Senate Children & Youth Meeting Jointly W/ Sen State Agencies, & House Aging, Children, & Youth

Ever by camp please take a seat will probably start here and roughly a minute. Alright members when called me in order. I have no comments Representative do you have a comment okay first we'll move considered rations to adoption but October nineteen twenty twenty meeting minutes this is only people be voting is children aging youth the house committee since the rest of this there minute specifically so is there a motion from the committee we have a motion and a second all fares are any opposed are those are to adopted. Next we're going to appointment to the child maltreatment investigations oversight committee we have four names and if possible like to bash these Senator Alan Clark Representative Sonia Barker. Cheryl Anderson and tests Fletcher for the any comments from the committee about these appointments would you tell what position for the. Yes ma'am I sure will Senator Alan Clark will be nominated as the member of the General Assembly who is a member of the house committee of aging children and youth legislative military affairs for sin Senate in term committee on children and youth represents on you Barker nominate is a member of the General Assembly who is a member of the house committee of aging children and youth Cheryl Anderson nominated as an attorney with experience representing parents and child welfare cases not contracted by the state and Tess Fletcher nominated as a Representative from the child advocacy center and it looks like we do have a question I believe that's C. sixty five. You're recognized thank you chair the I just the question I just have or these nominations made by the chair. Yes Sir that's correct thank you. I see no other questions if possible like to bash the appointments together I have a motion a bachelor. I have a motion we have a second we have second all favor say aye. Or on the actual points and miss themselves I would entertain a motion to accept these appointments I have a motion. Motion have a second all the favor say aye are they are appointed next we'll move to the department of Veterans Affairs they have a specific issue that they like to discuss and we have all to move I think I see Kanye Todd if you feel appropriate come forward Sir you can but if you think also in and what I'll treasure judgment. Thank you can't can you say your name and title for the record and you're allowed to present your your issue. Morning let the German I'm Austin booth I and the chief of staff and the CFO for the Arkansas department of Veterans Affairs. Of. So I'm here before you today to to seek input on add his intention to enter into a contract for legal services to help us with some collections efforts at our Tuesday but until. Before I get it out however just wanna start off on a personal a personal note I think this body and the of the entire legislature for their continued support for Arkansas veterans I spent eight years on active duty with the marine corps and my wife and I recently transition backed Arkansas and we've been overwhelmed with the reception we've gotten from fellow Arkansans and is reminded us of the culture of service we have here in the state it is one the reasons why I'm proud to be an Arkansan and one of the reasons the sets us apart from other states and that culture of service is created and perpetuated by this body and the legislature and for that I and other Arkansas veterans are very grateful. So thank you for that in March of two thousand twenty five fiscal team and I conducted an in depth analysis of our accounts receivable at each of our state and some twenty fifth bill one in north little rock. The results were troubling of the combined revenue of each home. In an amount of record of roughly twenty million dollars we had about two million dollars that was outstanding to put that another way the homes were only collecting on about ninety percent of the revenue. Now we believe that this is challenging and a problem for three reasons the first reason is that It encourages non payment from other residents if one resident of our veterans home is Able but unwilling to meet their financial obligations is it so it's gonna and FOR other families or other residents to do the same. The other reason is the problem is because it's inconsistent with the obligation of financial stewardship that add those to the taxpayer's. And the third reason is that over the long term absent some kind of structural systemic change allowing the our agency to accumulate these large amounts of of accounts receivable will eventually impact our ability to serve future veterans. So in March we've implemented a handful of new processes that we've seen a lot of success from but we're not done implementing changes and one of those changes we would like to make is we would like to contract with a law firm reports related to collections now in nearly all cases it is enough for our homes management to simply send a letter to a resident or to a family member and say Hey you you may have inadvertently missed last month's payment. Nine times out of ten that's enough in more uncommon cases however we need to take additional actions that exceeds the amount of legal capability we have within the agency. Those additional actions include filing claims in probate or if we want to of four presidents with certain flexibility and we went and enter into a settlement agreement with or some type of alternative payment schedule we all this the one that to be legally binding and that kind of legal services exceeds what we can do and house. Of so we have had a contract of this exact nature since March eight and we utilize that on a trial basis and on a very limited basis and we had successful that and so we would like to make that a more in during part of our accounts receivable practices. and in doing that and thinking about the requirements for a competitive bid we wanted to seek input from from the legislature on how to do that. We believe this contract it is necessary and we've been Try to go about this carefully and deliberately since March we will leverage the industry experience we have from