News

The House and Senate Calendars are posted every day with the schedule for hearings and legislative action.  https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/chamber/calendars/

Below is an example of how committee schedules are publicized, with the contact information for the Committee Assistant at the top, and the time and location.  Here is the current schedule for the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee from the Senate Calendar:

Public Health and Welfare

8:30 a.m.      Suzanne Nelson, Committee Assistant–785-296-5123      142-S

Tuesday, January 21

Request for bill introductions

Presentation on:

Kansas Department for Health and Environment Agency Overview by Secretary Janet Stanek; Ashley Goss, Deputy Secretary for Public Health; and Christine Osterlund, Deputy Secretary for Agency Integration and Medicaid Director

Presentation on: Overview of Kansas Association of Local Health Departments by Randy Bowman, Executive Director

Wednesday, January 22

Request for bill introductions

Presentation on: Overview of Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) by Andrea Warnke, DCF Legislative Liaison

Presentation on: Office of the Child Advocate by Kerrie Lonard, Acting Kansas Child Advocate

Thursday, January 23

Request for bill introductions

Presentation on: KanCare Ombudsman (Virtual) by Suzanne J. Lueker, J.D., LL.M, KanCare Ombudsman and Executive Director

Presentation on: Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit: Osawatomie State Hospital Audit by Kristin Rottinghaus, Deputy Post Auditor, Legislative Post Audit

Presentation on: TANF Audit by Matt Etzel, Performance Audit Manager, Legislative Post Audit

Presentation on: Association of Community Health Centers of Kansas, Inc. by Kyle Kessler, Executive Director and Michelle Ponce, Associate Director

To listen to the livestream of committee hearings or House/Senate chamber proceedings, select Audio/Video in the upper right corner of the screen at https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/  and select the committee.  There are also archived recordings at this link.  OR you can subscribe to the Kansas Legislature channel at YouTube. 

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• All committee hearings and chamber proceedings can be found on the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube page.
• All legislation, committee membership, and meeting times can be found on the Kansas Legislature's Website page.

House Social Services Budget Committee  is beginning public hearings for social services agencies now.

The 2025 Kansas Legislative Session began January 13.  The Governors Budget Report was released January 16 - see report here   https://budget.kansas.gov/budget-report/    The budget process this year is happening much faster than in previous years and the Governor’s Budget Report is an advisory document, instead of the starting point for the Legislature’s budget legislation.  

To testify on agency budgets before the House Social Services Budget Committee, email Francisca Hernandez at Social.Svc.Budget@house.ks.gov or call 785-296-7660.  Testimony will be due the day before the public hearing, and the hearing is at 3:30 p.m. in the House Social Services Budget Committee room 152-S.  The Committee has many new members, so it is worthwhile to get to know them as soon as possible if you have items to come before the committee. 

HSSBC Schedule:

Jan 22 – Wednesday – State Hospitals Public Hearing

Jan 23 – Dept. for Children and Families Agency Overview

Jan 24 – Dept. for Children and Families Public Testimony 

Jan 27 – KDHE – Overview – includes Division of Health and KanCare

Jan 28 – KDHE Public Testimony 

Jan 29 – KDADS Agency Overview

Jan 30 – KDADS Public Testimony

To testify regarding the State Hospitals budget, email Francisca Hernandez at Social.Svc.Budget@house.ks.gov.  Testimony will be due on Tuesday, January 21, and the hearing is at 3:30 p.m. in the House Social Services Budget Committee.  The Committee has many new members, so it is worthwhile to get to know them as soon as possible if you have items to come before the committee.  See Committee information here:  https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/committees/ctte_h_soc_srvcs_bdgt_1/

Legislative Leadership established an expedited budget process this session with budget hearings beginning this week.  Typically, we wouldn't start attending budget hearings for another 2 weeks or so, but the Legislature decided not to wait for the Governors Budget Report to be presented and analyzed first.  Instead, a Special Committee on Legislative Budget established a legislative budget proposal in December and has already introduced HB 2007 to begin hearings immediately.  We will talk more about this and other 2025 issues at our monthly KMHC Meeting next Wednesday.  

