*This report was replaced in its entirety by the Joint Commission on Health Care on July 22, 2016.
Activities
In keeping with its statutory mandate, the Joint Commission completed studies; received reports; considered comments from public and private organizations, advocates, industry representatives, citizens and other interested parties; and introduced legislation to advance the quality of health and health care services in the Commonwealth.
Joint Commission on Health Care
The full Commission met four times in 2015. These meetings were held in Senate Room A of the General Assembly Building on May 28th, June 17th, October 7th and November 4th. Meeting materials (including presentations, handouts and minutes) are posted on the website at http://jchc.virginia.gov.
Four staff reports were presented during the 2015 Joint Commission meetings:
• Allowing Certain Minors to Receive Inpatient Mental Health Treatment without Parental Consent
• Graduate Medical Education in the Commonwealth
• Resources for Unserved and Underserved Populations
• The Advisability of Establishing a Midlevel Provider License
In addition to the staff reports, members received reports and heard presentations from a number of guest presenters:
Beth A. Bortz, President and CEO with the Virginia Center for Health Innovation, presented an update on the State Innovation Models (SIM).
Dr. Qian Cai and Dr. Meredith Strohm Gunter of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service discussed incident rates in Virginia for all cancers combined and separately for lung, breast, and prostate cancers from 2001 to 2010. Projected incident rates for these types of cancers for the years 2011 through 2040 also were presented.
Michael T. Lundberg, Virginia Health Information’s Executive Director, presented VHI’s “2015 Annual Report and Strategic Plan Update."
Dr. Jack W. Barber, Interim Commissioner with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, briefed the members regarding the Hancock Geriatric Center.
Behavioral Health Care Subcommittee
The Behavioral Health Care Subcommittee met on June 17th and September 9th. Marc Leslie, Virginia Violent Reporting System Coordinator with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, discussed the numbers and rates of suicide in Virginia for 2003 through 2012. A handout on selected characteristics of suicide was provided to the members. Anya Shaffer, Suicide and Violence Prevention Coordinator with the Virginia Department of Health, described the Youth Suicide Prevention Program administered by the Department of Health and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.
Dr. Briana Mezuk, Assistant Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine’s Division of Epidemiology, presented the findings of “Suicide Risk in Long-Term Care in Virginia: 2003 – 2011" which is to be published in the “American Journal of Public Health."
Cleopatra Booker, Psy.D., Area Care Services Consultant with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, provided an update on the operation, benefits and limitations of the acute psychiatric bed registry.
Richard Bonnie, Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Institute of Law, Psychiatry and Public Policy at the University of Virginia School of Law, discussed data collected on civil commitment of adults and juveniles in Virginia.
Victoria Cochran, Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, described the evolution, structure and initial priorities of the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice.
Healthy Living/Health Services Subcommittee
The Healthy Living/Health Services Subcommittee met on September 9th and October 7th. “A Review of Certain Health-Care System Characteristics in States with and without Certificate of Need" was presented by staff at the September 9th meeting.
Robert H. Brink, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), discussed plans for the Governor’s conference on aging, operation of the Public Guardianship and Conservator Program and the Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Program.
James Rothrock, Commissioner of DARS, gave an update on the Eastern Virginia Care Transitions Partnership.
Dr. Allison Jackson, Operations Manager with Trauma Informed Care of Richmond in the Department of Social Services, described the impact of childhood trauma on health and the benefits of early screening and intervention.
Marissa Levine, State Health Commissioner, presented the report “Metrics to Reflect the Health and Well Being of the People of Virginia."
Joe Flores, Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Resources, discussed the activities of the Provider Tax Assessment Work Group.
Joe Hilbert, Director of Governmental and Regulatory Affairs at the Virginia Department of Health, gave an update on the activities and information presented to the Certificate of Public Need Work Group.
Jodi Manz, Policy Advisor with the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, provided an overview of the work and recommendations of the Governor’s Task Force on Prescription Drug and Heroin Abuse.
