 So, good morning, everyone. This is the House Health Care Committee. It's Wednesday, March 10th. It's just a minute or two after 8.30 in the morning. And this morning, we are continuing to hear testimony on House Bill 210, our Health Equity Bill, to address issues of health disparities. And before we get going, let me remind everyone that our goal this morning is to hear from our witnesses. Questions for our witnesses are appropriate as clarifying questions and not to question the testimony of our witnesses. So I will keep an eye on that. But we are very fortunate to have a number of folks who have agreed to someone very short notice to join us this morning, particularly to help us understand issues of health disparities within the native Indigenous communities of Vermont and elsewhere for folks who are living in Vermont. But also to give us some feedback on the provisions in the bill, House Bill 210. I would say at this point we've had some discussion about modifying our approach based on testimony we've already heard. We're going to hear further testimony later this morning for some further feedback on how to move forward. And I will be working with a group of, I will be working to try to create a new draft that can be shared with the committee as soon as possible, given the timeframe we have. But with that, I would like to particularly welcome Judy Dow. Judy, thank you for joining us this morning. I'm going to welcome you and ask you as part of your comments to our committee to introduce yourself further. And we're pleased that you were able to join us this morning. So let me turn the turn the committee attention over to you, Judy. Thank you. So introducing myself, I guess, thank you first for inviting me to give input. And you've brought up some interesting issues that I'd like to address. I've, I actually lived in Chittenden County for my entire life. I was born in the 15 generations of my family had lived scattered throughout Burlington, Essex, and Williston. And my family was the last family to live and farm at the Ethan Allen homestead. I am currently the executive director of Gadokina. Gadokina is a native organization that funds and cares for indigenous women and their families to help determine a good path in life. And I have a lot of things to say, so I've written them down. I hope you don't mind that I'm going to read them to you. That's fine. It might also be, we would welcome you sharing your written, your written comments as well if you feel like you can do that later. Okay, thank you. I think that cultural humility is so important for medical doctors and others like legislators to learn, but increasing the hours from 10 to 12 hours to include two hours of cultural competency training is by far not sufficient. One can hear about cultural competency and think they know it all, but until they develop cultural humility, they really don't know anything. The Institute of Health defines cultural humility as a lifelong process of self reflection and self critique, whereby the individual not only learns about another's culture. But one starts with an examination of her or his own beliefs and cultural identities to ask them to get two hours of competency training every two years to renew their license is little to nothing. I would suggest additional hours and training. However, this I'm sure you already know, and I hope you are using it that to get a foot in the door. There needs to be more time spent on this training, not only for medical people but for legislators as well. This proposal, like many others in this state. Presume the four recognized tribes are the only indigenous people in the state. This is not true. The Native American Commission essentially the four tribes with some non indigenous and a few western indigenous people, weaving in and out of their commission, the commission throughout their terms. When the new public health equity bill commission is formed, it must equally include indigenous people not represented by the recognized tribe of which there are many to not include them would be perpetuating the historical trauma already caused by this state for generations now. Additionally, native people such as Gadakina have been working to deal with the needs of indigenous people during this pandemic and other times of pandemics. Last year we received $350,000 for COVID rapid response funding to be used for March 20 to March 2021 to be used for March 2020 to March 2021. From various foundations, these funds have all been dispersed to assist indigenous people throughout England, including Vermont. Our COVID-19 funding was used to respond to the many inequities encountered by indigenous people and were given to cover over 900 people in over 100 families. In addition, we assisted 110 others. We are currently writing additional grants to assist these families for another year. We would be happy to share the data we collected in this past year with you. It appears you are lacking in data statistics around Native American people. We are providing aid to the families we work with for food, medicines, heat, rent, computers and Wi-Fi for children to attend school in remote areas, winter clothing and so much more. We provided funding for childcare for single mothers working low paying essential jobs and walking sometimes as much as five miles a day to work and back again. We provided funding to elders in their 90s whose home became infested with rats because they live next door to an unlicensed junkyard. These are just a few of the things the funding went to cover. We have also worked to build capacity within these families and communities to enable them to self-determine a path to better health. For instance, we provided each family with $50 to start a backyard garden and we gifted each child 91 of them with a fishing pole to learn to fish. This allowed many children to provide fresh fish and vegetables for their family during the pandemic. We also remotely shared our lessons on traditional ecological knowledge making movies to teach these families how to sustainably harvest. We created healthy events such as sacred runs to promote healthy exercise and pride in our families at times when depression was so prevalent. Additionally, we have created videos to teach our families about preservation of food, dehydration, canning and freezing and in many cases purchased the canning jars and dehydrators needed to preserve their food. Diabetes rates are going sky high in these troubling times. It is a known fact that for Native American people it's not a matter of if they will become a diabetic but rather when they will become a diabetic. Native Americans do not have the enzymes to digest raw sugar. This is also true for those natives that suffer from lactose intolerance and alcoholism as well. The enzymes are just not there to help natives properly process raw sugar, milk and alcohol. Gadokanat is aware of this. We have programs that address these issues with our families. We work over five acres of garden to produce fresh vegetables for our people. Families sign up to work the gardens, receiving healthy exercise, good food and while following socially distancing guidelines. We also have circle gatherings where women attend meetings to work on cultural projects such as beating, drum making and making the regalia. And for those that need to be part of a sober and drug free environment while working on NA and AA 12 step programs. It has been stated by the American Medical Association that the impacts of COVID-19 have been traumatic on Native communities. In many places the data is not collected. And if it is collected, it's not made public. The higher the disparities in chronic disease, the more vulnerable people are to COVID-19. The Center on Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. has reported that American Indians and Alaskan natives are 3.5 times as likely to get COVID-19 as non-Hispanic whites and four times as likely to be hospitalized. We know this. We have seen this over and over again. And we work to put a stop to this cycle. Emotional