>> YES, PRODUCTION TEAM, PLEASE START THE RECORDING. [1. Welcome and opening remarks] [00:00:06] >> GOOD MORNING. THE MEETING WILL COME TO ORDER. THE RECORD REFLECT THIS MEETING OF THE HHS EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CONVENED AT 10 A.M. ON MAY 14TH. KAYLA, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS KAYLA CASTE BROWN. MEMBERS, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME PLEASE RESPOND WITH "HERE" OR "PRESENT". STEPHANIE MOOT? >> HERE. >> JORDAN DIXON? >> HERE. >> SYLVIA HERNANDEZ KAUFMAN? >> HERE. >> DAVID COSTRAN? MICHELLE DION MA. HALIK? >> HERE. >> IS PRESENT ON BEHALF OF DAVID COSTRAN. MOLLY REAGAN. CRYSTAL STARKIE. >> HERE. >> IS ATTENDING ON BEHALF OF MOLLY REAGAN, FAMILY RESOURCES AND ELIGIBLE SERVICES. DR. JENNIFER SHOEFERT. >> HERE. >> RAYMOND CHARLES WINTER. >> HERE. >> TREY WOOD. EMILY ZOLKOVSKI. >> HERE. >> AUDREY O'NEIL. ELIZABETH FARLEY. >> HERE. >> MS. FARLEY IS ATTENDING ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY COMMISSIONER AUDREY O'NEIL. NOW I WILL PRESENT A FEW HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. PLEASE SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO YOUR MICROPHONE SO YOUR VOICE AND COMMENTS CAN BE HEARD. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ALL AGENDA ITEMS WILL BE TAKEN DURING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 4 AND MAY BE LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES. THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. FOR THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM, I'M STEPHANIE MOOTH. THE EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER AT HHSC AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF UPDATES THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE. THE FIRST IS RELATED TO THE RURAL TEXAS STRONG FUNDING. AT OUR LAST MEETING CHIEF TREY WOOD GAVE US AN UPDATE ON THAT BUT JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS: WE'RE MOVING FAST AND FURIOUS AND OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS THERE'S BEEN ANNOUNCED 271 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE RURAL TEXAS STRONG PLAN, SO THAT INFORMATION IS ALL AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE THROUGH THE RURAL HEALTH TRANSFORMATION WEB PAGE AND FOR ANY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, RURAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN APPLYING, THEY SHOULD ACT QUICKLY, WE'RE MOVING VERY QUICKLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FUNDS ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITIES TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. MOUTH TO DATE WE'VE ANNOUNCED FUNDING IS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT FUNDING -- TO SUPPORT PREVENTATIVE AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS, THAT'S 116 MILLION TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN WORKERS, THAT'S 99 MILLION. AND MODERNIZE EQUIPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE WITH 56 MILLION BEING AVAILABLE. THE OTHER THING I JUST WANTED TO MAKE FOLKS AWARE OF IS THAT BAYLOR SCOTT AND WHITE HEALTH PLAN, SO THEY ARE ONE OF OUR MEDICAID MANAGED CARE PLANS, THEY ARE TERMINATING THEIR MEDICAID AND CHIP CONTRACTS WITH THE AGENCY, SO THEY NOTIFIED US THAT THEY WILL EXIT THOSE CONTRACTS FOR CENTRAL TEXAS, WEST TEXAS AND WILL YOU LUBPICKE END OF AUGUST. WE ARE WORKING TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION AS SEEM LESS AS POSSIBLE. THE MEMBERS IN THOSE AREAS WILL BE CONTACTED, WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE THEIR CHOICE OF HEALTH PLANS IN THAT AREA AND WE WILL WORK TO ENSURE CONTINUITY OF CARE FOR THE MORE THAN 120,000 MEDICAID AND CHIP MEMBERS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE TRANSITION. NEXT ON THE AGENDA, IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS FOR ME... ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. NEXT ON THE AGENDA, WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES WITH DR. SHOEFFORD. >> GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, Y'ALL. