hansen, State President/Nevada Eagle Forum, questioned two items Enable, Inc. ascribed to: The definition of "family" seemed to be the same vision statement as set forth in the Nevada Family Academy Program; secondly, what was meant by "School based programs?"  Mr. McMahon clarified the vision statement for the Family Academy was in the process of being modified and actually addressed the concerns brought forth by Ms. Hansen. He noted "school based programs" provided assistance to the schools in terms of determining eligibility for various school programs. For example, if an individual came into a family service center and was eligible for food stamps, he would automatically be tied into the food program within the schools rather than going through separate interviews, applications, etc.

 

      MS. SMITH MOVED DO PASS ON AJR 27.

 

      MS. AUGUSTINE SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

Because of lack of backup data, Mr. Toomin suggested AJR 27 be brought back at a later date. Mr. Heller reiterated his concern.

Ms. Smith and Ms. Augustine withdrew their motions and Mrs. Evans stated the issue would be reconsidered on Tuesday upon submission of the lacking information.

 

      *******

 

Regarding AB 444, Mrs. Evans asked Ms. Smith and Mr. Gibbons to serve on a subcommittee with Mr. Williams as Chairman.

 

Regarding AB 452, Ms. de Braga stated she was withdrawing the bill as "It is already being done in every hospital in the state of Nevada and is already in statute."

 

 

There being no further business to come before committee, the meeting was adjourned at 2:41 p.m.

 

      RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

                             

      CHRISTINE SHAW

      Committee Secretary

 

* EXHIBIT I was submitted after the meeting for inclusion in the    minutes.

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Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services

April 22, 1993

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