stability is also important to us. For the past year, we have given our nine staff all the assistance they need to maintain their salaries, even though their hours were reduced due to lockdowns and lack of social gatherings. We have adapted. We have been thinking outside of the box and we provide them with whatever they need to reach the families and the communities they work in. In addition, we have two staff meetings weekly to provide time for problem-solving issues that have arisen due to COVID-19 inequities. We work diligently to support our families and help them to find a balance in an unbalanced world. I'm explaining all of this to you so that you understand the needs of Native people are different than those of other BIPOC groups. And since there is little to no data available, your bill needs to reflect these differences. The health system in Vermont historically have not protected us. A system of care that should have protected our well-being have instead betrayed us. And it is not easy to find our trust back into a system that contains a perpetual acts of racism. I've learned this lesson loud and clear coming from the largest family targeted in the Vermont eugenics records. This bill as if it is written will contribute to the historical trauma that you are trying to heal. It will totally erase disposes and invisibilizes many people not recognized by the state of Vermont. I recommend that this bill include a broader membership and should actively include Native Americans not part of the four recognized tribe to protect the full interest of all the indigenous people in the state. Thank you for your time. I greatly appreciate your sharing with us. Both information that we need to have as well as your recommendations. Thank you. I'm going to see if there are questions from knowing that you you have a time commitment this morning. I appreciate you made yourself available this early. I'm going to see if there are questions from other committee members before you have to make your other commitment. Thank you representative representative Tina. Thank you Judy for coming today and fitting us in your busy schedule. Thank you. Thank you for the suggestion of adding some representation from from indigenous people who are not part of the recognized tribes or been a key people who are not part of recognized tribes. Is there a specific way you might recommend we do that likes organizations we might ask to appoint people like how would how would who would appoint those those folks because the way the bill structured now the commission has one appointment and each tribe has an appointment. I think the initial Justice Alliance worked on the bill. We chose that approach, because it was a starting point, knowing like we could do better but how might we you know how might we add some seats you have any thoughts about who we would ask or who would make the appointments. I don't you the state of Vermont has chosen to take the four tribes who formed an alliance early on to reckon to be allowed to recognize themselves and others have tried and failed. I'm not sure how exactly how organizations would be indeed be one way to recognize but there are our communities of indigenous people that have lived together for centuries. And they should have the opportunity to be included in these these bills that you're passing. And it's very exclusive to not include them. And so I don't know. Other than asking for people to identify themselves, which in many times is the very people who did not want to identify themselves to be accepted by the commission, the current commission. People have chose not to be recognized for many reasons. It could be that they don't feel they don't need they know who they are they don't need to be recognized by the government. It could be in the case of the Winooski people where I live. It's these people were put on list. They were the five main families that were targeted by the eugenics survey, and they believe putting their names on list. Once again, we'll make them target. And so there's a lot of fear out there and those fears need to be addressed. And so how you reach out to them. My only guess is, is that medical people know this in many cases, because these people see their doctors, their doctors know who they are their doctors know that they're suffering from diseases and ailments. Those from Native American people. Thank you for answering that I have some ideas but I don't know if I'm going to share them now because we, you know, but maybe we could vet any of those ideas by you and other witnesses through email or phone if that's okay. I'd be happy to read. Thank you. And again, we would welcome being able to reach out to you as we move forward with revisions to the bill based on your suggestions and suggestions from others. So thank you for that. I see represent Goldman has a question. Yes, and thank you for coming this morning. You mentioned that medical providers may know who some of these people are. Would you be willing to share, not not with giving away privacy or anything at least the names of medical providers who might be contacts. For us to try and find some people that might be that might consider participating. Can I interrupt was pardon me Judy can I interrupt and just say that I'm going to ask that you not. We not asked to have any even medical providers identified. Morning. Yeah, no I'm not asking you to say the names by by far but yeah would you be willing to work with Brian represent China or some people involved in the commission to help identify that was sorry my question was unclear. Just want to make sure. Yeah yeah totally. My personal doctor for 35 years just retired. She's to channel from Puerto Rico. And she contacted me recently to see if she could help get that cannot in any way. And I think she would be an excellent resource. She has worked within the sx community for decades and has also taught at the uvm medical school for decades. And I think that she would be an excellent resource and I'd be happy to give you contact information. Thank you. And could I ask, Judy, if there is a, I'm sure that not everyone on this. Not every one of us is as fully familiar with Godakina. And is there is there a way for members to access more information about the organization that you've told us so much about. In addition to being in touch with you directly are there is there another. Is there another contact or place where we could find information to follow it. Yes, good that cannot.org. It's G E D a K I N a. Godakina means our world, our worldview. And we have posted there some of the videos I talked about the training videos we've been doing during COVID to help our families. Not all of them are up there because people wanted to remain private. But we even created videos on how to catch night crawlers for fishing for the kids. So we did a lot of thinking outside of the box and some of the families actually fished daily for their food. The kids and the families had this really amazing connection as they went each day to fish for the food. Thank you. And I'll just note that on our current agenda. Godakina is listed by name and spelled I pleased to say correctly. So thank you so if we had.org, we would be able to actually find the website as well. Is that correct. Correct. It's a 20 year old organization. It was started in Norwich, Vermont. And it's still continues today. Great terrific represent Peterson I see you have your hand up. Yes, thank you. I was just wondering if the folks who serve and the folks in your group. Do you access the the state's health care system. I mean, are they in the system in some way or. No, I have been told by several organizations when I've applied by funding that they're only allowed to give funding to the four recognized tribes. I get no funding from the state currently I have an application in with Vermont humanities. And that's, that's it. I think I bring the question wrong. What I meant is, if folks get sick in your group, do they access doctors health care providers, the health care system in Vermont that's