our home administrators and consulted with the offices of state procurement and would be a day and now we're here to seek your input but we're also here because it's important to the agency that this body knows that were being transparent about this of and that our decision making in this has not been done in a vacuum. Shop for I'd take any questions I just wanna underscore what our goals are in this process and how that shaped how how we've Can I got about this. Our first goal was to comply with Arkansas code section nineteen two three oh five and that could section read requires state agencies to diligently and actively pursue collections of accounts receivable. Not at the has not done this in the past and that's evidenced by the to adverse findings we had on our legislative audit for FY eighteen and FY nineteen. Our second goal is to strengthen and maintain the financial positions of the home so that we can ensure that we can continue to operate with zero reliance on general revenue and continue to provide quality compassionate care of for the vendors we have now for the the nine eleven generation of veterans and for Arkansas veterans that have yet to serve. In the third and the most important goal of ours is when it comes to an Arkansas that and financial obligation. It's critical to us that that Arkansas better and be treated with dignity and fairness and respect. The wrong way to do that in my opinion is through an action by doing nothing. By just letting that resident financial obligation grow and grow and grow to the point where it's crushing to them and unbecoming of a taxpayer funded entity. We think that the better way to do that is to proactively create a formal process that we can apply for better and of veterans with transparency consistency and fairness. So that concludes my remarks of my again I'm and I am grateful for what this committee does for Arkansas veterans gone grateful for the opportunity to be here and I look for your questions. Thank you also we have some questions before you start I will say I appreciate Austin and the Veterans Affairs coming before us roughly two three months ago Austin reached out to me personally about this issue understanding that there could be some contention around what they're process see is any kind of came to a head because as vice chair state agencies person hit within one better issues and also the chair of audit state agencies at all. This was a perfect storm of a situation where need to be taken care of I think what also said is very important we often state agencies go after agencies for not correcting findings we have and to their credit they are doing that through this process to try to get their books right there two or three million dollars in the hole right now and that's money they could be using to help veterans and other issues so what do you agree with this being the way to do it Austin's bringing this to be transparent to. Make sure everybody understands and this came about at the exact same time we were doing with the retirement state employees issues and somehow that could teachers got because there wasn't input from legislators or the body as a whole so Austin's here today to start this process to see if this is the best way to go and I just want to say before I give it all I appreciate agency doing down the front end rather than putting it out there through eight or if P. and in us having to deal with the backlash of it so with that Senator Wallace believe you're the first one in the queue. Thank you Sir. Thanks for your service. What is the average monthly rent for our veterans in the homes. Think of the question Sir so we Class A five. Veteran to talk about revenue into what they're payor sources of it the large majority of our revenue comes from the federal VA and there's two different reimbursement levels that we received by nature of of a handful of things but primarily what that residence service connected disability radius so that's kind of the first basket and that's roughly eighty percent of our residents the second basket is Medicare and and Medicaid of and then the third basket is is what we call private pay and private pay really what we're talking about for purposes of this conversation because once a residence becomes a V. a resident or a Medicare or Medicaid resident. The revenue is the revenue and that comes directly to us from either Medicaid Medicare or the VA so we talk about collections were were really zeroed in on the on the private pay basket of in the reason I went through that break down was because all three of those baskets have have have different rates that we receive so for purposes of this conversation our current private pay rate at north little rock is of one hundred ninety two dollars and and and twenty four cents per day and our private pay rate at faith bill is one hundred and eighty three dollars and thirteen cents per day. Thank you Mr chair. Thank you Sir Wallace necks we have number thirty eight represent Wooten. Thank you Mr chairman Have you consulted with the attorney general's office and why are we going I agree with you that you know they need you need to have to pursue that two million dollars what are we going out so to secure a the assistance of a legal counsel. Yes Sir thank you for the question of they were our our first officer and we received a letter from the attorney general's office that we we should seek outside counsel and the request was approved by the governor's office. I have one more follow the you're recognized what what percentage. Our Medicare Medicaid and private pay. Combined about fifteen percent Sir. One five yes Sir okay the the the VA residents that we have really are the lion share of. A resident we're gets. little blended is I mention was Senator Wallace is question how with the VA rate We have a a higher amount that we receive and a lower amount that we receive if a resident is on the lower level the The more common level of per diem then were allowed to. Receive that from the VA. And then bill essentially whatever the differences to the better privately we're not allowed to do that with a higher tier so as of today we have ninety two residents