Good Afternoon Everyone,

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the virtual conference last week! We hope you found the information helpful!

If you joined Pete and I's legislative session on Friday morning, you may remember we referenced some additional opportunity to provide testimony this week. On Thursday, the Senate Finance Committee will hear testimony from interested parties on the health and human services parts of HB 110 (the bill for the state budget). This includes DODD's budget.

This is one of the final few opportunities for testimony, so if you have not provided testimony and want to, now is the time!!

If you provided testimony in the Senate Health Committee, you can submit the same body of your testimony, just please make sure to address the testimony to the correct committee and chairman. If you did not submit testimony in the Senate Health Committee, I attached a template you can use.

  1.  The Senate Finance Committee will be taking public testimony on HB 110 on Thursday, May 13th beginning at 9am.
  2.  Testimony must be submitted 24 hours before a hearing. So testimony must be submitted no later than Wednesday at 9am.
  3.  Make sure to submit testimony on your agency's letterhead.
  4.  Complete the attached witness slip. I have already partially filled out the slip.  If you provided testimony in the Health Committee, this is a different witness slip.
  5.  Send a copy of your testimony and your witness slip to Sarah Totedo (sarah.totedo@ohiosenate.gov<mailto:sarah.totedo@ohiosenate.gov> ), Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Dolan, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. CC Caryl Philips (caryl.philips@ohiosenate.gov<mailto:caryl.philips@ohiosenate.gov>),  Legislative Aide to Chairman Dolan, on the email as well.
  6.  Let Christine know when you submit testimony so we can track of Member advocacy.

As always, thank you so much and please let me know if you have any questions!

Stay Healthy and have a great day,

Christine

Christine Touvelle, MLS
Director of Advocacy
Ohio Provider Resource Association
C- 513-543-4131
1152 Goodale Blvd.
Columbus, Ohio 43212
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From: Christine Touvelle
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2021 2:04 PM
To: 'opra_members@oprah.simplelists.com (opra_members@opra.simplelists.com)' <opra_members@opra.simplelists.com>
Subject: RE: FY 23/24 Testimony Opportunity
Sensitivity: Confidential

Good Afternoon Again,

I noticed a small error after I sent out the email. The operating budget is for spending in state fiscal year 22 and 23, not 23 and 24 as I included in the subject line.

I apologize for any confusion!

Christine

From: opra_members@opra.simplelists.com<mailto:opra_members@opra.simplelists.com> <opra_members@opra.simplelists.com<mailto:opra_members@opra.simplelists.com>> On Behalf Of Christine Touvelle
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2021 1:54 PM
To: 'opra_members@oprah.simplelists.com (opra_members@opra.simplelists.com<mailto:opra_members@opra.simplelists.com>)' <opra_members@opra.simplelists.com<mailto:opra_members@opra.simplelists.com>>
Subject: FY 23/24 Testimony Opportunity
Sensitivity: Confidential

Members,

As I mentioned on the call this morning, we are seeking your assistance to provide advocacy on the state operating budget. Our "asks" this budget includes increases in funding for HPC, day services, NMT, shared living, and respite services, increases in funding for the ICF program, temporary changes to how the ICF reimbursement formula will run for FY 22 and the creation of a workforce taskforce.

We are now seeking Members to provide written testimony to the Senate Health Committee. For your convenience, I have attached a template you can use for the email or the written testimony. You will see that there are places within the template where we ask you to customize the testimony to reflect the specifics of your organization and your services. It is important you add this customization before submitting the testimony. However, try not to go longer than two pages of written testimony. The template is similar to the one we sent out in the House but has been refreshed in places.

How to provide written testimony to the Senate Health Committee:

  1.  The committee will be taking public testimony on HB 110 on Thursday, May 6th beginning at 9am.
  2.  Testimony must be submitted 24 hours before a hearing. So testimony must be submitted not later than Wednesday at 9am.
  3.  You can use the attached word document as a template for your testimony.
  4.  Make sure to submit testimony on your agency's letterhead.
  5.  Fill out the attached witness slip. I have already partially filled out the slip so just fill in the remaining boxes.
  6.  Send a copy of your testimony and witness slip to Isaac Northrop (Isaac.Northrop@ohiosenate.gov<mailto:Isaac.Northrop@ohiosenate.gov>), Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Steve Huffman, Chairman of the Senate Health Committee. CC Will Ashburn (Will.Ashburn@ohiosenate.gov<mailto:Will.Ashburn@ohiosenate.gov>,  Legislative Aide to Chairman Huffman, on the email as well.
  7.  In the email, indicate that you are submitting written testimony-only for the May 6th Health Committee Hearing.
  8.  Let Christine know when you submit testimony so we can track of Member advocacy.

Thank you!

Have a restful weekend,

Christine

Christine Touvelle, MLS
Director of Advocacy
Ohio Provider Resource Association
O- 614-224-6772
1152 Goodale Blvd.
Columbus, Ohio 43212
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