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO ADDRESS YOU THIS MORNING. AND I'M JUST GOING TO START OFF WITH A FEW UPDATES ABOUT SOME ACTIVITIES THAT OUR AGENCY IS PARTAKING IN CURRENTLY. SO ONE OF THEM IS THE HANTAVIRUS SITUATION IN THE UNITED STATES. AND I'M SURE Y'ALL HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THIS ON THE NEWS, [00:05:03] SO HANTAVIRUS IS A GROUP OF VIRUSES THAT ARE USUALLY SPREAD FROM RODENTS TO HUMANS. THERE'S OVER 28 PATHOGENIC STRAINS OF HANTAVIRUS. THIS VIRUS IS SHED IN THE URINE AND DROPPINGS OF INFECTED RODENTS AND THEN WHEN HUMANS COME INTO CONTACT WITH OR BREATHE IN THAT MATERIAL, THAT'S CONTAMINATED WITH A VIRUS, THEY CAN GET THAT HANTAVIRUS INFECTION. SO MANY HANTAVIRUSES CAN CAUSE A SEVERE PULMONARY DISEASE AND DEATH. IN THE UNITED STATES, WE HAVE A HANTAVIRUS THAT'S SPREAD BY DEER MICE AND THAT'S USUALLY IN THE FOUR CORNERS REGION OF THE UNITED STATES. IT IS NOT SPREAD PERSON TO PERSON, ONLY FROM RODENT TO PERSON, HOWEVER IN ARGENTINA AND CHILE THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT VIRUS THAT'S SPREAD BY A DIFFERENT RODENT. THE LONG-TAILED PYGMY RICE RAT AND THAT ONE DOES SOMETIMES SPREAD PERSON TO PERSON SO THESE SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS VIRUS FOR DECADES SO THEY DO HAVE SOME RESEARCH SURROUNDING THIS VIRUS AND SOME KNOWLEDGE OF IT ABOUT 35 TO 40% OF CASES DO END IN DEATH SO IT'S SOMETHING WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY. THE AND HE'S VIRUS IS APPEAR DES RECENTLY. SOME PASSENGERS LEFT THE SHIP BEFORE THAT OUTBREAK HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED ON THE SHIP. AND THIS IS TRUE OF TWO PEOPLE WHO RETURNED TO TEXAS. NOW, THESE TWO PEOPLE ARE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH PUBLIC HEALTH, THEY'RE MONITORING THEIR HEALTH FOR ANY SIGNS OF INFECTION. EVERYBODY HAS BEEN JUST FABULOUS IN THIS AND THE COOPERATION THAT WE'RE HAVING ACROSS THE BOARD HAS BEEN GREAT. AFTER THIS OUTBREAK WAS RECOGNIZED ON THE SHIP, THOUGH, THE REST OF THE PASSENGERS WERE KEPT ON THAT SHIP UNTIL THEY COULD BE EVACUATED FROM THAT SHIP ON A NON- COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT. THAT DID HAPPEN, 18 PEOPLE CAME BACK TO THE UNITED STATES, NONE OF THEM CAME BACK TO TEXAS SO WE ARE STILL JUST MONITORING THE TWO FOLKS THAT DISEMBARKED FROM THAT SHIP EARLIER THAN THIS MOST RECENT EVACUATION. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY, LIKE I REALLY APPRECIATE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH PARTNERS ALL ACROSS THE STATE. WE'VE BEEN WORKING DAYS, NIGHTS, WEEKENDS TO MANAGE THE SITUATION AND IT'S GONE REALLY WELL. I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY IS TRYING THEIR HARDEST TO MAKE SURE THE PASSENGERS ARE WELL CARED FOR AND THAT OUR COMMUNITIES STAY SAFE. IN THE MEANTIME, WE CONTINUE TO PLAN FOR WORLD CUP AS WELL, AS I'VE MENTIONED THE DFW AND HOUSTON AREAS WILL BOTH BE HOSTING GAMES. THERE WILL BE 9 THAT ARE PLAYED IN THE DFW AREA AND 7 IN HOUSTON. IN ADDITION SOMETHING THAT WE LEARNED ABOUT RECENTLY IS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN EXHIBITION GAME THAT HAPPENS AT KYLE FIELD AND COLLEGE STATION ON JUNE 6TH. SO MOST OF THOSE WORLD CUP GAMES IN TEXAS ARE FROM JUNE 9TH -- I'M SORRY, JUNE 14TH TO JULY 14TH. THIS ONE IS ON JUNE 6TH SO IT PREDATES ALL OF THOSE FORMAL FEVER A FIFA WORLD CUP GAMES BUT WE ARE AWARE AND PLANNING FOR THAT AS WELL. SO WE'VE HAD -- AND THAT GAME IS ARGENTINA VERSUS HONDURAS. SO WE'VE ALREADY HELD SOME TABLETOP EXERCISES TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE READY FOR NATURAL DISASTERS OR MAN MADE DISASTERS DURING THESE WORLD CUP EVENTS. WE'VE INCREASED SOME OF OUR DISEASE MONITORING ACTIVITIES JUST TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE AWARE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE OF ANY UNUSUAL DISEASE SPREAD IN OUR STATE. WE'VE ALSO ESTABLISHED AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONSULT LINE, WITH THE HELP OF ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTERS ALL ACROSS THE STATE, JUST TO PREPARE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES THAT MIGHT BE ASSOCIATED WITH TRAVEL, EITHER INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL OR INNER STATE TRAVELERS THAT HAPPEN DURING THESE WORLD CUP GAMES. SO WE'RE THANKFUL TO OUR ACADEMIC PARTNERS THAT ARE HELPING US MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ENOUGH