Kansas Mental
Health Coalition

988 Crisis Hotline and KDADS / DCF Budget Hearings Next Week

February 11, 2022 4:30 PM | Amy Campbell (Administrator)

Hearings Next Week

988 CRISIS LINE - House Bill 2281 - Hearing for HB 2281 in House Health and Human Services Committee Tuesday, February 15.   To submit written testimony or to speak before the committee, contact Ryan Reza, NAMI Kansas, at this link to provide your information by Sunday February 13.  We will have to turn in testimony by 10:00 a.m. Monday.

You can also reach out to the House Health and Human Services Committee members directly by email to express your support for HB 2281. Link to Committee List  A short email with Support 998 Crisis Legislation in the subject line is very helpful!  Sample Email.

BUDGET HEARINGS:  KMHC supports the behavioral health enhancements in the Governor’s Budget.  Other top issues include advocating for continued support for the Certified Community Behavioral Health Center system, creating community Crisis Intervention Centers, funding 988, and ending the moratorium on voluntary admissions at the state hospitals – expanding access to community based services and Medicaid Expansion.  The following committees hear public testimony then make recommendations to the House Appropriations Committee or Senate Ways and Means Committee to develop the overall budget.

To submit written testimony or to speak before the committee, contact the committee assistant at least 48 hours before the hearing and expect to turn in your testimony 24 hours before the hearing.  Some committees require only an electronic copy of your testimony, others will ask you to deliver paper copies too.  Remember, if you can't get testimony submitted, you can email the committee members directly. 

When testifying for agency budgets, it is important to review the Governors Budget Report to see what is recommended for the agencies.  See Governors Budget Report and Directors Budget Presentation.  See page 20 of the directors presentation for behavioral health (see below), also page 22 for Medicaid Expansion.  

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House Social Services Budget Committee  web page link with members – HSSBC - meets daily at 3:30 p.m. 152-S – Contact Francisca.Hernandez@house.ks.gov   or at 785-296-7660.  The committee assistant needs to know if you will testify in person or by Webex 48 hours before the hearing.  Email a pdf of your testimony by 1:00 p.m. the day before the hearing.

Dept. of Children and Families -  Budget Overview February 14, Public Hearing February 15, Recommendations February 16 

Kansas Dept. for Aging and Disability Services - Budget Overview February 16, Public Hearing February 17, Recommendations February 21 

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Senate Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services – time and location vary - web page link  with members

Contact Donna.Fulkerson@senate.ks.gov or 785-296-7399.  The committee assistance needs to know if you will testify in person or by Webex 48 hours before the hearing.  Email a pdf of the testimony 24 hours before the hearing.   

Dept. for Children and Families -  Overview and Public Testimony February 17.  12 noon Room 548-S

Kansas Dept. for Aging and Disability Services -  Overview and Public Testimony February 18.   10:30 a.m. Room 548-S

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All hearings are live-streamed on the YouTube Kansas Legislature Channel.



(c) Kansas Mental Health Coalition, P.O. Box 4744, Topeka, KS  66604  785-969-1617

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