The House Appropriations Committee intends to pass the session's major budget bill through the House and pass it on to the Senate for action in February.  This will require budget subcommittees to work very quickly to get their recommendations to the Appropriations Committee.  Appropriations will put together the major budget bill for the full House to consider - with the Senate intending to work on whatever the House passes to them.  There will not be a parallel budget subcommittee process in the Senate this year.  It appears the full House budget will be worked on by the Senate Ways and Means Committee before going to the full Senate.  It is unclear how much opportunity for public input will be scheduled in the Senate - so advocates should plan to participate in House budget committee hearings if possible.

Additionally, the House Appropriations Committee has asked state agencies to provide a list of potential budget cuts of 7.5% (excluding caseloads, aid to public schools, and debt service).  There is also talk of maybe implementing a "pay go" rule at the committee level - requiring any additional expenditures to be offset by cuts elsewhere.  If that happens, committee members may be surprised to see how their options are limited.  The Legislative Budget (HB 2007) as proposed by the interim committee was based on the agency requests as submitted to the Governor and approved by the 2024 Legislature, but stripped out most reappropriations, funding that was identified as "one time" funding, all enhancement requests and pay increase proposals.  So, there are approved programs that will require new authorization this year - such as the academic workforce initiative approved last session called the Behavioral Health Centers of Excellence.  We are all learning the new process, so hopefully there will be flexibility built in.  

The Kansas Legislature convened the 2025 Session on Monday, January 13.  The new session brings newly elected policymakers and some significant changes in the schedule and process.  Specifically, the Legislature plans to end the session by April 12.  That is significant, because it is about a week before the spring consensus estimates are reported, which usually allows for some budget adjustments in a typical veto session that has traditionally taken place at the end of April.  

The House of Representatives has 20 brand new representatives plus one experienced legislator - Richard Wilborn held leadership positions in the Senate but ran for the House seat held by Rep. Les Mason when he unexpectedly passed away after the 2024 session.   There are also four representatives who were appointed in 2024 and could be considered relatively new, as well.  Former Reps Steve Huebert and Marty Long have also returned to the House this session.  

The Senate has 14 newly elected senators - six who were elected after already serving in the House of Representatives.  

With 35% of the Senate seats changing hands - observers are interested to see how if there are new policy issues brought forward.  Both the Senate and House elected more Republicans than before, creating a solid super-majority, and Democrats will have to find support from across the aisle to pass any of their priorities.

Regardless, there are plenty of new policymakers to meet and educate about the importance of mental health and substance use services.  The Kansas Legislature website is kslegislature.gov.

Biden-Harris Administration Expands Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Services with Addition of 10 New States to CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration Program

Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Link to Press Release

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act gave HHS the authority to add 10 states to the CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration program every two years, starting with the 10 being announced today

NOTE:  Kansas has the first State-initiated CCBHC program in the country - this will bring Kansas into the federal demonstration project.

Note to editors and reporters: Video b-roll of a CCBHC (4 minutes, 41 seconds) and an explainer video “What is a CCBHC? (50 seconds) ” are available for download and use in reporting, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), today welcomed 10 new states into the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Medicaid Demonstration Program, after they successfully developed the necessary state-level infrastructure and worked with providers in their states to develop programs that meet CCBHC standards: Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont. The CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration Program provides states with sustainable funding that helps them expand access to mental health and substance use services, supporting President Biden’s Unity Agenda and the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to tackle the country’s mental health and addiction crises. The expansion of the program directly supports the President’s national strategy to transform our behavioral health system and builds on the Administration’s previous work to build a better crisis continuum of care, including through the transition to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, add a new mobile crisis benefit to Medicaid and new crisis codes to the Medicare program.

“Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics have significantly improved behavioral health treatment in our country, and today’s announcement will dramatically expand and improve access to equitable, quality care for Americans with serious mental health and substance use treatment needs,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, we are adding 10 new states to this groundbreaking demonstration across the country, ensuring our CCBHCs can serve more Americans who need our help.”