at our north rock home and twelve of them are private pay residence at our federal home we have sixty nine residence and twenty one of them are private pay now for that twelve infer that twenty one group. They may be receiving be a per diem or they may not be. So. Clear the percentage of bright down. All the receiving all of receive Medicaid or Medicare. So you have the private pay Napster six percent one six percent for Medicaid and Medicare. It's it is there is quite a bit from home from home to home but if you combine both homes it I would say eight to ten percent. There are there are either Medicaid or Medicare. Ten ten percent of your nine ninety two and your. Yes. So. So. Is Medicare and Medicaid charge the same as a private E.. No Sir are are private pay rates are lower than what we get reimbursed from Medicare and FOR Medicaid. We want the more affordable for the residents. Thank you Mr chairman. Thank you Representative next we have a Representative Springer number seventeen. Thank you Mr chair you can't see me because some this terrorism. To me the you remember him in Arkansas. Did I understand you to say that you've already may be it if this out have you been at this the legal the idea of the legal services out have you already done that we have not opted out we do have the existing contract right now with a law firm here in little rock it's been helping us with the PO that we knew we were an issue because we only want to do it on a trial basis was so small that we were required to get it out but now we've been to that trial period and we want to make this a more permanent practice we intend abetted out of follow up question Mr chair so of I I don't recall I don't think I was here when your particular department was here for appropriation so how much money are we talking about of for the services. I would say no more than fifty thousand dollars per year okay so then then okay back to senator Chesterfield so concerned as he said so I would encourage you to make sure that you get a number be it's and they include all minorities as well so that we can have a diverse group when this is take from this takes place so that's my concern at this point thank you yes ma'am. Any more questions committee. If not I have one so passing you said that you feel like you need more legal authority to proceed forward and larger manner but can you tell us about that trial run you did and some of the successes or issues you saw what that please. For a. So we have the authority that we need to do it but. So we just want to make sure that we were being transparent and that everybody understood that we were of promoting the dignity and the fairness of this entire process before you know the folks went out on the internet and so on are a few of so we have the authority that we need and we we've we've been grateful for that. We have had success and there's two cases that all halt all mention of the first was a resident at our north Iraq home she was a a. Long resident and she had some issues with some of her interest her insurance pay resources. and the the family will was on willing to work with this and some of that and she when she passed away she she she she owed about of this seventy five thousand dollars to the home and so after she at of after she passed away we continue to try to work with the family to either is all this that or to satellites and they were again I'm going to work with us so we we opened up a claim and prove a insulin county in. I A mentioned and reference to the audit requirement Part of this is to collect on the money that is owed and and the other part of it is to have a consistent process that were applying consistently Across the board so if we see a and a state out there that this money where they've been on one to work with us of it and we open up a claim and and we still receive nothing then to me that's still a success because we follow the process that we said that we would that we were going to follow as required by the audit standards. Of the other one of that we've had success with was a resident at our fable home. Of who was also a long time resident and when he passed away he the home of about a hundred thousand dollars and just be perfectly clear we understand as an agency that we have culpability in that to it if if we let it get to that point then then then there's been a failure on our part as well up up with this a collection contract we had after he passed away what we work with the family the family will was was Was very willing to work with us and we entered into well we're in the process of a right now but we're gonna enter into a settlement agreement we were not going to to receive the full amount of but we are going to receive most of it and we're gonna do it within this fiscal year so it was efficient and for the amount of that one hundred two thousand dollars that we received the amount that we paid for the for the legal services was was a drop in the bucket so yeah we're we're pleased with how that would help with how those two went. The minaret Chelsea colonel taught you know you will come up if you can identify yourself for the record then Sir you're allowed to speak when it really want talk about. The card sector Arkansas the pawn versus fairs. We take this matter seriously. And we examined each of the cases and we make those decisions based on compassion. However. Is Mr Austin Mr bills two examples. The veteran may have the resources and the family. One apply those resources to the debt so this present a control. Reciprocal bull to everyone fairly. I do want to ensure this committee the. These decisions are made individual. Again with compassion. And absent Springer. Each contract that we do we go through the small business women owned business my north on business veteran owned business process to ensure there is a entity out to the can do this type of work that they were given the proper doctor. Perfect segue I think represents singer has a question you're allowed ma'am to answer hello one second you mind only get the Mike up. Thank you ma'am thank you very much Mister I do because I was kind of concerned about the additional comments made by the