Rep. Alan Powell: FY 2024 Budget/House Bill 19 Highlights Continuation

By State Representative Alan Powell, HD 33

The FY24 State Budget allocated 24% for health and human services.

Health:

$42.2 million in reimbursement rate increases, to support Medicaid providers;

$18.7 million for primary care and OB/GYN providers;

$8 million for speech-language pathology, audiology, physical therapy, and occupational therapy providers;

$10.5 million for home and community-based service providers;

$854,167 for Georgia Pediatric Program (GAPP) providers;

$1.3 million for occupational and physical therapy assistants in the Children’s Intervention Services (CIS) program;

$1.1 million for emergency medical services (EMS); and

$621,296 for low-volume pharmacies.

$3.1 million for loan repayment programs for providers practicing in rural areas and educating future providers;

$850,000 for a new mental health professionals program,

$1.56 million to increase the amount awarded to rural physicians;

$440,000 for additional repayments for physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses;

$250,000 for a new nursing faculty program.

$2.8 million to provide dental coverage for adult members of Georgia Medicaid

$500,000 for two new federally qualified health center start-up grants;

$950,000 for Mercy Care Atlanta;

$500,000 for charity clinics statewide.

$3.9 million for new graduate and undergraduate medical education;

$2 million for 116 new residency slots in primary care medicine;

$582,338 for child and adolescent psychiatry and maternal-fetal medicine fellowships at the Medical College of Georgia;

$240,000 for the start-up of a new rural OB/GYN training program;

$1 million to increase the medical school class size at the Morehouse School of Medicine.

$4 million to hospitals starting graduate medical education (GME) residency programs for one-time grants of up to $1 million for hospitals with GME programs to fund medical education training equipment and infrastructure needs to support new and expanding residency programs.

$225,000 for three feasibility grants to assist hospitals in establishing or expanding GME programs.

Department of Public Health:

$1.7 million for a pilot to provide home visiting in at-risk and underserved rural communities during pregnancy and early childhood.

$463,675 to the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia for additional staffing support;

$50,000 for the Georgia Council of Lupus Education and Awareness for research, data collection, awareness, and education.

State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP): an increase to the employer contribution per-member, per-month (PMPM) rate for certified school employees to $1,580, effective January 1, 2023.

Human Services:

$2.4 million for substance abuse recovery programs.

$9.4 million adds 500 slots to the New Options Waiver (NOW) and Comprehensive Supports Waiver Program (COMP) for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

$1.5 million for pay raises to forensic peer evaluators and mentors.

$24.5 million to support the establishment of three behavioral health crisis centers in Augusta, Dublin, and Fulton County. 250 slots were added to the Georgia Housing Voucher program to help those experiencing mental illness obtain permanent housing. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) receives $10.1 million to increase the salaries of state psychiatric hospital employees;

$650,000 for department administrative personnel.

$1.6 million to the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents across the state;

$200,000 for the Georgia Inclusive Post-secondary Education (IPSE) program to expand services;

$578,150 to support those living with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families with other services, including advocacy and referral linkage.

The court-appointed special advocates (CASA) program receives $750,000 for enhanced statewide capacity.

The Department of Human Services receives $7.1 million for services for older Georgians.

$11.1 million for staffing needed for the upcoming Medicaid redetermination due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ending.

$5 million to provide alternative housing options for youth with complex needs in the care of the Division of Family and Children Services;

$15.2 million for Child Caring Institutions to cover the loss of federal Foster Care Title IV-E funds. Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children Fund Commission receives an additional $3.4 million to assist in the rehabilitation of victims of sex trafficking.

Georgia Department of Veterans Service receives $250,000 to support the staffing at the Georgia War Veterans Home in Milledgeville.

Our House Budget & Research Office page contains all legislative reports: 40-day daily reports, key legislation, and legislation by committee: https://www.legis.ga.gov/house/budget-research-office

I will be in the district the remainder of the year, for the most part, however, should you have any questions or concerns on any matter of state government, feel free to email: [email protected] or call my capitol office at 404-463-3793. As always, thank you for allowing me to serve as your state representative.