CCBHCs must ensure access to a comprehensive range of services, providing care coordination when needed and incorporating evidence-based practices and other supports based on a community needs assessment. This includes crisis services that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. CCBHCs are also required to provide routine outpatient care within 10 business days.

“Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use conditions. With sustainable funding, CCBHCs in participating states will now be able to connect more people to the care they need,” said HHS Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm. “This is another example of our commitment at HHS to transforming behavioral health and ensuring all Americans have access to behavioral health resources.”

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), signed into law by President Joe Biden, gave HHS the authority to add 10 new states to the CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration program every two years, starting with the 10 being announced today. All of these states had previously received planning grants, including grants authorized by BSCA in 2022 to address the country’s behavioral health crisis. The 10 states added today join 8 states that are already currently in the CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration program: Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, and Oregon.

In March 2023, SAMHSA used BSCA funding to award 15 CCBHC state planning grants. The CCBHC planning phase assists states in certifying clinics as CCBHCs, establishing prospective payment systems for Medicaid reimbursable services, and preparing an application to participate in a four-year demonstration program. A notice of funding opportunity to award 15 additional states with planning grants is expected to be posted this summer for award early in Fiscal Year 2025, and 10 more states will have the opportunity to join the CCBHC Demonstration Program in Fiscal Year 2026. These expansions will build more CCBHCs across the country and, along with the SAMHSA CCBHC expansion grant program, will support increased adoption of this model.

“For our communities to thrive, behavioral health, including mental health, needs to be prioritized,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “That requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, which is why it’s so encouraging to see more states support person- and community-centered solutions like CCBHCs. Aligned with the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to mental health, CCBHCs equip communities with the tools they need to tackle many of society’s most entrenched challenges – from substance use disorders and mental health crises to housing insecurity, public safety, and the more efficient use of our health care resources.”

“We’re pleased to welcome these 10 states in the CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration Program and look forward to adding more in the years to come. CCBHCs provide a model of care that supports wellness for the entire community and connects people to care. They guarantee access to services to individuals and families regardless of ability to pay,” said Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the leader of SAMHSA. “Equity is a significant and overarching priority in all that we do, and expanding and improving the CCBHC model across America helps us to continue our path forward to make quality behavioral health care for everyone even more widely available.”

CCBHCs increase access to crisis and behavioral health care in the community. They have been shown to reduce homelessness and substance use among the people they serve and decrease use of emergency rooms and hospitalization. In September, HHS, through SAMHSA, awarded $127.7 million to expand CCBHCs across the U.S.

The CCBHC Demonstration Program provides reimbursement through Medicaid for the full cost of services that CCBHCs provide, at higher, more competitive rates than community mental health centers previously received for Medicaid eligible individuals. This sustainable funding also ensures CCBHCs can provide a more comprehensive range of services rather than fragmented services driven by separate billing codes.

CCBHCs were created to transform mental health and substance use treatment across the country and provide sustainable funding for robust community outpatient mental health treatment. They are required to meet federal standards for the range of services that they provide. CCBHCs offer a no-wrong-door approach because they must serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use conditions, regardless of their ability to pay, place of residence, or age.

In 2017, the first CCBHCs were funded under Medicaid, with 67 clinics operating across eight states. Today, there are more than 500 CCBHCs across 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, most of which are supported through SAMHSA’s CCBHC Expansion Grant program.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol issues, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, you can go directly to FindTreatment.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357).

Press Announcements: Footer Block

Reporters with questions should send inquiries to media@samhsa.hhs.gov.

