Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 36–Committee on
Human Resources and Facilities

 

(On Behalf of the Legislative Committee on
Health Care (NRS 439B.200))

 

May 9, 2003

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Human Resources and Facilities

 

SUMMARY—Expresses support of Nevada Legislature for four long-term strategic plans developed by Department of Human Resources concerning health care needs of residents of Nevada. (BDR R‑742)

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

Senate Concurrent RESOLUTION—Expressing the support of the Nevada Legislature for the four long-term strategic plans developed by the Department of Human Resources concerning the health care needs of the residents of Nevada.

 

1-1  Whereas, On June 13, 2001, the Governor signed into law

1-2  Assembly Bill No. 513 which provided funding for the development

1-3  of four long-term strategic plans concerning the health care needs of

1-4  the residents of Nevada; and

1-5  Whereas, The strategic plans to be developed were to address

1-6  the basic needs of Nevada’s senior residents, health care services in

1-7  rural areas of Nevada, services to meet the needs of persons with

1-8  disabilities, and rates paid by the State to contracted providers of

1-9  health care services; and

1-10      Whereas, The Department of Human Resources established a

1-11  task force to facilitate the development of each of the four strategic

1-12  plans and a steering committee to provide guidance and coordinate

1-13  the overall efforts of each task force; and

1-14      Whereas, Each task force conducted public hearings in many

1-15  locations in this state to ensure information was received from all

1-16  interested persons, including, without limitation, senior residents,

1-17  rural Nevadans, persons with disabilities and their representatives,

2-1  governmental representatives and representatives of persons who

2-2  provide institutional and community-based services to persons with

2-3  disabilities, and developed each long-term strategic plan only after

2-4  testimony and information presented by the interested parties had

2-5  been fully considered; and

2-6  Whereas, The diligent work of the Senior Services Task Force

2-7  in gathering comments and information from over 2,000 Nevada

2-8  seniors, service providers and caregivers resulted in a

2-9  comprehensive strategic plan for this state’s senior residents which

2-10  focuses on goals relating to independent living, engagement in the

2-11  occupation of life, improvement of health, accessibility and

2-12  affordability of housing, availability of transportation services, and

2-13  receipt of needed benefits, services and support; and

2-14      Whereas, The perseverance of the Nevada Rural Health Care

2-15  Task Force in holding stakeholder meetings with approximately 200

2-16  persons, conducting interviews with those persons having a

2-17  particular interest in rural health care and analyzing the data from

2-18  over 250 surveys received from rural residents resulted in a long-

2-19  range strategic plan to address health care services in the rural areas

2-20  of Nevada, which focuses on goals relating to planning and

2-21  coordination of rural health care, delivery of services to rural areas,

2-22  sustainable financing of insurance coverage and development of

2-23  adequate funding, and utilization and expansion of resources in rural

2-24  communities; and

2-25      Whereas, The assiduous work of the Task Force on Disability

2-26  and its subcommittees and the technical advisory group created to

2-27  address issues relating to the Olmstead decision, Olmstead v. L.C. ex

2-28  rel. Zimring, 119 S. Ct. 2176 (1999), resulted in a comprehensive

2-29  strategic plan for persons with disabilities which focuses on goals to

2-30  ensure the availability and accessibility of services for persons with

2-31  disabilities, to support the ability of persons with disabilities to lead

2-32  independent and active lives within their communities, to continue

2-33  the efforts of this state to provide appropriate community-based

2-34  services for persons with disabilities, and to ensure that persons with

2-35  disabilities receive the services they are legally entitled to receive;

2-36  and

2-37      Whereas, In addition to the goals identified by the Task Force

2-38  on Disability to enable persons with disabilities to achieve

2-39  maximum mainstream personal and economic independence,

2-40  testimony from various advocates, agencies, organizations and

2-41  persons with diverse interests, perspectives and expertise concerning

2-42  the provision of services to persons with disabilities indicated that

2-43  the allocation of 10 percent of the tobacco settlement funds that are

2-44  designated to be used to address the needs of persons with

3-1  disabilities should continue to be made available in the Fund for a

3-2  Healthy Nevada without interruption to focus on:

3-3  1.  Providing home and environmental modifications and

3-4  technology to allow community access, independent living or return

3-5  from institutional care;

3-6  2.  Providing permanent funding for the State’s Positive

3-7  Behavioral Support Program; and

3-8  3.  Ensuring that families providing primary care to a severely

3-9  disabled family member receive respite; and

3-10      Whereas, The arduous work of the Provider Rates Task Force

3-11  in gathering information from representatives of county agencies,

3-12  providers of certain health care services, persons who access the

3-13  services and their families, as well as state personnel, resulted in the

3-14  development of standardized rates for a variety of services,

3-15  including, without limitation, community support services for

3-16  persons with a disability or a mental illness, the elderly, community

3-17  triage centers, supported living arrangements, targeted case

3-18  management, personal assistance services, fiscal intermediary

3-19  services, children and adult mental health rehabilitative services and

3-20  therapies; and

3-21      Whereas, Based upon testimony presented from those persons

3-22  who participated in providing input concerning the four areas of

3-23  health care services on which the long-term strategic plans focused,

3-24  permanent long-term funding is critically needed for the continued

3-25  establishment and development of mental health services, including,

3-26  without limitation, services for persons who are mentally ill and

3-27  mentally retarded, and services for the prevention of alcohol abuse

3-28  and alcoholism; and

3-29      Whereas, Each of the four long-term strategic health care plans

3-30  identified goals and objectives or recommendations relating to the

3-31  area studied and outlined strategies to carry out the goals, objectives

3-32  and recommendations; and

3-33      Whereas, The Nevada Legislature recognizes the importance

3-34  of these long-term strategic plans in serving as invaluable guides in

3-35  addressing the health care needs of the residents of this state; and

3-36      Whereas, The Nevada Legislature further recognizes that each

3-37  strategic plan is a blueprint to use in budgeting for health care

3-38  services in this state; now, therefore, be it

3-39      Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, the

3-40  Assembly Concurring, That the members of the Nevada

3-41  Legislature express their support for the four long-term strategic

3-42  plans developed by the Department of Human Resources concerning

3-43  senior services, rural health care, persons with disabilities and

3-44  provider rates; and be it further

4-1  Resolved, That the members of the Legislature acknowledge

4-2  the recommendations provided in these long-term strategic plans

4-3  concerning the health care needs of the residents of this state, as

4-4  well as the recommendations concerning funding that were provided

4-5  as a result of testimony presented during the preparation of these

4-6  plans; and be it further

4-7  Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and

4-8  transmit a copy of this resolution to the Director of the Department

4-9  of Human Resources.

 

4-10  H