MINUTES
SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON HOME HEALTH
AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES
Wednesday, April 22, 1998
9:30 am
Harlingen Public Library
410 76 Drive
Harlingen, Texas 78550
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Interim Committee on
Home Health and Assisted Living Facilities was held on
Wednesday, April 22, 1998, in the Harlingen Public Library at
Harlingen, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Mike Moncrief Senator Gonzalo
Barrientos
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr. Senator Jane Nelson
Senator Drew Nixon
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:35 am. The
following business was transacted.
The following members arrived after the roll was called:
none.
The Chair introduced and welcomed Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.,
from District 27, Brownsville, Texas.
The Chair thanked Senator Lucio for his commitment to
improving healthcare in the state of Texas.
The Chair made opening remarks, welcomed invited speakers,
state agency staff and the public. The Chair announced that
the meeting would begin with a staff update regarding issues
that are forming as the Committee begins to look at making
recommendations to the 76th legislature.
The Chair called Michael Crowe, Committee Director, and Lara
Laneri, Committee Policy Analyst,
to give an update of Committee activities regarding home
health care and assisted living facilities and to respond to
questions from the Committee Members. After the presentation,
the Chair thanked and dismissed the witnesses.
The Chair then called a panel of the Commissioners of the
state agencies that are involved in the regulation of
long-term care services, particularly home health and assisted
living. The panel members were:
Eric M. Bost, Commissioner, Texas Department of Human
Services
Don A. Gilbert, Commissioner, Texas Department of Mental
Health and Mental Retardation
Jim Hine, Executive Director, Texas Department of
Protective and Regulatory Services
Max Arrell, Commissioner, Texas Rehabilitation Commission
Reyn Archer, M. D., Commissioner, Texas Department of
Health
The panel testified and responded to questions from Members of
the Committee. The Chair thanked and dismissed the panel.
The Chair recessed at 12:30 p.m.
The Chair reconvened the hearing at 1:22 p.m. and called a
panel to give testimony regarding local perspectives on home
health and assisted living. The panel members were:
Mario Espinosa, President, Rio Grande Valley Home Health
Alliance
Linda Salazar, President, The Remnant Group, Inc.
Nancy Busse, Member, Texas Assisted Living Association
The panel testified and responded to questions from Members of
the Committee. The Chair thanked and dismissed the panel.
The Chair then called for public testimony. The following
persons provided oral testimony:
Randy M. Griffin, Lake Worth Village, Plano, Texas
Diana Deaton, Texas Assisted Living Association, Austin,
Texas
Fred Worley, Texas Department of Human Services, Austin,
Texas
Martha B. Sorensen, Independent Senior Citizen, Lyford,
Texas
Betty Castleman, Texas Assisted Living Association,
Houston, Texas
Jeff DeWeese, Embree Healthcare Group, Georgetown, Texas
Grant R. Bell, Self, Arlington, Texas
Carol Bell, Community Assisted Living of Grand Prairie,
Grand Prairie, Texas
The following persons registered, but did not testify:
Robert L. Griffis, Greenbriar Corporation, Addison, Texas
Nance Stearman, Texas Department of Health, Austin, Texas
C. Thomas Camp, Texas Department of Health, Austin, Texas
The following persons submitted written testimony, but did not
provide oral testimony:
Elaine Nail, Self, Lubbock, Texas
Lauro A. Munoz, Texas Occupational Therapy Association,
McAllen, Texas
Sonia Rivera, Valley Association for Independent Living,
Edinburg, Texas
Skip Comsia, TLC Properties, Inc., Houston, Texas
There being no further business, at 3:44 p.m. Senator Moncrief
announced that the Committee would stand recessed subject to
the call of the Chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
________________________
Senator Mike Moncrief, Chair
________________________
Judy Daugherty, Clerk