The 2024 Legislative Session kicked off January 8 and Governor Laura Kelly presented her State of the State Address January 10.  The Governors Budget Report was released January 11, with the Budget Director Adam Proffitt presenting an overview to a joint meeting of the House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means Committees.  Link to the presentation below:

Director’s Budget Presentation

The Governor's Budget Report for FY 2025 is posted online.  Volume 1 is a summary of the budget recommendations, while Volume 2 covers each agency budget.  See links below:

FY 2025 Governor’s Budget Report–Volume 1

FY 2025 Governor’s Budget Report–Volume 2

The 2023 Legislative Session has had a slow start - mostly hearing interim committee reports and hosting informational hearings. 

This week, budget hearings begin and there are several hearings on legislation of interest.  To submit testimony, contact the committee secretary at least 24 hours in advance - preferably sooner.  Most require testimony to be submitted 24 hours before the hearing.  Remember, you can also email committee members directly in lieu of testifying.

HEARINGS THIS WEEK:  

Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services     Donna Fulkerson, Committee Assistant–785-296-7399

Monday, February 6 NOTE TIME CHANGE TO 2:30 P.M. AND ROOM CHANGE TO 548-S (Meeting 1 of 2) Hearing on agency budget: State Hospitals for Mental Health State Hospitals for Intellectual Disabilities

Tuesday, February 7 NOTE TIME CHANGE TO 12:00 P.M. AND ROOM CHANGE TO 144-S Deliberation on agency budget: State Hospitals for Mental Health State Hospitals for Intellectual Disabilities

Wednesday, February 8 NOTE TIME CHANGE TO 3:00 P.M. AND ROOM CHANGE TO 548-S Hearing on agency budget: Department of Children and Families Testimonies

Thursday, February 9 NOTE TIME CHANGE TO 12:00 P.M. AND ROOM CHANGE TO 548-S Hearing on agency budget: Kansas Department of Health and Environment – Health Health Care Stabilization Fund Board of Governors

House Health and Human Services    David Long, Committee Assistant–785-296-7488 1:30 p.m. 112-N

Monday, February 6 Request for bill introductions Hearing on: HB2259 — Providing that certain mental health medications be available without prior authorization to treat medicaid recipients and abolishing the mental health medication advisory committee. HB2260 — Increasing the number of medical student loan agreements that may be provided by the university of Kansas school of medicine and prohibiting impediments to switching between residency programs. HB2262 — Allowing six months of an embalmer apprenticeship to be completed prior to an individual attending mortuary science school HB2263 — Authorizing pharmacy technicians to administer certain vaccines.

Tuesday, February 7 Hearing on: HB2264 — Enacting the no patient left alone act to allow in-person visitation to certain patients at hospitals, adult care homes and hospice facilities.

Wednesday, February 8 Hearing on: HB2049 — Changing the length of the nurse aide course required for unlicensed employees in adult care homes to 75 hours.

Thursday, February 9 Informational briefing: HB2050 — Updating income eligibility requirements for the state children's health insurance program.

Child Welfare and Foster Care    Carol Robertson, Committee Assistant–785-296-7644 1:30 p.m. 152-S

Monday, February 6 Request for bill introductions Hearing on: HB2240 — Requiring the clerk of the district court to give notice of qualified residential treatment program placement. HB2153 — Authorizing the attorney general to coordinate training regarding a multidisciplinary team approach to intervention in reports involving alleged human trafficking for law enforcement agencies and requiring training on human trafficking awareness and identification for certain child welfare agencies, juvenile justice agencies, mental health professionals and school personnel.

House Welfare Reform    Gary Deeter, Committee Assistant–785-296-6989 1:30 p.m. 152-S Tuesday, February 7 Hearing on: HB2140 — Increasing the age range of able-bodied adults without dependents required to complete an employment and training program to receive food assistance.

House Education    Deborah Bremer, Committee Assistant–785-296-3113 1:30 p.m. 218-N

Tuesday, February 7 Hearing on: HB2132 — Expanding the eligible fields of study and establishing a maximum scholarship amount for certain private postsecondary educational institutions in the Kansas promise scholarship act

Corrections and Juvenile Justice    Colette Niehues, Committee Assistant–785-296-7500 1:30 p.m. 546-S

Monday, February 6 Request for bill introductions Hearing on: HB2214 — Changing the name of the Larned correctional mental health facility to the Larned state correctional facility and removing references to facilities that no longer exist. Final action on: HB2114 — Renaming the joint committee on corrections and juvenile justice oversight in honor of Representative J. Russell (Russ) Jennings and requiring the committee to monitor the implementation of juvenile justice reforms.