INFECTIOUS DISEASE KNOWLEDGE AVAILABLE ON THAT CONSULT LINE. WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS ON THESE PREPARATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COORDINATED BEFORE THE GAMES, SO THAT THERE'S ANY RESPONSES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN DURING THE GAMES, THAT THOSE RELATIONSHIPS HAVE ALREADY BEEN PREPARED AND COORDINATED AHEAD OF TIME. I AM SAD TO SAY, THOUGH, THIS IS MY LAST EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING. AS I'VE MENTIONED, I'LL BE TRANSITIONING TO CDC AS THEIR CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER AND THEIR DEPUTY DIRECTOR. AND SO THAT STARTS IN JUNE. AND SO IT'S A SAD TIME FOR ME. I LOVE THE HSC. I LOVE ITS MISSION AND THE PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE. [00:10:02] I ALSO LOVE WORKING FOR TEXAS. IT IS AN HONOR TO SAY THAT I WORK FOR THIS GREAT STATE. AND I'M PROUD EVERY DAY TO GET TO COME TO WORK AND WORK FOR TEXAS AND THE AMAZING TEXANS THAT ARE IN EVERY COMMUNITY ACROSS THE STATE AND IN THIS POSITION I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TRAVEL WIDELY THROUGH TEXAS. AND I JUST -- MY LOVE FOR THE STATE INCREASES EVERY TIME THAT I GET TO TAKE THOSE TRIPS BECAUSE THE COMMUNITIES -- ALL OF THE PEOPLE, ALL THE VARIED PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR HUGE STATE, THE COMMUNITIES ARE STRONG AND WONDERFUL AND MAKE US WHO WE ARE. SO I AM SINCERELY GOING TO MISS THAT. BUT I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT MY CHIEF DEPUTY COMMISSIONER WILL BE SERVING AS INTERIM COMMISSIONER UPON MY DEPARTURE. I'M ABLE TO HAVE ALMOST TWO DECADES AT OUR AGENCY. I THINK SHE COULD DO THIS JOB IN HER SLEEP SO THE AGENCY IS IN GREAT HANDS UNTIL EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER MUTH APPOINTS SOMEONE INTO THAT PERMANENT ROLE. THANK YOU, EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER MUTH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE WHICH HAS BEEN THE HONOR OF A LIFETIME. I APPRECIATE THAT AND I WILL MISS ALL OF YOU. SO THANK YOU. >> DID YOU, DR. SHUFORD. SO YOU ARE PROVIDING YOUR UPDATE, I WOULD BE REMISS IF ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IF WE DID NOT THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR YOUR PREPAREDNESS WORK AND RESPONSE WORK AROUND THE MANY COMPLEXITIES AROUND PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH. SO AND WE HATE TO SEE YOU LEAVE THE STATE OF TEXAS BUT WE KNOW YOU'RE TAKING THE STATE OF TEXAS WITH YOU INTO YOUR NEW ROLE AND THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE THE WELCOME MAT TO COME AND SPEND TIME IN COMMUNITIES AND -- IN TEXAS IN YOUR NEW ROLE AS WELL. WITH THAT I WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM 1E, WHICH IS AN UPDATE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES, SO I TURN IT OVER TO ELIZABETH FARLEY. >> THANK YOU, EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER MUTH. AND GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I'M ELIZABETH FARLEY, THE CHIEF OF STAFF AT DFPS. APOLOGIES, COMMISSIONER O'NEIL COULD NOT MAKE IT. I'VE GOT THREE QUICK UPDATES. WE ARE VERY EXCITED, THERE'S A JOINT WORK GROUP THAT'S KICKING OFF VERY SOON AROUND -- MEDICATIONS WITH HSC AND THE FPS AND [INDISCERNIBLE] THAT WORK GROUP WE FEEL IS GOING TO BE SUPER INFLUENTIAL AND IMPORTANT FOR JUST UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT IS ABOUT THE FOSTER CARE POPULATION AND WHY WE SEE AN INCREASE IN SACKTROPIC MEDICATION PRESCRIPTIONS IN THAT POPULATION SO WORKING ON THAT AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S EXACTLY GOING ON AND HOW WE CAN TACKLE THAT SITUATION. WE ALSO -- I THINK I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH THIS GROUP BEFORE, WE HAVE GONE LONG WITH OUR BABY MOSES STATEWIDE MEDIA CAMPAIGN. WE GOT SOME FUNDING LAST SESSION TO CONTRACT WITH A MEDIA PROVIDER AND IT HAS NOW GONE LIVE AND WE'VE GOT BILLBOARDS AND T.V. ADS RUNNING RIGHT NOW, SOCIAL MEDIA WILL BE THE LAST PIECE SO YOU'LL START SEEING ADS POP UP ON FACEBOOK AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL. BUT ALL OF OUR AGENCIES HAVE BEEN REALLY GREAT PARTNERS IN THAT INITIATIVE. IT'S NOT -- DFPS GOT THE FUNDING BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT ABUSE AND NEGLECT, THIS IS ABOUT MOMS AND FAMILIES THAT ARE IN CRISIS AND IN NEED AND CONNECTING THEM WITH SERVICES ON THE BEST WAY TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR BABY. AND THEN LASTLY PROBABLY THE BEST UPDATES -- ONLY GOOD THINGS TODAY -- I WANT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE SEEMARK SYSTEM. WE HAVE GONE LIVE WITH IT. THIS IS OUR SEARCH ENGINE FOR MULTIPLE AGENCY REPORTABLE CONDUCT AND SO SO THIS IS LIKE R MASTER BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM THAT -- WE'VE GOT FIVE PARTICIPATING AGENCIES THAT ARE ABLE TO RUN BACKGROUND CHECKS THROUGH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DO NOT HIRE CENTRAL REGISTRY TYPE LISTS THAT ALL OF OUR AGENCIES COLLECT TOGETHER, AND SO WE WENT LIVE WITH THE SYSTEM ON APRIL 1ST. TJJD WAS THE FIRST AGENCY THAT WAS ABLE TO LINK INTO THE SYSTEM AND START RUNNING BACKGROUND CHECKS. THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER SO WE WON'T HAVE TO TEST IT OUT ON SMALLER POPULATION TO MAKE SURE [00:15:02] WE GOT THE KINKS OUT FIRST. SO FAR, FOR JJD, WE'VE RUN 1900 CHECKS FOR THEM SO FAR AND WE'VE HAD ONE FINDING SENT BACK TO THEM. WHICH IS GREAT. TEA WENT LIVE ON MAY 1ST, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT'S A MUCH LARGER POPULATION. SO THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH ALL THEIR RECERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS RIGHT NOW. AND SO WE HAVE RUN 177,711 CHECKS FOR TEA SO FAR. THEY WENT LIVE ON MAY 1ST. AND 51 FINDINGS HAVE BEEN SENT BACK TO THEM AND THEY DO THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW AND DETERMINE IF THAT PERSON WILL BE BARRED OR NOT. SO THAT'S ALMOST 180,000 CHECKS THAT WE'VE RUN IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS. IT'S REALLY EXCITING. AND IT'S WORKING. YOU KNOW, WE FOUND 52 PEOPLE SO FAR. SO DFPS IS THE NEXT AGENCY THAT WILL BE JOINING THE SYSTEM. WE GO LIVE ON JUNE 1ST AND THEN HHSC WILL GO LIVE AUGUST 1 AND THEN SEPTEMBER 1 WITH REGULATORY AND THEN LONG-TERM CARE. SO ALL REALLY GOOD THINGS THAT IS HAPPENING. SO THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, ELIZABETH. THOSE ARE GOOD UP STATES. PLEASED TO HEAR ABOUT THE PROGRESS. LAST MEETING I THINK WE HAD ALL OF THE ROLES COMING THROUGH FOR THE CMARK SYSTEM SO IT'S NICE TO SEE IT LIVE AND IN ACTION AND WORKING AS INTENDED. I WILL NOW MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM 1F, WHICH IS THE UPDATE FROM OUR INSPECTOR GENERAL AND TURN IT OVER TO MR. [INDISCERNIBLE] >> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER GOOD MORNING. I'M RAYMOND WINTER, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR HUMAN AND HUMAN SERVICES. OUR FOFS FORMS THE AGENCY'S MISSION BY PROMOTING INTEGRITY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ACROSS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS. OUR WORK INCLUDES HELPING TO PREVENT, DETECT AND INVESTIGATE FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE. WE CONDUCT AUDITS, INSPECTIONS, INVESTIGATIONS AND SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS TO PROTECT PUBLIC RESOURCES AND THE CLIENTS THAT WE ALL SERVE. AND SINCE WE LAST MET, WE HAVE COMPLETED 1500 CASES FOR A TOTAL OF 12,908 INVESTIGATIONS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, THROUGH THE END OF MARCH, AND COLLECTED $38.3 MILLION IN ADDITION FROM LAST MEETING TO PRESENT, BRINGING OUR TOTAL RECOVERIES FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR TO 219.8 MILLION BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS. YOU HEAR US TALK QUITE A BIT ABOUT OUR RECOVERY OPERATIONS, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT FOR EVERYONE TODAY IS SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T HEAR US TALK ABOUT TOO, TOO OFTEN, AND I THINK IT'S FITTING FOR THIS WEEK, THIS IS NATIONAL POLICE WEEK. SOME FOLKS DON'T UNDERSTAND OR KNOW THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A POLICE FORCE WITHIN [INDISCERNIBLE] WE HAVE 37 SWORN PEACE OFFICERS. MOST OF THESE OFFICERS WORK AT OUR STATE INSTITUTIONS, THE SSLCS AND THE STATE HOSPITALS, HELPING TO PROTECT OUR VULNERABLE CLIENTS AGAINST ALLEGATIONS AND CRIMINAL MISCONDUCT, ABUSE AND NEGLECT, EXPLOITATION AGAINST THE CLIENTS. WE HAVE OTHER