what I was getting at. I just wondered if, in some cases, yes. In some cases, no, because they don't all have insurance. So there's a swapping of traditional ecological knowledge that often occurs over emails around medicines plants that will assist them with colds and things like that. Okay, so you try to do it in a holistic way rather than rather than access health care. Well, that's because we can't control whether they have insurance or not, whether they can afford to go to a doctor or not. During COVID we have provided families with medical assistance to go to their own doctor. Okay, and have people reached out to the access groups in Vermont to find out if, if they can in fact get insurance or get care of some kind. I believe so. I've talked to a couple of families in Vermont about different avenues they might pursue as an individual not necessarily as a Native American. Right. Okay, thank you. I realize your time is getting tight. I'm wondering if, well, I see Representative Black has a question. Let's turn to her. This is a really quick question. Thank you so much for being here. I was wondering if the Vermont Department of Health had reached out or if you've been in contact with them regarding immunizations and utilizing your organization to identify people at higher risk who might require immunization? No, they've not been in contact with me and I've only been in contact with them to get my shot, which is this afternoon. The issue that I repeatedly receive or the concerns I repeatedly receive is that if we are not part of the four recognized tribes, we don't get assistance. Okay, thank you. And if, Judy, again, I know you need to go, is can you say something? I heard you say earlier, which one of the issues is the continuing mistrust of the state and end of healthcare providers, perhaps even in particular. Can you say some, can you say more about how that becomes a barrier for some of the needs that you work with in terms of accessing the healthcare system in Vermont? It's an immediate barrier for those who were severely targeted by the Vermont Eugenics Survey because their fears of getting recognized and fears of self-identifying as indigenous. But it's not only that period of time when President Johnson was in office from, I think, 63 to 69. He gave millions of dollars out for anyone who looked full-blooded to be sterilized. And so people are aware that people are fearful of that. And there's the Mount Sinai ruling, which continued well into the 80s, where the Medical Center Hospital determined, if they chose a number, say it was 135, each hospital was different. And they would decide if you had three children went into the hospital for your fourth child, they would take four children times your age, and if it came over 135, you left without a uterus. So in 1980, in Burlington, that happened to my sister. When we married, I came from a family of five girls, when we married, we quickly took our husband's names to protect ourselves. But in my sister's case, she took her husband's name and her husband was also in the Eugenics project. So there's a continued fear all the time. So amongst the people that I work with, many of them have home deliveries. I personally have helped to deliver my grandchildren because my daughter did not want to go to the hospital. So there's a lot of issues that stems from fears that it never stops, it never stops. And so you constantly have to hide and you constantly have to deny your heritage. Thank you. I can only imagine that it's painful to have to recount these issues publicly over and over, but important for us to know. And I know that you've just barely touched on the long, long history that has led to the fears that you've identified. But at this point, is there any final comment that you would like to make? I do realize that you have a commitment and need to leave. But if you have any final comment, I would welcome it and then thank you for being with us. Well, I appreciate the opportunity to speak. I thank you because the untold story of these people is seldom heard. My father had always said to me, I can't believe people pay you to talk, I'd pay you to shut up. And the reason, the reason he would say that to me is because he was fearful of what I was going to say and how I impact others. So he's passed now and I think of that every time I speak out. Well, let me say as the chair of the House Healthcare Committee, I appreciate your willingness and courage to speak out and know that it is being heard and has an impact as we think about how to move forward on this important bill. Thank you. Thank you for being with us this morning and again our deep gratitude for your willingness to be here. Thank you. Good luck with the process. Yes. Well, thank you. Thank you, Judy. We appreciate that. Thank you so much. Okay. We are going to continue in hearing from witnesses from the native community and I'm pleased to be able to welcome this Chief Dunn Stevens from the Nolhagen Band of the Kusaka Naki Nation. Don, welcome to the House Healthcare Committee. Let me welcome you as the chair of the House Healthcare Committee and I realize and acknowledge that you are making time in your, in your busy schedule of other work that you have in the world. But this is important work I know to you. And so, thank you for joining us this morning. And with that, again, I welcome you to do further introduction of yourself. Thank you for joining us. Can you, can you hear me all right. I believe we can. Yes. Yes, and I would appreciate as well if questions could be asked afterwards because I have to also get back to work when I'm done. I want to thank you for inviting me here to testify. I'm not going to go into too much. I'm Don Stevens, Chief of the Nolhagen people. I have a Naki tribe. Most people know me. I've been around the state house a few times. People are pretty aware that my family was caught up in the eugenics survey as one of the primary targets. So, I mean, we all know about the fear of native people around medical professionals. But I want to talk to you in a different light. I agree with Judy that resources are are important. I mean, I wish we had $350,000. You know, I was able to get $117,000 from the state of Vermont in the last two weeks of December to purchase some food cards for our citizens because they had to use the money or lose it. We were an afterthought more than we were beginning thought. And I'm trying to work with the state now on COVID situations as you know, the governor and Mark Levine has stated that BIPOC people are kind of that 9% when it comes to getting vaccines where other have gotten about 20%. And I'm trying to find ways to reach out to our people to find out what the problem is. Right. As most people know, I maybe they don't know but I was in the first trials of the AstraZeneca vaccines because I wanted to make sure to be an example to our people and we have other people here that also wanted to make sure to try to lead the way now to say it's okay to be working with medical professionals. It's okay to work with the state of Vermont. We're in a different era now than our ancestors and we need to move forward if we want to be able to protect our people. So I just I just want to say that my relationship with the state is a partnership one. And I look forward to those partnerships. The problem that we see from health care is, I'll give you an example my son would have turned 35 two days ago. He died from an overdose from mental health issues. My daughter who was went to the hospital at one point for a broken leg and also from mental health issues. The problem lies in that if there are no health care, you go to the emergency room. They don't have the health care, so there's no negotiation. They walk out of the emergency room with a $20,000 bill, which follows them throughout their life, which hinders them from being able to have good credit what hinders them from buying a house able to get access to vehicles. So, and that's not just native people. That's people who cannot afford health care. I mean if they're