Tuesday, February 7 Final action on: HB2113 — Prohibiting denial of a petition for expungement due to the petitioner's inability to pay outstanding costs, fees, fines or restitution, providing that the waiting period for expungement starts on the date of conviction or adjudication and authorizing expungement of a juvenile adjudication if the juvenile has not committed a felony offense in the previous two years. HB2214 — Changing the name of the Larned correctional mental health facility to the Larned state correctional facility and removing references to facilities that no longer exist.

Wednesday, February 8 Final action on: HB2021 — Allowing evidence-based program account money to be used on certain children, requiring the department of corrections to build data systems and allowing for overall case length limit extensions for certain juvenile offenders.

House Judiciary    Kathi Rakestraw, Committee Assistant–785-296-5805 3:30 p.m. 582-N

Thursday, February 9 Hearing on: HB2246 — Establishing requirements for the involuntary discharge or transfer of a resident in an adult residential care facility, the right to appeal such discharge or transfer and a process for such appeal.

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly signed bipartisan legislation, Senate Bill 19, creating the state’s suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline and behavioral health intervention teams. The 9-8-8 hotline will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to Kansans needing mental health emergency services. The hotline will launch July 16, 2022.

More information about SB 19 can be found here.

Here’s what they’re saying:

“The Kansas Mental Health Coalition is celebrating the passage of 988 Behavioral Health Crisis legislation today!  This is a crucial element of modernizing the Kansas Behavioral Health Continuum, providing meaningful suicide prevention and crisis assistance to Kansas families by assuring their calls are answered in Kansas by trained staff and covering some initial crisis interventions.”
– Amy Campbell, Kansas Mental Health Coalition

“9-8-8 will provide unprecedented access and timely responses to individuals in a mental health crisis. The passage and signing of this legislation marks the culmination of work done by mental health advocates including legislators and state officials that will help thousands of Kansans in a short amount of time.”
– Kyle Kessler, Executive Director, Association of Community Mental Health Centers

“The 9-8-8 number is part of a multi-agency effort that I have worked on with a bipartisan group of legislators and stakeholders for many years to improve access to mental health services. This new number is a tool that will help Kansans get in touch with the right people and resources as we continue to make Kansas’ mental health system the best in the country.”
–  Representative Brenda Landwehr, Chair of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the 2021 Special Committee on Kansas Mental Health Modernization and Reform.

“SB 19 is just the beginning. The Kansas Legislature has been looking at the issue of mental health services in depth with the Mental Health Modernization Task Force and 9-8-8 not only helps to provide timely support and access but it frees 9-1-1 to do quick emergency work. This is a lifesaving tool for Kansans.” 
–  Senator Pat Pettey, Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee and a Member of the 2020 Special Committee on Kansas Mental Health Modernization and Reform

“Kansas hospitals know firsthand the importance of being able to access critically needed services for individuals facing mental health crisis. At a time when Kansas hospitals have seen the serious impacts of suicide in communities across our state, we applaud Kansas policymakers for funding and implementing the 9-8-8 suicide prevention hotline to help provide additional mental health crisis services to those in need.”
– Tara Mays, Kansas Hospital Association

“The passing and signing of SB 19 sets in motion the support system needed in our state for people in need, especially our youth, so they can weather some of the tough times in life and get the comprehensive help they need to set a healthy life course. I commend my legislative colleagues, state staff, mental health professionals and the Governor for putting the health and safety of all Kansans as a top priority.”
– Senator Tom Hawk, Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Ways & Means Committee and Member of the 2021 Special Committee on Kansas Mental Health Modernization and Reform

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Contact:    
Cassie Nichols
cassie.nichols@ks.gov