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2004 SESSION

043442468
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 86
Offered January 14, 2004
Prefiled January 12, 2004
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the cost effectiveness of the Comprehensive Services for At-Risk Youth and Families program. Report.
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Patrons-- Pollard, Athey, Byron, Cole, Louderback, Saxman, Sickles and Weatherholtz
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Services Act (CSA) was created in 1992 to establish a comprehensive system of services and funding through interagency planning and collaboration in order to better meet the needs of troubled and at-risk youths and their families; and

WHEREAS, a state pool of funding was created to allow the community policy and management teams and the family assessment and planning teams in the localities to draw upon funding in a manner that would better address the needs of the child and his family; and

WHEREAS, concerns associated with the total general fund cost of the program (more than $194 million in fiscal year 2001) and the average rate at which these costs have been increasing (approximately 10 percent per year) prompted the 2002 General Assembly to pass budget language directing the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to develop and implement a plan for improving services and containing costs in the treatment and care of children served through the CSA; and

WHEREAS, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, working with a steering committee consisting of legislators, public and private stakeholders, and state and local partners, submitted the Blueprint for Change in CSA in 2002 and a progress report in 2003; and

WHEREAS, financial support provided by the Commonwealth and local governments for early intervention services for youths and their families and community services for troubled youths who have emotional or behavior problems continue to increase; and

WHEREAS, these program costs are often unpredictable and have dramatically increased each fiscal year making fiscal planning and budgeting a difficult process for local governments; and

WHEREAS, it is difficult to establish a standard regarding the actual effectiveness of these programs and expenditures; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the cost effectiveness of the Comprehensive Services for At-Risk Youth and Families program. The joint subcommittee shall consist of 10 members that include six legislative members, three nonlegislative citizen members, and one ex officio member. Members shall be appointed as follows: four members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; two members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; two nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, if any; one nonlegislative citizen member to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; and the Director of the Office of Comprehensive Services for At-Risk Youth and Families or his designee to serve ex officio with voting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members of the joint subcommittee shall be citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk, nonlegislative citizen members shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of attending meetings. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall study the administration of the CSA by state and local governments, including projections of caseloads, service needs and costs, and make recommendations for improvement of program services and strategies for cost containment.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee for this study, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2004 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $5,300 without approval as set out in this resolution. Of this amount an estimated $500 is allocated for speakers, materials, and other resources. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

No recommendation of the joint subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority of the House members or a majority of the Senate members appointed to the joint subcommittee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint subcommittee.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2004, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2005 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the joint subcommittee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a document. The executive summary and the report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the 2004 interim.