The Office of Foreclosure Prevention and Financial Education and the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Program were created in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis to assist homeowners at risk of foreclosure or already navigating the foreclosure process. Originally intended as temporary programs, the need for these programs is as critical as ever for those facing the loss of their homes. The programs have proven to be important resources in preserving home ownership and educating homeowners on their rights and responsibilities in times of economic contraction and in times of economic expansion. As a result of their successes, the General Assembly has extended the programs multiple times. It is clear that the need for these programs will continue for the foreseeable future. In recognition of this reality, this Act removes the expiration dates from the programs. Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 245 makes the following substantive changes: (1) It adds a requirement that the notice of intent to foreclose include the phone number for the Delaware Attorney General’s Foreclosure Hotline and the contact information for Delaware State Housing Authority’s foreclosure prevention programs. (2) The required notice of intent to foreclose now directs homeowners to U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department Certified Housing Counselors for assistance. Like Senate Bill No. 245, Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 245 also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
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The State’s Medicaid Plan still limits the reimbursement of Medicaid-covered, school-based behavioral health services to those provided under an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), despite federal policy changes that allow for these services to be provided as a medical necessity without IEP or IFSP documentation. This bill would charge the Department of Health & Social Services to apply to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a State Plan Amendment that would allow for reimbursement of medically necessary behavioral health services without IEP or IFSP documentation. Local education agencies must use the reimbursed funds to further invest in school-based behavioral health supports. This House Substitute differs from the original HB 5 in that the deadline for application for a State Plan Amendment is extended to January 1, 2025. It also allows the Department of Education, the administrator of all reimbursements, to retain up to 5% of federal reimbursement dollars in order to defray administrative costs. Remaining funds shall be reimbursed to the local education agencies providing the services.
This Act establishes a mental health services unit for Delaware high schools. The unit is phased in over 3 years, beginning in FY2024, to arrive at a final ratio of 250 full-time equivalent students grades 9-12 for a full-time school counselor, school social worker, or licensed clinical social worker. Additionally, a unit ratio of 700 full time equivalent students for grades 9-12 for employment of a full-time school psychologist. This Act defines “mental health services” as prevention, response, and coordination services delivered to students in high schools. Mental Health disorders are the most common health problem for school aged youth. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), one in five youth are affected by a mental health disorder. Additionally, 50% of lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14. Untreated mental illness leads to negative outcomes including increased risk of dropout, homelessness, substance abuse, other chronic illnesses, incarceration, and possibly suicide. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, ninety percent of people who have taken their own life have had an underlying mental health condition, and suicides are on the rise. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicides are now the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-14. Delaware schools need trained and experienced mental health professionals to provide prevention and support programs and services to students. This bill will lower ratios of students to counselors and increase access to mental health services for high school students. Districts and charters should prioritize the hiring of school counselors who provide mental health services over those who provide career counseling. Conforming changes are also made to code sections dealing with mental health units for elementary and middle school students. This Act also creates a reimbursement program to encourage current school employees to gain certifications or professional licensure in critical need mental health areas.
This Act prohibits local education agencies and charter schools from prohibiting a student from participating in a school sponsored extracurricular activity on the basis the student has an outstanding debt for unpaid school meals.
This Act ensures that all female inmates in DDOC custody, at level IV or V, receive annual or biennial screening mammograms as recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force.
Maddy summaryHB 279 updates Delaware state law to grant school employees up to five days of bereavement leave, aligning their benefits with those already available to state employees. This change ensures that teachers and other school staff receive the same time off to handle family deaths as their counterparts in the state workforce. The legislation was passed by both the House and Senate and was signed into law by the Governor in August 2024.
This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 150. Like Senate Bill No. 150, this Act requires included facilities have sufficient staff to meet the needs of each resident and requires dementia care services training for staff. This Act differs from Senate Bill No. 150 in the following ways: (1) it removes the definition of activity services; (2) it defines direct care, secured memory care unit, and memory care services; (3) it requires that assisted living facilities providing dementia care services to residents in a secured memory care unit create a staffing plan that ensures the facility has sufficient staff to meet the scheduled, reasonably foreseeable unscheduled, and evolving needs of residents and; (4) it charges the Department of Health and Social Services with reviewing the staffing plan during each annual inspection and during any other inspection in which the Department deems it relevant; (5) it revises initial dementia care services training requirement by limiting the requirement to individuals that provide care in a secured memory care unit of an assisted living facility, creating separate training requirements, both in terms of duration and content, for individuals that provide direct care and non-direct care to residents receiving dementia care services in secured memory care units of assisted living facilities; (6) it revises the annual dementia care services training requirement to mirror initial dementia services training requirements; (7) it establishes dementia care services training requirements for individuals employed by temporary staffing agencies; (8) it gives the Department of Health and Social Services the discretion to accept other required dementia care services training to satisfy the dementia care services training requirements; (9) it details the transferability of training between facilities and temporary staffing agencies; and (10) it narrows the scope from all long-term care facilities to only assisted living facilities.
This bill modifies the Delaware Commission of Veterans’ Affairs employee requirements to make the Executive Director an exempt position, and to allow the hiring of non-veteran employees when needed. This will positively impact veteran families by reducing the wait for interment in state veterans’ cemeteries. These changes also make technical corrections and clarify the commission’s authority to accredit claims representatives to support veterans in accessing their earned benefits.
This Act establishes the Delaware Agricultural Production Assistance Program. The Program will provide a subsidy of up to 30% of the premium for eligible producers’ multi-peril crop insurance premium, or whole farm revenue protection premium up to a maximum of $10.00 per acre. The subsidy would be directly paid by the Delaware Department of Agriculture to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation on behalf of Delaware eligible producers. The Department would administer the Program. The Act requires the Department to provide an annual Report to the Chairs of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.
This Act moves the Office of Medical Marijuana, which is currently under the Department of Health and Social Services to the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner within the Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Under this Act, the Marijuana Commissioner, rather than DHSS, will be responsible for administering the Delaware Medical Marijuana Act, which includes the following tasks: (1) Registration and certification of safety compliance facilities and compassion centers; (2) Issuance of registry identification cards; (3) Registration of qualifying patients and designated caregivers; and (4) Updating rules and regulations under the Delaware Medical Marijuana Act.