OFFICERS WHO WORK IN OUR ELECTRONIC BENEFITS TRAFFICKING TEAM, CUTTING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO BAD ACTORS WHO ARE HIGHJACKING AND TRAFFICKING BENEFITS AGAINST THOSE PEOPLE FROM THOSE PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM, SNAP CARDS, SNAP BENEFITS, ET CETERA. AND WE HAVE AN OFFICER AS WELL WHO IS EMBEDDED IN A JOINT STATE-FEDERAL MEDICAID FRAUD TASKFORCE DOWN IN THE VALLEY. IN APRIL, JUST LAST MONTH SOME MEMBERS OF OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE PRIVILEGE TO OBSERVE OUR PEACE OFFICERS DURING THEIR TWICE ANNUAL -- ONE OF THEIR TWICE ANNUAL IN SERVICE TRAINING. THEY GET TOGETHER TWICE A YEAR FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND THEY DO THEIR FIREARMS QUALIFICATION TRAINING AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL TRAININGS THAT ARE MANDATED BY TCOL INVESTIGATIONS TRAINING, FIRST AID TRAINING, FIRST RESPONSE TRAINING AND OTHER TRAINING. AND WE WERE VERY IMPRESSED BY THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, THEIR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AND WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. SO DURING THIS WEEK, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO HIGHLIGHT THEM. SOME STATISTICS FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE: SO FAR IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, OUR EDT OFFICERS HAVE RECOVERED OVER $280,000. OUR SKIT TEAM IN THE LAST QUARTER OPENED 215 INVESTIGATIONS. THEY COMPLETED 211 OF THOSE ALREADY, SO THERE ARE 4 OF THEM STILL PENDING. THIS COMPARES WITH 303 OPENED AND 299 COMPLETED IN THE PRIOR QUARTER. AND ADDITIONALLY, OUR POLICE OFFICERS HAVE PRESENTED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR 10 CASES TO CRIMINAL PROSECUTORIAL AUTHORITIES TO DAS FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AND THEY'VE ALSO PROCESSED 164 CASES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE DISQUALIFICATION, THAT'S ON THE [00:20:02] EDT SIDE. SO YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT WHAT OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN UP TO AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR VERY HARD-WORKING FOLKS IN OUR THIRD QUARTER UPDATE, OIG QUARTERLY REPORT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I THINK YOU AND -- OR THE HHSC TEAM AND YOUR TEAM HAVE BEEN PRESENTING AT A NUMBER OF LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THERE IS CERTAINLY A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AROUND FRAUD WASTE AND ABUSE, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, TEXAS HAS A VERY STRONG APPROACH TO PREVENTING FRAUD WASTE AND ABUSE, AND IF IT HAPPENS DETECTING IT AND ENSURING THAT THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE BEING PROTECTED, AND I THINK THAT'S LARGELY DUE TO LEADERSHIP FROM YOUR OFFICE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH H MUCH SC ON THE FRONT ENDHSC. SO WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK YOU'RE DOING ON A DAILY BASIS AROUND THAT, PREVENTING FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE IN OUR SYSTEM. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. >> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WINTERS? [2. Agency updates] OKAY, WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS SOME ADDITIONAL UPDATES FROM HHSC, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JORDAN DIXON. >> THANK YOU, EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER. SO I'M GOING TO START WITH SOME STATE HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION UPDATES. THE LEGISLATURE HAS INVESTED BILLIONS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL SESSIONS TO REPLACE, EXPAND, MODERNIZE OUR STATE HOSPITAL SYSTEM. AND SO I'M GOING TO GO OVER SOME OF THE CURRENT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. SO ON SLIDE 2, THIS IS SIGNED OF AN OVERVIEW OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE $2.37 BILLION IN PROJECTS GOING ON AT THIS POINT, SO WE HAVE 9 PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, 3 WILL BE NEW FACILITIES, NEW STATE HOSPITALS, 2 ARE REBUILDS OF VERY OLD STATE HOSPITALS, AND THEN WE HAVE 2 EXPANSIONS. SO I'LL WALK THROUGH VERY HIGH LEVEL EACH OF THOSE, BUT WITH