Starostin because he's indicated that there are twelve private pay AD and north little rock and twenty one private pay the in feed bills or are we saying that these thirty three persons make up this two million dollars that's outstanding at this point in time. No ma'am so the that two million dollars was a cumulative amount since twenty seventeen so a lot of that was attributable to prior fiscal years and the resident that was associated with that that had been passed away for for four years okay so so is a two million dollars wiped out thing is that what I'm hearing now well We're gonna have to write it off yes ma'am okay so we're starting a new I guess is my question the end so you can get rid of the to me in this house standing and so from this point on this is going to be a new process that will be utilized that's correct okay our is so in response to your question your statement Sir of there is there I know I'm aware that there of a number of all minority look lawyers and law firms that do the type of work that you're talking about so hopefully that process will be open to all persons within the within the state so I ask that I think I'm I'm fine with what you've indicated but I just wanted to make sure because I agree with senator Chesterfield as we've looked through all of these appropriations of come through you surely there's some minority persons out there they can receive some of these contracts and you were you get to see that take place. Thank you. The Representative of represent would I believe has a question hold one second Sir. You're recognized thank you Mr what would you you're telling us that you were just Colorado of two million a law firm is not going to tend to collect any of that. They will Sir if if there's sufficient assets within the state really a case by case analysis of whether collecting that does possible. Well how many of that two million this would have passed away. The large the large majority. According to my calculations though Is. Five hundred five hundred and twenty days. We go to two years and had made any effort to. Collected or the my mis understanding that you didn't have any policy before. Collected two million and I'm not trying to be difficult the vendor sure of you that more is agency responsibility for in all Sir I your your unfortunately right of you can go back to our audit findings in FY eighteen and and even FY seventeen and see that this is a problem for us now you're also one hundred percent right that this is a responsibility to lie to the better but it also lies for the agency as well and since March when we reduced our thanks for example are Our current accounts receivable at our north rock home for the Ford tows twelve interns is a little bit over three thousand dollars and I mean we've trend that down from from from six figures and March so yes it was a problem and and we're working really hard to better at it and and we've seen success since Martian under there's any auditors in here but we're looking for to our audit and FOR twenty also known him interrupt real quick and you all had informal processes in place to collect the issue was you didn't have the formal probate authority to hold the estate or the veteran accountable through legal action is that correct well it up partly is Senator garner We don't expect this contract be a silver bullet the that it's gonna fix all the problems because if you know this collections Contract will only apply to private pay a outstanding obligations of and a large part of that two million dollars that historically built up over years was are. An ability or negligence with our Medicare contract so this is this collections contract is one part of a larger process that we've implemented since March the we're confident will take us in the right direction so we Mister chairman if I may we we we did have a contract role agreement lease agreement with these people for that room or the in the in the reference I made two five hundred twenty days was to the resident is always a hundred thousand. this seems like we went we went too long before we made an effort which we've already established that Mr but appreciate that fact but what do. Do we do we didn't have any contractual agreement with these families or with the individual or regarding their studies or. Yes Sir at every every resident that comes in our home the a we'll find and. Admission agreement is saying that they agree to be financially responsible for for whatever expense will encourage it what the heck's number days I mean here we here's here's what I'm concerned about relatives of spending the money for a law firm at this point. If we let him go if we have a thirty day agreement with them the one on one account became thirty day pass do. They would have to pay up or or leave. It's a hard hearted way to look at it but what what I want once we once we gave in and then collected. The court's going to ask you the question will what's changed you let him get by one time that you let him go another month and here we are. thirty six months into it in you're still. So miserable could I speak. But will be we have continued to increase the management controls and the Arkansas department of Veterans Affairs. If you go back to a twenty twelve audit there were major challenges in the Arkansas department bridges affairs. We reconstituted the finance office we hired personnel that are trained in accounting and this is a the continuation of that as we go forward. There has been challenges we have to fix them and this is part of fixing those challenges in those internal controls. Sure. Appreciate what you've done in there for that one so you're you this stage back to twenty twelve. Not many of the. Accounts receivable but internal controls in our finances are loan. Albums this challenge we continue to increase internally as miscible pointed out we held receive reimbursement from some of those summonses conceivable without point two legal process but we thank goodness legal process in place is equitable for everyone and simply dialoguing that we're going to send this to legal many of those families at that time we'll negotiate a settlement. So what is your policy gonna