lucky enough to get Medicaid or Medicare, they they're at least able to offset those bills. There are many people who are caught in between and don't have that affordable health care because nobody can afford $800 a month for Cobra. So, they, they don't go to the hospital until it's absolutely necessary a life and death situation, and then they end up with thousands of dollars of bills. And then like I said that that that keeps them in poverty forever because they can't afford it. They're not even able to access Indian health care services like federal tribes do. So we don't have that option. What I'm hoping with this bill is potentially finding a way to create affordable health care for our people, either help them find ways to either get them into the system where they can be covered, but ultimately helps the medical centers who have to absorb some of this money that are not being paid and other rate payers. It also provides healthy access or access to medical care. Do our people use traditional medicines and plants yes, but they also have to access health care. We are I when I was part of the Vermont health assessment that was done. I showed that we had a significant amount of health disparities along the lines of diabetes, heart disease, mental health issues. And I was part of the health improvement plan to try to address those things. I'm not sure where that ever went. I know the state of Vermont was trying to recognize those disparities and trying to help provide avenues for people to to get the help they need. And I bring up those cases about my kids, which is very personal, because I lost one of them, and I almost lost the second one. And this health care is very important to me and there's nothing I could do as an, because they were adults to help them, because I couldn't cover them under my health care. And they didn't have access to their own. And I, and I, I don't say these things likely from a personal standpoint. I mean, I'm, I'm just telling you from my heart that we have health disparities. We don't. There's no secret. I mean, there's statistics out here that show that we're, we have health disparities that we don't have the access, but they compound. You know, people who don't have dental care, their teeth are rotting in their head, which causes infection in their mouth, which causes problems with their body. We have no access to health care, even people in Medicaid, what you know they'll pull the teeth when they can but there's nothing to prevent them from getting rotten and sick. A lot of my people are from Northeast Kingdom, they have hard time getting access to care, whether it be transportation, whether there be health clinics around that will actually even accept them. People don't want to accept our people without insurance, you walk into a business. That's a for profit company and say I want help. And they say give me insurance card and you say I don't have one. Yeah, okay, you know how that goes. Okay, because the first thing they do is ask you what your insurance they do a health screening before you even have an appointment, and then it's getting to those appointments. So I'm just trying to say that this is a bigger issue. And I also want to address about the state tribes I don't want to get into all that mass but the Commission on Native American Affairs was set up to support people who were recognized from non recognized people. I mean if you look at the charge of the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs, one of the charges is health care, social and economic so there is an avenue. You don't have to reinvent the wheel there is an avenue for the to be able to get information from non recognized tribal people. This problem from the Commission standpoint it's as unfunded. You can't work on health care issues you can't work on social economic issues. You can't work on anything when all you get is maybe gas money. Right. So I think the state of Vermont really has to invest in the tribes but also the Commission and and and we have no full time representation. I'm speaking to you today from work. We have nobody in full time positions that can do this testimony can work on health issues can work on social issues can work being a resource to everyone. We've been trying for years there's a lot of people that are are part of other disadvantaged communities who have that national backing. So that can provide lobbyists and can provide full time positions to be able to work with you. That's not a bad thing. I'm glad they have that. I'm just saying the native community has no one representing us on a full time basis and that's why we struggle and you see the same people on 20 boards because I almost feel it's like the legislators because you know if you either have to be independently wealthy on your own business or not working in order to be a legislator because no employer is going to give you four months off to be able to go and serve a very rare that an employer says I don't need you for four months go ahead and serve the state of Vermont. So, I'm saying is that we don't even in our position, our employers aren't saying go ahead and spend all kinds of time doing something different than what I'm paying you for, right. So, I think in order to change the dynamics of healthcare and change the dynamics of our social economic status is that you have to invest in allowing those voices to be heard and to be able to be a legislator. One of the issues that I've talked to people before you create all kinds of bills with all kinds of boards, but they're all voluntary boards to advise to look at things and people work. It's hard for us to sit on all these boards and panels that are created like with all these bills. If you have your employer say it's okay spend the time to do it. Right. So, I just want you to be aware that when you're creating these things there needs to be more full time funds to be able to have people in those positions to really do a good job. The reality is as big we already talked about the fear. There is a cultural understanding that needs to happen because there are a lot of people who do holistic medical care, which is part of our culture, but you still need access to health care because it's going to take a long time. I mean, we're not there are people when they when there's life and death situations are really sick they're going to go to the doctor, they're going to go to the emergency room, but if they don't have that insurance they're going to eat, they're going to be walking out of there with a $30,000 bill that they can afford. So, anyway, diabetes is huge. So these things PTSD help just just mental health status, especially through this COVID situation we have elders locked up in their house that are alone and they can't handle the method that I mean they're coming work. We're community people. We need, we need human contact. And part of my job as chief is to make sure to address those things with all of our people and try to help them we have a food security program that tries to give nutritious foods to help change some of the health disparities but it's all non funded from the community and it's all volunteer. So, I'm going to stop and I would rather you ask me questions and they just tell you things that probably you already know. But I do support this. I do support anything that you can do to improve our health care situation, including this bill. Thank you, Don. Let me open it up to further questions and I recognize that you, again, are taking time away from your otherwise paid employment to join us here this morning so we'll be respectful of your time. Representative China. Thanks. Thanks chief for making time in the middle of your busy work day to come in. I appreciate, you know that the sacrifice people make when they have to leave work to come here. It sounded like you were, it sounded like you were saying that there's more we could be doing than this bill that this bill is a good step but that there's more we could be doing to address health equity and it sounded like you were speaking to this