ALL OF THOSE COMPLETE -- WHEN ALL OF THOSE ARE COMPLETED, IT WILL ADD A NET INCREASE OF 717 STATE-OWNED BEDS. WE ALSO HAVE FOUR GRANT PROGRAMS THAT -- SORRY, GRAND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT THE LEGISLATURE FUNDED THAT ARE CONSTRUCTION OR EXPANSION. THOSE WILL BE OWNED -- BUILT AND OWNED BY PRIVATE OR COUNTY HOSPITALS, BUT HHSC WILL OPERATE THE FORENSIC BEDS. AND WITH THOSE 4 WE'LL BE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 332 BEDS TO OUR SYSTEM. SO FOR CONTEXT, OUR DAILY SENSE IS ABOUT 2,000 SO WE'LL BE ADDING MORE THAN A 30% INCREASE TO IN-PATIENT BEDS, WHICH IS VERY BADLY NEED ALL ACROSS THE STATE. SO IF YOU GO TO SLIDE 3, THE LARGEST AND FURTHEST ALONG OF OUR NEW STATE HOSPITALS IS THE TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER IN DALLAS. THAT FACILITY WILL BE ADMITTING PATIENTS THIS SEPTEMBER, AND IT WILL INCLUDE ALMOST 300 NEW BEDS, ALMOST 100 OF THOSE FOR PEDIATRICS, WHICH I KNOW IS DEFINITELY OF INTEREST TO COMMISSIONER O'NEIL AND FARLEY. THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR OTHER TWO NEW STATE HOSPITALS ARE SMALLER BUT THEY ARE IN PRETTY UNDERSERVED AREAS SO WE HAVE A NEW PANHANDLE HOSPITAL THAT WILL HAVE 75 BEDS, 50 OF THEM FORENSIC. THAT WILL BE COMPLETED NEXT SUMMER AND THEN WILL OPEN IN THE FALL OF '27. AND THEN LUBBOCK PSYCHIATRIC CENTER WILL INCLUDE 50 MAXIMUM SECURITY BEDS, CONSTRUCTION WILL BE COMPLETED IN FALL OF '27 AND WE HOPE TO START ADMITTING PATIENTS IN JANUARY OF '28. SO THAT'S ALL OF THE NEW FACILITIES. AND THEN IN TERMS OF REBUILDS, WE ARE REBUILDING TERRELL STATE HOSPITAL AND WICHITA FALLS STATE HOSPITAL. THOSE ARE BOTH LARGE CAMPUSES. TERRELL WILL HAVE 275 BEDS, WICHITA FALLS WILL HAVE 225. BOTH WILL HAVE MOSTLY FORENSIC TO REFLECT THE NEEDS OF OUR SYSTEM, INCLUDING MAXIMUM SECURITY, BUT THEY WILL ALSO BE ADDING ADOLESCENT BEDS AND SOME CIVIL BEDS. AND THOSE WILL BE COMPLETED IN SUMMER TO FALL OF '27, AND TERRELL WILL OPEN IN NOVEMBER OF '27, WICHITA FALLS WILL START ADMITTING PATIENTS IN SPRING OF '28. AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE OUR EXPANSIONS. WE HAVE TWO EXPANSION PROJECTS, BOTH FOCUSED ON EXPANDING MAXIMUM SECURITY BEDS. SO THE RIO GRANDE CENTER WILL ADD 50 MAXIMUM SECURITY BEDS AND WILL START ADMITTING PATIENTS IN [00:25:05] SEPTEMBER OF '27. AND THEN SAN ANTONIO STATE HOSPITAL, WE'RE DOING A CONVERSION OF AN EXISTING STRUCTURE TO ACCOMMODATE 40 MAXIMUM SECURITY BEDS. ON SLIDE 7, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DFPS, WE ARE USING AN EXISTING STRUCTURE ON THE TERRELL STATE HOSPITAL AND CONVERTING THAT TO THE TERRELL CENTER FOR YOUTH. SO IT WILL BE SEPARATED FROM THE ADULT POPULATION BY A NEW SECURITY FENCE THAT IS BEING BUILT. IT WILL SERVE UP TO 30 YOUTH AGES 13 TO 17 IN DFPS CONSERVATORSHIP WITH A HIGH NEED IN TERMS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE, INTELLECTUAL ABUSE OR SOME COMBINATION. SO WE WILL BE ADMITTING FIRST KIDS IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A BADLY NEEDED PIECE OF THE CONTINUUM FOR KIDS WITH HIGH NEEDS THAT WE'RE EXCITED TO OPEN. THE NEXT SLIDE JUST SHOWS KIND OF PRECONSTRUCTION CAPACITY, SO THAT INCLUDES PRIOR TO FACILITY REBUILDS THAT HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED, AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO AND RUSK. SO PRIOR TO THAT WE HAD 2,244. WITHIN TWO YEARS, BY SPRING TO SUMMER OF '28, WE WILL HAVE ALMOST 3,000 BEDS IN OUR SYSTEM, WHICH WILL HAVE SUCH A GREAT IMPACT ON THOSE COMMUNITIES AND THE PATIENTS, THE JAILS, THE HOSPITALS SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. SLIDE 9 IS JUST AN UPDATE ON THOSE FOUR CONSTRUCTION GRANTS I TALKED ABOUT. THOSE WILL ALL OPEN BETWEEN THIS AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER OF '27. ALL OF THEM WILL INCLUDE AT LEAST SOME FORENSIC BEDS, WHICH THE STATE WILL OPERATE I WANT TO THANK MY TEAM, CHRISTIE CARR OF THE STATE HOSPITALS IS HERE AND HER LEADERSHIP AND SCOTT [INDISCERNIBLE]'S LEADERSHIP IN GETTING THESE DONE WELL AND ON TIME AND WITHIN THE BUDGET HAS BEEN PRETTY PHENOMENAL. MY NEXT TOPIC -- IT'S ME AGAIN -- IT IS MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH SO WE JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. IT'S REALLY A TIME TO