be henceforth relative to window someone this is a payment monthly or they pay monthly yes Sir of. So coming back to the different payor sources we have we we handle one. Residents a little bit differently depending on their payor source with issues a private pay sure yes Sir of so bi weekly. Myself and my fiscal team we we we've been doing this since March we consult with the business office teams at each home we go line by line president by resident of asking all right. Resident air where they stand and what efforts have we taken to talk to that better and to talk to talked to talked to the family of we do that for every single private resident at the thirty day mark if if there thirty days past due we send them and their family a certified letter just Connelly reminding them that it you may have inadvertently Mr missed your payment of we do that at thirty six the ninety and a hundred and twenty days now it The mayor. Raising the center would and that Why are we letting it go on for a hundred and twenty days well that's the that's the agency trying trying to balance our for financial strength with the compassion and the dignity that we're trying to show veterans if they have gone past one hundred and twenty day mark then we notify them of the well to see regulation that allows them to be discharged for for nonpayment of and will initiate that process we've done that one time since March of we had a resident that up we were trying to help Manage his finances in a way where he could stay on Medicaid he was not cooperative and letting us to that so if you lost Medicaid coverage and I which then converted helm to private pay and that was unwilling to pay down the balance so we notify them that that he was going to be discharged for for non payment we can be in a hearing consistent with the OTC regulations the attorney that presided over the hearing agreed with us that he was eligible to be destruction the home and then he said. I'll get you the money cool one all meet my obligation and we're happy to have them as a resident right now so of. That's holistically the plan that we've been pursuing Sir of we've done a few other things like add credit cards to a method of payment that were that were wanted to set up so people don't have to cut a check if if they don't want to and we've seen really good success just being deliberate and and going line by line through each veteran every two weeks and and having more consistent dialogue with with residents and their families but I I want to circle back to something that you said Sir you were here seeking and put on a a contract that we hope never that the actual use I mean if it if we can work well enough with our veterans and their families it's certainly what we want to never have to talk about settlement agreement so or or alternative payment plans or probate or anything along that line so so we're in agreement this Sir on with agency needs to be done. Thank you Mr chairman thank you we have one question again for Representative Springer you're recognized ma'am. Thank you again Mr chair I have a two part question so this plan that you have in place to assist residences do you have or is it in writing so the can be communicated to the persons that the resident and then the second part of that is there a well this person available to the residents like they have in of the long term care facilities so I guess if you would respond to that please sure so we have of we have reduced this this this process to a writing that's an internal policy of we don't distribute that policy to the residents but they are advised of their rights in the admissions agreement itself and then we also. Remind them of it in the month the letters that we send out the thirty day so okay so you have a newsletter for them that they can actually see what the obligations are because sometimes people don't always remember their names and if there's a riding available to them right kinda refreshes their memory us especially if you have disabled persons in in your facility that we don't always. All some of us will always remember everything our sales so I can see that may be that may be part of the. Problem to that there's some better communication to them about what it is what the expectation is and then if there was a person there to assist them like the was person I think that will probably assists with the process is well thank you for the great quest represent if we can what we got a couple of things on the agenda so I think we'll come up yes ma'am quickly Austin and colonel Todd can you give us like the thirty second summary of how you see this going forward so that we would know for input from our constituents and what the obligation legislator is can you give that to us please we've consulted with the act will with the ag department because they issued an RFQ for collections a few months ago about the feedback that they received of these successes they've had of so we intend to to issue a and R. F. Q. for legal services one for northwest Arkansas for the table home and one for central office for central Arkansas we expect to do that within the calendar year of and would liked to simply expand what we've been doing on a limited trial basis eight. This will have to go to the review committee I believe of perhaps in that I'd I'd I think that's all we need. Thank you any further questions seeing regarding yes Sir you're recognized sure with you two hundred sixty thousand veterans day of Arkansas all majority of them doing quite well however in our homes we have some very senior veterans the Serbs country quite will and the consideration of the finances are often not under their control so this is the right thing to do. I agree and I appreciate a gentleman coming explain for the committee day without your dismissed next on the agenda we have discussion of the grant program FOR veterans and veterans from the federal cares act J. he'll I don't know if Mister Rogers will come up or not but JB can't keep please identify yourself and your title for the record and you're allowed to your presentation Sir. Good morning. I'm J. if. Policies good morning I'm J. hill on the division director