piece around around like the financial barrier for people accessing the allopathic health care system or the you know the Western health care system. Do you think it would it would that it would help help equity if there was like I'm trying to say this in a way that's not so dramatic but like you like if there was a universal health care system or something like that like if if health care was just provided without this barrier of insurance like you feel like there's some work we should be doing there in addition to this bill. Of course, I mean, that's the whole point I mean it's, it's not just related to to native people, right, there are a lot more people other than native people that have health disparities, including the black and brown community, you know, Asian, you know, a whole bunch of people who need access to health care. So whether it be a universal health care, or someone being able to cover us under a state plan, or extending Medicaid to to our to those people most vulnerable, or even finding a way to help offset premiums. So they can afford maybe the cat amount health or whatever the programs are. I think anything you can do to allow people to be able to go to the hospital and get prescriptions and be able to get health care without coming out with hundreds of thousands dollars worth of bills right. I mean we all know that if you go into the hospital and have a heart attack and you don't have insurance, you might as well just not even dream anymore about having a house or dream about being able, because that debt is going to be paid for the rest of your life. And, and you won't. And if you don't pay it, you have no credit. So you can you are staying you stay in power, because there's no way out of it. And most people who have good jobs who can afford insurance, right, don't have that same issue. So I don't know if it's as well as native people are afraid of health care. I think there's a piece of that. But I think the majority is because we're already economically depressed, and we don't have funds to be able to pay for, do you want food, or do you want to pay for $200 or 250 $100 a week for for health care. I mean you're going to eat first, right. And then you take your chances, right, just, you know, whether or not you get sick but as soon as you get sick. You know that you will never have credit again, because nobody's going to write that off completely. There is bad payments going to hound you just like educational bills will hound you for the rest of your life if you can't afford them, and you'll never have credit, and you'll never have anything so it's compounding the disparities already, because you're already disparaged, but then when you add this on top of it. It just keeps you down. It keeps you there. So anything the state could do to cover us under a state plan, you know cover us under some other program that the state could afford that would help. I think it would save in the long run from all these. I mean you've been lost $21 million. How much of that is non payment of of funds that they have to write off every year I don't know. But I'm just saying it's something to look at. Right. And that. Anyway, it's just my thoughts is, I think, if you had health care in some form or fashion that would definitely help take people out of. It gives them a chance to be healthy and to survive and be put on maintenance preventative things instead of waiting until a crisis. Thank you. I think your point is well taken that one of the largest health disparities in Vermont is between those who have access to health care through insurance and those who do not. Well, I also think too is that if my children had access to prescription drugs that would have helped them with their mental health issue. Maybe one of them wouldn't be dead today. Yes. You know, I'm just saying that it's hard bearing a child. Yes. And it was all medical related. And you know bill by working in mental health, behavioral health and myself being at a mental health area that that's very prevalent. And yeah. Yeah. Let me again just acknowledge how, how painful it must it is to share these very personal stories or this today. It needs to be said, it's the truth and needs to come out. I mean what you guys do are important it's not just whether you do a rate hike or you do something else this is sometimes life and death situations. You're dealing with real world problems and real world world people. I mean not that rate hikes are good or bad but I'm saying is you're dealing with the lives of people that make a difference. I mean you made a difference in our lives already look at how far the native people have come from the time that we've struggled all the way up to now. You guys do very important work. You know I just want you to understand the other side of it that what you do makes difference. What you do and how you make things happen for disadvantaged people or even people in general is it affects lives, which is a good thing. Right, so that's why I'm here testifying and telling you these personal stories. Anyway, I can be long winded so I apologize ahead of time. I appreciate I deeply appreciate your sharing. And I guess I, I'm going to take the liberty to say that my calling you don rather than chief comes from the fact that we had established connection through our families. Some years ago. So, I mean no disrespect by not referring to us chief. I refer to all of you that's just a title. I mean that means I'm done. I'm, I'm that's just something that is a part of what I do and it's an elected position just like somebody calling you representative. I mean, it's not, it doesn't define who you are. So that's why I refer to you as bill or I refer to others. And, you know, I don't, I don't care about titles. I don't care about what that I mean I do it because it represents our people. And it's something I do so never feel offended I'm done. I that's what I was given my birth name and that's where I'll always be so I just don't worry about titles. Thank you. In the world is the small world of Vermont. Don and I, having met through my partner and my interest in making connections to the Abnaki people of Vermont, then later discovered that we both had worked for the same mental health that you work for and a place where I used to work. We happen to have that serendipitous connection, just by chance. I'm at this point, I don't see any other hands right now but Don, thank you. I'm going to again appreciate your willingness to share such difficult personal stories I know it's important to you to share them and I And we're going to look to hear from further witnesses. So thank you for joining us Don. Well thank you for allowing us to have a voice and this important topic, you know, and for those, especially of my citizens who can't speak on their own behalf. You know, it gives us an avenue to at least express to you the situation of our people and our partnership with the state. So I hope to continue that partnership. I hope to continue to work with you to uplift everyone. So, I just want to say thank you, Adio. Thank you very much. So, with that, I'm going to turn to welcome Beverly Little Thunder, who is with us. We have not met in person previously, but I'm pleased to welcome you to the House Health Care Committee as the chair of this committee. And again, appreciate you making the time to share with us your thoughts and your experiences and those of those who are close to you as part of the native communities of Vermont. So I welcome you to give us more of an introduction of yourself. So I'm going to turn it over to you. Welcome. Thank you. Thank you. Can you hear me? Yes, we can. Okay, thank you. Well, my name is Beverly Little Thunder and I am from the Standing Rock, Lakota band in North Dakota. Obviously not a tribe from Vermont. However, I have lived here for the last 17 years. And it is my hope that when I make a journey into the spirit world that I am buried here in Vermont. This is my home. And it is land that I have come to love very, very much. Part of that responsibility is being