Senate Concurrent Resolution 2 passed during the 2019 Legislation Session, to include five separate task forces. Two task forces met last week. 1) Leverage telehealth and telemendicine and 2) Increase community services and caregiver supports.
Leverage Telehealth and Telemedicine
A task force to leverage telehealth and telemedicine to the full appropriate extent. The primary focus will be on the areas of acute assessment and crisis supports along with mental health assessments and counseling.
This task force met for the second time on Tuesday, August 27.
The Task Force heard from, National Conference of State Legislatures on Telemental Health: What’s happening in Other States. SD Bureau of Information and Technology Broad Band in South Dakota and Broad Band Maps; Suggestions for Statutory Changes to Facilitate Telemental Health Services, Scott Peters, JD; Department of Education, Project Aware; Legislative Research Council, Mental Health Statewide Shortages; and Board of Examiners for Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists- Statewide LMHC and LPC.
The Task Force members are Senator Deb Soholt (R-Sioux Falls), Chair; Representative Herman Otten (R-Lennox), Vice Chair; Senator Jim Stalzer (R-Sioux Falls), Representative Linda Duba (D-Sioux Falls), Representative Tamara St. John (R-Sisseton), Brian Erickson (Sioux Falls), Amy Hartman (Sioux Falls), Rebecca Kiesow-Knudsen (Sioux Falls), Susan Kornder (Aberdeen), Dr. Melita Rank (Fort Thompson), Kelly Serr (Bison), and Tiffany Wolfgang (Sioux Falls).
Increase Community Services and Caregiver Supports
This task force met for the second time on Thursday, August 29, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. (CT) in Room 413 of the State Capitol in Pierre, South Dakota.
Task Force members will learn about HUD brochure 1, part 2, part 3, HUD Presentation, the Brookings Empowerment Project, the New Start Program, supported housing, transitional and group living, and peer-to-peer supports.
The Task Force members are Representative Tim Reed (R-Brookings), Chair; Senator Wayne Steinhauer (R-Hartford), Vice Chair; Representative Tina Mulally (R-Rapid City), Representative Carl Perry (R-Aberdeen), Senator Red Dawn Foster (D-Pine Ridge), Jesse Bailey (Yankton), Colleen Casavan (Spearfish), Wendy Giebink (Sioux Falls), Amy IversenPollreisz (Pierre), Anne Kelly (Mitchell), Brandy Rhead (Rapid City), and Pam Vanmeeteren (Yankton).