for aging adult behavior health services with DHS. Serving a proceeding for. And I'm here this morning to present to you a program that we have in place through the holiday season and this year calendar year twenty twenty and FOR star want to say that this is it's a great opportunity to great program and it would not have come about without. For instance Senator garner your initiation of funding for this and without the partnership in the work that we have been able to to engage in with our department Veterans Affairs which secretary tides with the advent they did a great asset and a good partner to us as we put this proposal together and implement it so we were given the opportunity to take five billion dollars in cares funding and put that to to good use and the remainder of this year and as we begin to talk amongst ourselves at the HSN worked with Turner with Senator garner we we wanted to direct this towards veterans services. We know it the H. S. in my division and to back up in my division we oversee the state's public mental health system and we know that suicide rates are high suicide rates among veterans or Tremendously high unacceptable there's there's so much that we can do to help this group to to work with this population and as you get in the holiday seasons we know the rates increase and given the code emergency that we're in right now it only exacerbates the problem and so we took measures to. Try to do something through this for the remainder of this year that would be of benefit to to our state's veterans and what we develop was a three pronged approach of first of all we are working with that our state public mental health system with the infrastructure that I have in place with twelve community mental health centers through our CMH cities they have a footprint and all seventy five counties in our state and we earmarked a portion of this funding to work through the community health centers for a a couple of a couple things primarily it's an information campaign through them I've worked with at the Gina jammers when the system directors at Veterans Affairs has been so helpful to get me a list of Arkansas veterans. And so for every community mental health center we are sending information out through the mail to to the veterans list that was provided to us to let them know that in your community in your area if you have a of an opportunity if you have a need for behavior health services they're here you may not know about them but here they are and while our veterans our VA hospitals there are five I've learned there are five the a hospitals that serve the geographic areas of our state. Other than a little rock they are located peripheral are located just outside our borders in Memphis in Shreveport I believe in poplar bluff and they do wonderful work but there are also times when the person needs help in any right away and they don't that they may not have the means to travel so many hours away we have a provider located in your county that can provide an immediate need and so the information is going out to let them know that you have services available to you through your VA hospitals and here they are through your community mental so in your committee mental health centers and whether you're Pulaski County or Phillips county or Miller county or Boone County here's your provider here's a name here's a number that you can reach out to for information and for services we want to be here we want to help you if you have a payor source than wonderful we have an operator of A this provider will be able to provide you services if you don't have a payor source my contract dollars I say might dollars the ages as contract dollars that we provide to the community health centers will cover the cost of your services there's nothing that would prevent you from reaching out if you need a resource here it is. The community health centers are also tasked to offer trainings and suicide intervention to to law enforcement to their local EMS providers skews me and we also want to extend this to veterans service organizations and so for this so is that want to reach out and want to put their staff through through crisis training to recess at intervention training that will be afforded to them through a commuter mill health centers at no charge to them. Our second approach will be back up to also for veterans that want the are that need services in that may not have A payor source we are aggressively going to work to get them enrolled in Arkansas works in our Medicaid expansion program so that they will have insurance moving forward so it again as I say if they present and they have no insurance they have no prior source we will work with them to get them engaged in that so that they will they won't leave in the same condition I came maint and that that that they may have presented in they can leave with a continuum of care and our our hopes or that they will be enrolled in the in Arkansas works and they will have insurance going forward. The second aspect of this project is to work with the four crisis stabilization units in our state so you may be familiar with these we have they are located in by it bill Fort Smith little rock in Jonesborough. The four C. issue's cover in and county coalitions that cover forty counties in our state. They are licensed through DHS as acute crisis units and under that certification they are able to bill Medicaid. Well they are primarily serving as diversion as a diversionary mechanism for persons that may be having a behavior health issue and that have come in contact with law enforcement thank you those individuals can be taken to this issue that can be stabilized four up to to up to ninety six hours and then I can leave with a continuum of care the the intent of the C. issues aren't so it is that they that person can then avoid being charged for the duration of this calendar year we're going to open those those up and under their certification as an AC you an acute crisis unit. Veterans that present that are in crisis can be treated can be served and can live with that continuum of care they don't have to they don't have to discharge in the same state that they