KIND OF DOUBLE DOWN ON OUR EFFORTS TO REMOVE THE STIGMA THAT STILL SURROUNDS MENTAL ILLNESS. AND I THINK IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON SUCCESSES AND THE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE TO EXPAND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACROSS THE CONTINUUM AND ACROSS THE STATE. THE LEGISLATURE HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS, I JUST TALKED ABOUT PRIMARILY AN IN-PATIENT BUT ALSO SOME COMMUNITY BASED INCREASES. SO -- IN THE MOST RECENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, SOME OF THOSE INCREASES INCLUDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH MATCHING GRANT PROGRAMS, TO SUPPORT JAIL DIVERSION AND TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH SEVERE -- SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. WE ALSO SAW AN INCREASE OF $20 MILLION PER YEAR IN YOUTH CRISIS OUTREACH TEAMS, WHICH IS A REALLY PROMISING MODEL TO KEEP KIDS WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND OUT OF MORE INTENSIVE SETTINGS OR THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. AND SO AS A RESULT OF THESE AND OTHER INVESTMENTS BY THE LEGISLATURE AND A LOT OF HARD WORK THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITIES, THE STATE AND FY25 SERVED OVER 99,000 CHILDREN AND OVER 310,000 ADULTS. OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE HAD A FOCUS AND WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON HIGH INTENSITY COMMUNITY SERVICES AS WELL AS IN-PATIENT BUT WE ALSO JUST BECAUSE IT'S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A REALLY IMPORTANT KIND OF FRONT END PREVENTATIVE PROGRAM AND THAT IS MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID. SO ALL 39 OF OUR LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES AND LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES OFFER MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING. WE HAVE THREE COURSES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO TAKE THE APPROPRIATE COURSE, SO WE HAVE ADULTS MENTAL HEALTH PER SE THAT TEACHES ADULTS HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT OTHER ADULTS EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE CHALLENGE. WE HAVE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID THAT TEACHES ADULTS HOW TO SUPPORT YOUTH, AND THEN OUR NEWEST IS TEAM MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, WHICH TEACHES HIGH SCHOOL AGED KIDS TO RECOGNIZE SIGNS OF MENTAL ILLNESS CHALLENGES AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THEIR PEERS. AND SO IN FY25, MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID REACHED -- WORKERS [00:30:01] TRAINED OVER 69,000 TEXANS, AND THAT REPRESENTS 69,000 MORE TEXANS WHO CAN HELP REDUCE THE STIGMA SURROUNDING MENTAL ILLNESS, REMOVE THE FEAR AND HESITATION THAT OFTEN COMES WITH HAVING THAT FIRST CONVERSATION ABOUT POTENTIAL CHALLENGES WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, AND 69,000 MORE TEXANS THAT CAN RECOGNIZE SIGNS AND HELP THOSE IN NEED. SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME TIME TO HIGHLIGHT MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. >> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF JORDAN DIXON? [3. Rule proposals ] ALL RIGHT, WELL, WITH THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA, WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM 3. THIS INCLUDES ROLE PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE TEXAS REGISTER WHICH ARE CURRENTLY WITHIN THE OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. OUR FIRST ROLE -- CAN I ASK THE PRESENTER TO JOIN US. OUR FIRST RULE. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING, I'M JENNY COOKSY, THE DIRECTOR OF [INDISCERNIBLE] AND BLINDNESS SERVICES AND WITHIN FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES. SO AS YOU CAN SEE UPDATING THE CHILDREN'S AUTISM PROGRAM RULES TO HAVE ALL THE RULES IN TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE TITLE 26 PART 1, BY REPEALING THE RULES IN 1 CHAPTER -- SUB CHAPTER C THE CONTENT OF THE REPEALS RULES WILL BE PROPOSED AS NEW RULES AND SECTION 358.107, 358.109 AND IN THE YOU SUB CHAPTER B, 358.201. THE PROPOSAL REPEALS ALL OF 358.515 TO COMBINE ITS CONTENTS INTO NEW 358.201 STAFF REQUIREMENTS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT 25R044 ADJUSTS THE ELIGIBILITY AGE, CLARIFIES THE ENTRANCE RULES AND ADDS REGISTERED BEHAVIOR TECHNICIANS AS ONE WHO MAY PROVIDE PROGRAM AUTISM SERVICES AND UPDATES THE RULE REFERENCE. THE PROPOSAL ALSO IMPROVES THE ORGANIZATION OF THE RULES AND USES CONSISTENT TERMINOLOGY AND ALSO DUPLICATIVE LANGUAGE. THE BENEFIT, BECAUSE THE CHILDREN'S AUTISM PROGRAM RULES WILL NOW ALL BE IN ONE CHAPTER, AND THE RULES ARE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND. THE RULES WILL ADJUST THE AGE OF ELIGIBILITY AND PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY FOR SERVICE UTILIZATION TO MEET THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN. >> THANK YOU. MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? SO YOU MENTIONED ADJUSTING THE AGE OF ELIGIBILITY. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT CHANGE IS? >> YES. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN SERVING CHILDREN FROM AGE 3 TO 15, SO ON THEIR 16TH BIRTHDAY THEY WOULD NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE. WE ARE EXPANDING, SO WE'RE EXPANDING FROM AGE OF DIAGNOSIS, SO IT CAN BE YOUNGER THAN 3 NOW, AND UP TO THE AGE OF -- THROUGH 21, SO THEY WOULD NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE AT 22. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 3B, AND THIS INCLUDES RULE PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE TEXAS REGISTER BUT NOT PUBLISHED. AS OF TODAY, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD HAS NOT YET OPENED, BUT COMMENTS CAN BE PROVIDED, OF COURSE, AT THIS MEETING. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONER. AND EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETINGS -- OR EXCUSE ME, EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS CHRISTIE CARR. I SERVE AS THE ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER OF THE STATE HOSPITALS. HHSC IS PROPOSING RULES TO IMPLEMENT CODE 552154 ADDED BY HOUSE BILL 913 OF THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION. IT PROVIDES THAT HHSC EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER, BY RULE, MUST REQUIRE STATE HOSPITALS TO EMPLOY A SUPERINTENDENT AT EACH TEXAS STATE HOSPITAL AND A TEXAS [00:35:01] STATE HOSPITAL INCLUDES A FACILITY THAT HHSC OPERATES AS A STATE HOSPITAL. HOUSE BILL 913 AMENDED TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE 532001B AND 552002A2 TO SEPARATE THE NORTH TEXAS STATE HOSPITAL INTO THE VERNON STATE HOSPITAL AS WELL AS THE WAICH TALK WICHITA E HOSPITAL AND TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE 5201B AND SUBSECTIONS A2 WERE AMENDED TO ALSO ADD THE NEW PANHANDLE STATE HOSPITAL AS WELL AS THE LUBBOCK PSYCHIATRIC CENTER TO THE LIST OF STATE HOSPITALS. THIS PROPOSAL ALSO OUTLINES THE DUTIES OF A SUPERINTENDENT MUST PERFORM IN THE TEXAS STATE HOSPITALS AS REQUIRED BY TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE 551022. THE PUBLIC WILL BENEFIT FROM IMPROVED STATE HOSPITAL EFFICIENCIES AND OVERSIGHT AND CONSISTENCY AMONG STATE HOSPITALS. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU, CHRISTIE. APPRECIATE THE UPDATE. AND JUST TO ECHO JORDAN'S COMMENTS FROM EARLIER, IT'S VERY EXCITING, THE UPDATE AROUND THE STATE HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION AND I KNOW YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO GET US THIS FAR IN THE PROCESS, SO THANK YOU. >> THANKS. >> I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR RULES FOR TODAY. SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 4, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENT. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS? >> EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER MUTH, WE DID HAVE ONE PREREGISTRATION, HOWEVER THAT COMMENTER HAS NOT JOINED THE PLATFORM. THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL? SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR YOUR TIME, AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE TEAM MEMBERS OUT THERE FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THESE RULES AND SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS. AND WITH THAT, AT 10:37 A.M., THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.