The House and Senate Joint Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services Transition met on December 6 to hear invited testimony from the Texas Workforce Commission, the Health and Human Services Commission, and the Department of State Health Services. The report below details these discussions.
Opening Comments
- Co-Chair Four Price – Starting to see results from transition operations, will start to see reports and more results moving forward
- Co-Chair Nelson – Transition is going well, important to continue oversight for transition operations as functions shift
Larry Temple, Texas Workforce Commission
- TWC has accomplished all the goals set so far
- First milestone was wrapping general rehab into existing blindness services, plan and merger was approved October 1
- Transition was completed with no interruption of services to customers
- TWC did go in knowing there were duplicated efforts, was a challenge merging functions with duplicated positions or contracts
- Have almost doubled deaf/blind staff, have not diminished specialized personnel
- Overall merging functions led to 45 new counselors being available, matched the expectations of SB 200 well
- TWC offices around the state have been consolidated into workforce centers, bill calls for this to be done by Sept. of 2018, but unlikely as many leases run until 2025
- TWC could find savings in transition, policies still in the process of looking at reimbursement rates, etc., definitely more work that can be done
- Regarding Harvey impact, TWC could get $33 million in federal dollars, also able to find $9 million within the agencies; State has never gotten this much to help citizens wishing to return to work
- On target for consolidation of policies for blind/rehab
- Price – Appreciates that consumers have not been negatively affected, asks after field office progress
- Glenn Neal, TWC – By the end of 2017 TWC completed 11 of 123 facility moves, end of 2018 will see 50, end of 2022 will see 105
- Nelson – You mentioned a benchmarking project for blind & rehab programs last time you spoke to this committee, could you explain what you found?
- Temple, TWC – TWC looked at past data statistics to benchmark progress, also worked to identify redundancies in the two programs and process improvement
Cecile Young, Health and Human Services Commission
- Discussed various HHS office restructuring
- Office of transformation working on HB 5 implementation
- Price- Office of Performance provide a key role in management and analytics for the legislature?
- The system-wide dashboard will be available to legislators, but this specific office will be coordinating and measuring quantitative data
- Discussed DSHS roles, responsibilities and restructuring
- Nelson- How did the organizational restructure aid dealing with Hurricane Harvey
- John Hellerstedt, DSHS – The areas that were required to respond to Harvey did not go through restructuring and were able to focus on public health during the event
- Rep. Raymond – Requested overview of new management staff
- Raymond – Made note of vacant position of Inspector General
- Price- asked for comment on restructuring being a positive change for responding to clients
- Young – HHSC in process of filling vacancies, and able to build HHS infrastructure, and are in better circumstances that a year ago
- Rep. Rose – What progress has been made regarding the minority program with universities
- Chris Adams, HHSC – Exploring opportunities with public and private schools and can fund the program for one year
- Rose – What is the formal grievance process?
- 2004 merging of agencies caused a policy for singular grievance process in line with other state agencies
- Rose – What type of background checks are performed?
- All employees go through a background check and certain individuals are required to go through a selective background check
- Price – Asked for information on rat infestation
- Young – Working with pest removal company for consultation for remediation in addition to TFC
- Nelson – How much did the pest removal company cost?
- There is a standing contract with Orkin for this facility and others
- Nelson- Concerned with the health aspects of rat infestations. Recommends PSA regarding the issue
- Raymond – Requested update on Children’s health insurance program
- The program must be reauthorized
- Much support for it, but will not receive formal notification from CMS until mid-December
- State law prohibits the program if no federal funding