came in we want to we want them to know we want to present to them that you have an opportunity for services and here they are. Thirdly and this is this is an aspect that we're very excited about is that we have your mark three point four million of the proposal the the the line sure the money. We want to make this available directly to veterans service organizations in our state and they will they will be eligible to receive between fifteen thousand and one hundred thousand dollars depending upon the size of the organization. we do have some criteria that that that they have to meet it had it is available to nonprofit veterans service organizations in Arkansas the organization and the it must be an organization whose mission is to serve veterans who specific mission is to serve veterans whose leadership is Representative of that turns and who have been in operation since March of twenty nineteen and so for those bobble the esos veterans service organizations that wish to wish to turn an application. They can receive again as I said based upon their size between fifteen thousand and one hundred thousand dollars. The money will be made available the eligible reimbursements are for first aid or trauma supplies personal protective equipment. Training and professional development scheming seminars and support groups naloxone I will tell you that one of the issues as I begin to the visit with some of the esos around the state when I responded veterans in crisis there it has a curry has happened when I have come upon the scene in the veteran has overdosed on opioid and in one specific instance talking to one of our realizations had they had naloxone that potentially could have saved that bedroom which resulted in the tragic death the locks on is an opioid inhibitor and when you for a person that be that has overdosed in that stopped breathing the locks on old engages the allows the person to begin to begin breeding until EMS can arrive today in our state we are approaching a thousand saves over the last two years using the locks on for for our first responders emergency services and we want to put this is very easy to do Mr it's a sample it's it's a just a simple ministration through the through the nose and if you don't have to be a position to do this and we want to we want to quit RBS sos particular those the responding to veteran process called want to quit them with knocks on should they encounter one of the circumstance to continue with the the funding will be available for food and nutrition assistance for veterans and their families shelter expenses for homeless veterans out reach information campaigns to let the VS sos advertising or areas and let them make veterans aware that there there there there there for support and then for information technology so we're very excited about the opportunity to put these funds in the hands of the four of our veterans service organizations they have through November eighteenth to apply and the moneys need to be spent by the end of this calendar year. Which as part of the application they are turning in a budget so for instance of veterans service organization will say ex number of dollars will go to information technology ex number going to go to commodities such as food such as nutritional systems for veterans we want to spend ex number of dollars on training now lastly and I'm I apologize for being so talkative the last aspect that we have have made or made available is what is called mental health for state. So we have a provider in our state who has up to a hundred classes in these are virtual classes that we will make available that the that our veterans service organizations can send their people to be trying to mental health for state which would include suicide intervention suicide understanding of what to do when you get that call from a veteran it's a crisis. This is training that's made available to non professionals it's one thing if a clinician takes a call but if somebody else who may be working with the SO takes that call we want to we want to quit them with the knowledge and give them an understanding of how you can immediately serve that veteran wall they may be engaged in crisis intervention so we made available we weavers I say reserved our provider has made available up to a hundred slots for mental health first aid training that are organizations can apply FOR and use the funding that we make available to them to offset the cost to pay for their for their volunteers their employees to go through the training it's a it's a one day to eight hours virtual course. The center very excited about the project today so far we've had seven applications come in for a for our our our B. as those for right at half million dollars I've talked to two more than I know that are working on their application we have a few call scheduled this afternoon with some other veterans service organizations and that we really expect that first by the invited you to the end of their hopefully by the first of next week that we will have a flood of of applications come in and and really make good use of this funding is made available. Thank you so much almost are off so I think that last for support and just put it plainly to our legislators. You can apply for sounds like a lease about three million left for non profits in your area to get money from this this isn't if they help veterans they can get that money up to fifteen thousand up to a hundred thousand. Very soon we need to spend that money before the in the year cancel every person here if you have somebody in your or areas that you think would be beneficial column let me apply what is the proper way to apply for this give us the that the simplistic version so that we can explain to people how do we get started how did it go forward and then how did they get that money to we have put it on a link we have a a link to comes back the has application attached to it you the application is bill della trying to clean and then submitted back to a mailbox at DHS I have a number of people that are viewing this daily so that we don't miss any applications that come in they will be vetted by third party by Billy