Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting of the Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee was held on Wednesday, December 3, 2014, at 10:00 AM, in Room 129 of the Capitol Annex. Representative Wilson Stone, Chair, called the meeting to order, and the secretary called the roll.
Present were:
Members: Senator Paul Hornback, Co-Chair; Representative Wilson Stone, Co-Chair; Senators Jimmy Higdon, Dennis Parrett, Robin L. Webb, and Whitney Westerfield; Representatives Mike Denham, Tom McKee, Terry Mills, Ryan Quarles, and Jonathan Shell.
Guests: Roger Thomas, Joel Neaveill, Bill McCloskey, Angela Blank, Beth Herbert, and Brian Murphy, Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy; Brigitte Ramsey, Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence; Scott Lockard and Melissa Sparks, Clark County Public Health Department; and Josh and Audra Hisle.
LRC Staff: Lowell Atchley, Kelly Ludwig, and Kelly Blevins.
The November 5, 2014, minutes were approved, without objection by voice vote, upon a motion by Senator Hornback and second by Representative Mills.
Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy
Before reporting project decisions to the committee, Mr. Roger Thomas, Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy (GOAP), updated the committee on some personnel changes at the agency.
Co-Chairs Stone and Hornback discussed with Mr. Thomas the services rendered by GOAP staff to Kentucky farming communities and the impact of the tobacco settlement funds on the state’s farm economy. Farm cash receipts totaled almost $6 billion in 2013. Mr. Thomas described the scope of the tobacco economy in the late 1990s compared to now and suggested that the growth in the agricultural economy could be attributable to the tobacco settlement funds put into farm diversification.
Mr. Joel Neaveill, Chief of Staff, GOAP, summarized the Agricultural Development Board's (ADB) funding decisions made during the board's November meeting. He summarized the funding approvals by the board at the previous month's meeting under the County Agricultural Improvement, Deceased Farm Animal Removal, and Shared-use Equipment programs.
Responding to Representative Stone, the GOAP officials described the Kentucky Ketech Inc. program administrator in Clay County as an agricultural advancement organization in that county.
The statewide or regional projects receiving ADB funding approvals were: Pleasureville Economic Development Council, which received $11,500 in state and local tobacco funds to renovate and equip a year-round farmer’s market facility in Henry County; Owen County 4-H Club Council, $15,000 to establish a cost-share livestock program for young people; Logan County Agricultural Extension Foundation, $8,385 to upgrade a multipurpose agricultural arena; McCreary County Soil Conservation District, $6,300 to build a shared-use equipment/farmers market facility.
Senator Parrett described the Pleasureville endeavor as a “perfect” project because of the farmer’s market. He emphasized the impact on farmer’s markets on public health. Later, he described farmer’s market days as social events in communities. Mr. Thomas mentioned the impact that the Department of Agriculture’s Kentucky Proud program in providing opportunities for farmers.
Representative Quarles noted the appreciation of Owen County citizens for the funds granted that project.
The GOAP representatives described in greater detail for Representative Denham the Logan County agricultural arena project. Representative Stone noted the facility is used for many types of events, but primarily livestock-related.
Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS)
Ms. Brigitte Ramsey, Associate Executive Director, Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, Mr. A. Scott Lockard, Public Health Director, Clark County Health Department, Ms. Melissa Sparks, Home Visitor, Clark County Health Department, and parents, Josh and Audra Hisle, discussed aspects of the Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) program.
Ms. Ramsey described the mission of HANDS, a voluntary statewide home visitation program to provide assistance to at-risk parents during the prenatal period until the child’s third birthday.
Mr. Lockard talked about his long association with HANDS and reviewed for the committee the goals of the program, its funding, what HANDS home visitors focus on, numbers of services, assessments, and home visits made. A recent evaluation showed the program had improved maternal outcomes and child outcomes.
Ms. Sparks discussed her work at a home visitor and the goal of linking families with young children with the many services available.
The Hisles talked about what HANDS has meant to their family and to their son, who has succeeded in preschool and kindergarten because of the program.
Responding to Co-Chair Stone, Ms. Ramsey pointed to some of the data showing activities in the HANDS program in FY 2014 and throughout the years beginning in FY 2000. A total of 8,517 families received services through HANDS in FY 2014.
In answer to Representative McKee, Mr. Lockard described their HANDS outreach efforts. According to his testimony, the Clark County Health Department has several partnerships with other health agencies and hospitals.
Mr. Lockard described monitoring systems to Senator Webb. Technical specialists conduct site visits to check best practices and outreach.
Responding to Senator Webb about those areas in which high-risk families and children are located, he said public health attempts to allocate resources to communities that are in need. Many times the stress of parenting can be experienced by anyone.
In answer to Senator Webb, Ms. Beth Jurek, Office of Policy and Budget, Cabinet for Health and Family Services, explained the funding streams for HANDS, which consist mostly of tobacco settlement and Medicaid dollars. Ms. Jurek mentioned the Legislature appropriated funds to enable the program to expand its outreach to include the second and third child of clients.
Documents distributed during the committee meeting are available with meeting materials in the LRC Library. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.