concerned with what is happening for all Indigenous people in the state. And as a part of the Native American Commission on Native American Affairs, I work with the rest of the board to see that things are implemented that will benefit all Indigenous people. And we talk about health disparities. We talk about financial assistance for those who are not of the wealthier echelon. Most Native people that I have encountered in the state do not have that extra $50 to even pay for a copay to go to the emergency room. They don't have that extra $20 to pay for a copay four times a month to go and have physical therapy to help heal something that physical therapy could heal rather than undergoing surgery. And the fear of debt. Well, that's real. That is very real. Because if you have debt from medical bills hanging over, sometimes that's going to prevent you from even renting a place to live. It's going to affect your housing. Mental health care. You cannot go to someone of your choosing. You cannot go to counseling to receive mental health assistance. If you don't have insurance and the copay. The two go hand in hand so even if you are among the few who can afford to pay the outrageous amounts that you need to pay each month to ensure that you have some health coverage. If you don't have the money to afford those copays. It's a matter of, do I get health care, or do I feed my family. Do I pay for my housing. All of those are all intertwined dental care. We look at dental care as something. That is, meaning pulling your teeth out. That is not a good service in other states does not have a solid plan for addressing dental care. In most cases when you go to a dentist here in Vermont and you have a bad tooth. If you cannot afford the root canal you can afford the crown you can afford the thousands and thousands of dollars to replace that tooth. As an elder as a 74 year old woman. I have great difficulty in chewing. I have begun losing weight. Because I have lost so many teeth, and I cannot afford to go and have dentures I cannot afford to go and have partials I cannot afford to have implants. And so that affects my diabetes that affects my high blood pressure that affects all of my, my health care. Because most people don't realize that dental care is a part of the overall health of people. We have a lot of elders who are malnourished. We see them every day, but it's not something that they're going to talk about. And so it's important when we're looking at health disparities that we consider that. And in Vermont. Everyone knows about the Abenaki people. Everyone knows that there are four bands that are recognized. But most people don't realize that there are a large number of non Abenaki people who also live in the state, who are also struggling to make ends meet to provide health care for their families. There are a large number of Abenaki people who are not part of those bands that are recognized. And they to their voices need to be heard. You know, I agree that with dawn that creating boards and commissions are important. But they're impractical. They're impractical because if you don't give them the funds to be able to do the work that they're charged with doing, then they're not able to be effective. In our health disparities, we also have a large number of LBGT. People and trans people who struggle to find adequate health care for their needs. And they too need to be a part of this conversation. They need to be heard the voices need to be heard. There are many, many midwives in Vermont. Not many of them are indigenous. The indigenous midwives that there are are lay midwives who don't get paid for their services they might get a grocery card from the person that they've helped catch the baby. They are not a part of a association of midwives that provide services, and they can't go to some of these people because they don't have the money to do so. So, you know, it's a ongoing, and I'm sure that you're tired of hearing now that money. It's the big divider. There are those that have and those that have not. And among BIPOC people, and Native people, there just is not the funding or the consideration, given to them with their health needs. And this affects not just the people that are alive today it affects the people who are yet to come. You know I heard Don talk about his son. I too am a mother who lost a child, not in the state, but in another state to suicide. Because of lack of access to adequate mental health counseling and care. And so it's not just in the state but here in Vermont. I have come to expect better. I have moved to Vermont because I felt that there were people here who were progressive enough to see the big picture. We're setting an example for the rest of the country who cared about the people who lived in the state enough to take into consideration all aspects of the people who live here and their lives. And as you're considering this bill and going through and looking at it. I would ask that you consider everyone in this state. Even those who are not recognized our home, do not walk in the street saying, I am an indigenous person. And when we talk about indigenous people let us not forget the migrant workers who are here. We did not put up that border. This country that put up that border. And those people that come here are just as indigenous as I am. And I think that it's something that we don't often give a lot of thought to that they too need medical care. They have children and those children need medical care and oftentimes don't get it. And it's because of fear. There has to be a way we can provide medical care for them without asking, do you have a green card. Yes, I know it. There's are those people who would say well we're not responsible for them they should stay in their own country. They need to open their hearts and open their minds, open their eyes. Because these are people who keep this, the state moving our agricultural system would fall if we did not have people who wanted to come and do the work. And we owe it to them to provide medical care for them and for their children. So I agree with everything that Judy has said everything that Don has said. It's, it's crucial. We really look at the health disparities that are before us. It's crucial that we craft a bill. That's going to be inclusive. And that's going to take all things into consideration. And I probably will lose a lot of people when I say maybe the higher ups should take cut in their pay, if we need money. Maybe some of those paychecks could be trimmed down a little bit so there's more money for those people who need health care. Because if you have healthy citizens in the state. You're going to have a healthy economy, and you're going to have a thriving state, rather than having that divided state between those that have and those that have not. So thank you. Thank you for listening to the rants of this, this old woman who has, I have traveled all over the United States and lived in many native communities. And this is a community that is now my home. And I take that responsibility very, very seriously. Thank you. I want to thank you for again making yourself available to us on really short notice, making the time available out of your day, which is filled with other important work as well. And sharing your experience about making Vermont your home. Thank you for making Vermont your home. It's good to have you here in Vermont as numbers of us have made Vermont our home. We have come to Vermont and made it home together. Again, I'd like to again respect your time but also open it up to see if there are questions from committee members for you this morning. We're going to pause while people think about representative Cortis. I don't have a question I just want to thank you grandmother. Yes. Thank you. Thank you representative Cortis for acknowledging the presence of an elder with us. Thank you. I don't see any particular questions at this point, Beverly. Again, I deeply appreciate you're making the time for us this morning and look forward to being able to stay in touch as we