| R 338 |
| 2021 -- S 0985 Enacted 07/01/2021 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Senator Louis P. DiPalma |
| Date Introduced: June 27, 2021 |
| WHEREAS, The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) was |
| established in state law in 2006 to serve as the principal agency of the executive branch of state |
| government to manage the State’s four health and human services departments: the Departments |
| of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), Health (RIDOH), and Human Services (DHS), and |
| Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH); and |
| WHEREAS, The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) is |
| administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services who is responsible to the Governor |
| for supervising EOHHS and for managing and providing strategic leadership and direction to the |
| four health and human services departments; and |
| WHEREAS, EOHHS is intended to be a consumer-centered system of publicly-financed |
| state administered health and human services that supports access to high-quality services, |
| protects the safety of the State's most vulnerable citizens, and ensures the efficient use of all |
| available resources by the four departments responsible for the health and human services |
| programs serving all Rhode Islanders and providing direct assistance and support services |
| individuals and families; and |
| WHEREAS, EOHHS was charged with leading the four (4) departments in order to: |
| (1) Improve the economy, efficiency, coordination, and quality of health and human |
| services policy and planning, budgeting, and financing; |
| (2) Design strategies and implement best practices that foster service access, consumer |
| safety, and positive outcomes; |
| (3) Maximize and leverage funds from all available public and private sources, including |
| federal financial participation, grants, and awards; |
| (4) Increase public confidence by conducting independent reviews of health and human |
| services issues in order to promote accountability and coordination across departments; and |
| (5) Ensure that state health and human services policies and programs are responsive to |
| changing consumer needs and to the network of community providers that deliver assistive |
| services and supports on their behalf, and other duties pursuant to § 42-7.2-2; and |
| WHEREAS, The health and human services landscape has changed greatly since 2006; |
| now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created |
| consisting of not more than eleven (11) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the |
| Senate, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of |
| the Senate; and not more than eight (8) of whom shall be members with relevant expertise and |
| experience as providers, partners and/or stakeholders of the Executive Office of Health and |
| Human Services, the Medical Assistance (Medicaid) Program, the Department of Children, Youth |
| and Families, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Health, and the Department |
| of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities, and Hospitals, to be appointed by the |
| President of the Senate. |
| In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a legislative study |
| commission, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in |
| place of a legislator, provided that the Senate President or the Minority Leader of the political |
| party that is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general |
| public. |
| The purpose of said commission shall be to review and make recommendations on how |
| to most efficiently and effectively administer health and human services in the state of Rhode |
| Island. |
| Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at |
| the call of the President of the Senate, who shall appoint a Chair of the commission. Vacancies in |
| said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. |
| A quorum of the commission shall consist of a majority of its membership, and the |
| membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. |
| All departments and agencies of the state, shall furnish such advice and information, |
| documentary or otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable |
| by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. |
| The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide |
| suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the |
| President of the Senate on or before March 1, 2022, and said commission shall expire on July 1, |
| 2022. |
| ======== |
| LC003088 |
| ======== |