the. The veterans commission in the state to ascertain to determine that yes this is a veterans service organization it's credible and it meets the threshold and then should their budget meet the guidelines of what we have listed as expenditures and we have intentionally made those very flexible so that the organizations can tailor these dollars to to the to the to those veterans that they're serving their community the now receive the funding park for quick follow up see Senate eighteenth is the deadline is there a way to push that back a little bit is there any kind of prohibited to do that because I think I know for me I've been caught up with a hundred for things I have to push this is hardly could I like to look more flexibility so is working it out we could spend every dollar that so I know we presented this course senators here this legislative body let let me check on that I'll find out for you I'll get you answer today if possible I'd like pushed it back just a little bit thank you Mr out yes we need to link for the application Sir do you have that I can get I'll get to you here in just a few minutes do you have is there one particular address that we could send it to or do you all one invigilators you have a distribution mechanism for me to get that out. What I excuse me is that the link that's listed on this fact sheet. Applications are available at yes ma'am right this is me do all of our members have this. All members have it and get it we can do is I'll get staff to send that to the Senate and house body and if someone we have a center which I will do my and I'm sure represent five double sent out to the body as a whole through our fish. That's what and when thank you I like to also again just just mentioned the the the work we have engaged in with that but that one this is the director's there missed any channel not have it probably talked several times a week we have put this link in the hands of the central Arkansas on the northwest Arkansas coalition I personally made over a dozen calls to individuals who didn't know who I was they just I had received their information as a user at administrator director an executive president of the veterans service organization but I would welcome any any information that you have if you know of the S. so please certainly feel free to call them if you would like me to call them if you will get me their information I will be more than happy pick up telephone call to email to get this information out to anybody that I can't thanks Sir we have questions Senator Wallace your first. You're recognized Thank you Mr chair I was a little confused when when you said VSO I think in terms of veterans service officers but we're talking about organizations like D. A. B. and B. F. W. in my alright you're exactly correct and I know those are the that date or someone interchangeable we have put this information into the hands of the B. esos the regional B. S. those that work FOR advert to push out to the counties but for the purposes of this grant it's available to veterans service organizations such as B. F. W. the AV we've got several that are large and there are also several smaller ones in our state there's serving thank you in in one last thing I I agree with senator garden we're both veterans if you could push that day that just a little bit further down the road that will give us a chance to. And I will also. Push hard to get that out to the force of my community thanks Sir thank you Sir I know you're I know you will Senator Wallace yes Sir. Representative gonna you're recognized me press button there are many. Thank you Mr chair I just have a quick question about the spending of the money so I'm sorry waiver here apologize okay thank you look at this on the lines of the room I'm just asking about the the the spending of the money so the carriage act. For this organization are for the for this grant. You give out the money the. Be a check or fairly quickly I same and yet the organization still has to spend it by December the thirty first yes ma'am so for instance if you're a veterans service organization was say that you ordered personal protective equipment you may have that order in you have the money spent it may not actually delivered to you until January second January fifth that's not going to disqualify you from from the use of those funds okay perfect thank you very much yes ma'am. I see no further questions committee thank you so much come present this and in your own with Arjun you just Mr. Nexus four is only dealing with the Senate state agencies which of a look thank me Senator Wallace on one here center Chesterfield call me she had a family emergency at at a medical facility so she can present her eyes B. today and she asked that we adopt this as far as I understand it's just a nice P. to look at oversight committee for medical marijuana center lost you have any major objections of doctor that is this state agencies okay with that I'll do the motion Senator Wallace was second at all there's I will oppose in this been adopted by the just the Senate state agency committee next were on other business and represent five you had a comment and we are very happy to see you back hundred percent after your cover ninety thank you so much members I know that this committee has been heavily involved in Christmas at the capitol it's one of the highlights of the year when we bring gifts for our children in foster care because of covered nineteen we're not going to be able to do that this year A add Senator Irvin. Is the leader of that effort and she is looking at some alternate ways that we could do this maybe by zoom conference are something remotely that we can still bring our guests and leave so the watching your emails because you'll be getting information on how that's going to be handled this year but we won't be able to have the large gathering like we've always had an and we're sad about that thank you so much. Thank you ma'am up before we adjourn I just that say sooner Davis I'm extremely sorry I missed you behind that podium right there and she is also a member state agencies so I don't wanna leave that off the record with that we are adjourned.