move forward together on this. Hopefully a bill that we can move forward and can make a difference. Thank you very much for taking the time to hear me. And thank you for taking the time to work on this. Apologies I see representative China does have a hand up and represent China. If you if you can take a minute more, Beverly. Yes, I can. Okay, thank you. Thanks for making time out of your busy schedule to join us today. I feel like I need to ask you a really difficult question and put you on the spot. I'm just kidding. So, a question I have for you is you mentioned how things you there was a theme in your testimony about how we underfund our priorities like we ask people to do work and then we don't fund it and a piece of this bill. It talks about this commission being given the powers and duties to look at how to expand grants to the two communities who are facing health disparities and in the bill identifies BIPOC LGBTQ plus and people with disabilities. And I'm curious if you have any thoughts about how, you know, if we were going to give grants out what might some of that those investments look like based on your experience in the state like are you aware of any efforts out there being in the process of doing this work or you have any thoughts about what are some of those gaps we might fill or fund better. I think that one of the big gaps that I see is in those communities is sometimes difficult to navigate applying for these grants. They're sometimes written so confusing that those communities that need them the most don't apply for them, are they apply for them, and they're not written in the way that the grant tour wants to hear. And especially in the indigenous communities. We are not traditionally a hierarchical group of people. And so a lot of the grants are written in a hierarchical manner. And the questions that they asked. There's a lot of difficulty in responding to those questions, because they're so out of context with what we know culturally. And so providing in addition to access to those grants, providing assistance in navigating those grants, providing some sort of resources that people can go to to help write a grant, learn how to, what do you want to see in a budget. All of all of those little nuances. It's easy to say yes we're going to write a bill that's going to create access to grants. Good we've done something good we we've created a bill and it says that now BIPOC people will have access to these. And that's where it ends that has to be carried through all the way through. And I think that, you know, our, our success lies with our youth. It lies with our young people. And those are the people that we need to start educating to know how to sit in the places that you're sitting Brian to sit on committees like you're all sitting on. Yes I'm an elder I'm not a spring chicken. So I'm looking towards you, as you're looking towards the next generation, the next generation will go to believe that we stand on the backs of seven generations ahead of us. And that we provide a pathway for seven generations to come. Those are things that are needed. When we write a bill, we need to think ahead. And we can learn from those that have gone before us. Does that answer your question. It begins to answer the question but I think that your, your answer to the question brings up the point that there's many more questions that need to be answered and that aren't going to be resolved just in one bill. And that there's a lot of work ahead of us and this is just one step. Yes, this is just one step. This is one step and there is a lot of work to do. This disparity did not occur overnight. We're looking at the last 300 400 years. That have created where we stand today. And it's going to take time to undo that. And it's going to be choir looking at many, many facets of the society in which we live in. Again, thank you for, thank you represent Gina for asking a question which gives us more information about what we need to think about as well as we move forward with crafting responses to health disparities. If I may, I might say that when this committee advocated for some substantial dollars in granting at when COVID money was available last year. I wish we could have turned to a group such as this bill proposes to create which is a commission made up of affected communities that made decisions about how to disperse those monies. Unfortunately, what we discovered of course was that there was no such structure available. And I think your comments add amplify some of what we what was discovered as well is that if you if you're wanting to give grants or award grants. If you don't have the infrastructure or the to the organization. You don't have the powers or the ability to even the not not the innate ability but the technical ability to access the parameters of the grant. There's another barrier right there. And so there I appreciate I appreciate your articulation of those issues. That's very important and something that was painfully discovered in the effort to move large dollars before December 30th of last year as well. Some of it successfully and some of it not as successful as many of us had hoped. Again, thank you and acknowledge that this is the beginning or not to begin not just to be because there's so much work that's been done, but this is a next step. This is a next step, hopefully in moving things forward. So with that, again, thank you. Thank you, Beverly. I personally very much appreciate greeting you today and having you join us in our committee this morning. So thank you very much. Thank you and have a great day. Thank you. Thank you so much. So we're going to continue with our witnesses and before I welcome and introduce our next witness, I want to just again say to the committee. It may not be clear from what is in front of us today but a lot of work went into inviting the witnesses we have here before us. And these witnesses, including our next witness, we're willing to join us on extremely short notice. And we are very grateful. And our next witness who is with us is Andrea Brett. Again, we have not met in person. I don't believe Andrea, but I'm glad to have you here. We have a virtual zoom in our zoom committee room of the house health care committee and look forward to the time when we can actually say hello in person. Andrea, I'm going to ask you to introduce yourself but my understanding, but Susanna Davis who's with us by the way on zoom but not as a witness this morning but as a resource. Your name forward as someone we should hear from who also serves on the advisory panel as I understand it and correct me if I'm wrong, but an advisory panel to the director of racial equity for the state. So I believe you may chair that, but let me introduce welcome you and have you introduce yourself both in terms of your official roles and more personal as you wish to. So thank you. Thank you for having me here today, like others who have testified I am sitting here in my office. I am lucky enough to have a boss who supports me in doing this and taking this time away to do this type of work. And I do sit on the Vermont Commission for Native American Affairs, and I also do chair the racial equity advisory panel. My, and I also am an avanaki vermonter, and I was trying to decide if I should be presumptuous enough to introduce myself in Abanaki versus English, and quite quite need on back into the witsi and and layer. There are no ours in Abanaki. So the R becomes L which actually like that in Abanaki better. And so to get into everything. There's, I've tried to make sure that I've looked through the bill highlighted stuff. And I have the in an enviable position of being last with trying to be articulate. So, listening to others testimony. Judy, with what she's talking about. Let me back up a minute. I also do work for the University of Vermont Medical Center. I am a case manager in the outpatient realm. I work with a we're under the free clinics for Vermont designation for the under and uninsured vermonters. So as we're talking about this bill it's something that is very near and dear to my heart. I see and hear these stories every day. And, and I get to touch even remotely so many vermonters lives from our older vermonters who have farmed their whole lives to those vermonters who they are poor. They will be statistically looked at as poor white and I will challenge you to hold in your mind that they are most likely Abanaki and they will not tell you. I was urged even growing up to, I can pass to pass, do not tell anyone. My family has was also affected by the Vermont eugenics survey. The paternal grandfather when the state would come through to gather up the children to take them away. The first round, they didn't know what was going on, and then they started they would get word that the state was coming through and they would spirit the children away so that they couldn't find they wouldn't be able to find them. And then when they knew that the officials were gone they would bring the children out. My father was ill as a child and also sent away, and it took my grandparents, more years than they cared to they did. It took them longer to get him back than they expected. So, they're here I am working in a health care in the health care realm and never thought I'd be here, because I am one of those Abanaki vermonters who I was 10 before I could trust the police. And I have those living memories of not trusting the doctors, not trusting the health care system, not trusting law enforcement. It's I understand law enforcement is not in this discussion. My son has a disability. He will not access health care because every time he tries, he's told it's his anxiety when the anxiety is created because of his disability. So, there's that piece of it. There's the mental health piece of it. He does he should be seeing a counselor to manage just to refresh and keep his tools up to date. He does not trust the mental health system. So, there's all these, and also I am not recognized by a tribe to say you know I am also one of those Abanaki vermonters who I do not have tribal affiliation. And there has been so much controversy with Abanaki through the years that I choose at this time to not be affiliated with the tribe. I don't want to feel that because I have tribal affiliation that I would have to have allegiance to that tribe versus all Abanaki and indigenous people in Vermont. And when I forget who mentioned it about I think it was dawn for the Cobra. That's actually over $1000 a month now for most people. Dental care is a huge need. There is nothing affordable about Vermont Health Connect. There is nothing affordable about those plans, the hoops that people have to go through in order to see if they qualify for subsidies does not work. Most people cannot even with subsidies afford the monthly premium unless they also have some type of steady employment. And then yes there is Medicaid thank goodness and through COVID awful lot of people went on to Medicaid. And Medicaid does cover now about $1000 in dental care that said they still would prefer to yank those teeth versus preserve those teeth and their Medicare and Medicaid do not provide for replacing teeth. It's like there's just no care of dental care is also healthcare. And you will have a thriving economy if you have healthy Vermonters. This is a great bill I support it. It does need work. Like so many of my previous folks the previous folks who testified. People also are overwhelmed with navigating the healthcare system. They're overwhelmed with navigating access to Vermont Health Connect how and so many calls that I deal with on a daily basis with trying to get the healthcare coverage, and that they are always like what would I do if I didn't have you they the website is not clear. We do have our immigrant refugee population. The migrant workers. There's, I have, you know, I'm looking at I'm trying to track of all my notes as well. You will be looking at those poor Vermonters who may be passing as white where you are looking at those health disparities. And I know Don mentioned AstraZeneca I also have been part of the AstraZeneca vaccine trial. For the much of the same reason is that I'm trying to show people that we are in a different time and can trust the healthcare system. I, I'm the access to insurance the and also Judy mentioned the two hours of additional training, totally not sufficient. I don't know. So we just did a survey for equity diversity and inclusion in the hospital, and our LGBTQ plus workers do not feel that they have the same support as we reported in the survey that we offer to the patients coming through our door, and even that I would challenge. Yes, I see in here too many stories every day. It's a great start. I don't have, I know there's lots of lots of statistics in here, my own family stories with the healthcare system. The barriers also for trust. How can we get respected and trusted voices out to the community, you will find that the community will engage if the folks who are engaging with them they also have a level of trust rapport and respect for them. If you don't have that you can roll this fill out for for every year for 50 years and it's not going to make a difference. So, I feel like I've been all over the place. I don't know. I've been trying to keep track of all my notes as I'm talking. I'll stop. Again, sorry I was on mute. Again, thank you. You touched on a number of important issues. Can I ask just, this is a broad question for which there's not going to be I think a clear answer but you've mentioned without trust, without establishing reestablishing the trust for many communities and that goes for many of the impacted communities where there's health disparities but I would welcome any thoughts that you could offer on particularly reestablishing trust within the communities of native people in Vermont. That's a good question. You have within the recognized tribes, you have members and leaders who are known, trusted, and that within the recognized tribes, people will engage. For those of us who are not affiliated with the tribe, it will take it will be more difficult to try to find who their people who the people are in their communities that they tend to reach out to. Who do they go to, who do they trust, and to try to get that word out there, because it will trigger that Oh this is the state. And you also need to touch on what Brian said, Representative China. Universal healthcare can we roll it out well, can we could we do that can we roll it out in such a way that would maybe mimic Norway or some of the Scandinavian countries versus the UK. Which has some really good aspects and then other aspects of it are very broken. Because we're a smaller state. It, it would really be taking that work, which would be very could would be hard work to find those the trusted people around the state who are trusted in their communities for folks to go to to get that word out that this is a good thing. And I think I just there's clearly such a recognition that the, that the challenges in front of us are so much greater and broader than this bill that's immediately in front of us, but that I continue to take the point of view which I believe I hear you saying, or some others saying we have to take steps that keep moving us forward. The challenges, the very real challenges of full access to health care. Maybe beyond our reach. And I'll comment, perhaps later to say that we have. We're reaching out to a group of advisors who have been helpful to us as the House Health Care Committee and the Senate Health and Welfare Committee in the past. Around federal changes that are some of which are in process right now I believe today in fact, the House of Representatives is doing the final vote on the COVID response package that is that just passed the Senate is now back in the house and Congressman Welsh joined this morning for those who might not have been aware but Congressman Welsh joined the legislative social equity caucus to talk about some of that. And so, while some of the needs that you've described and others, I think do go beyond the reach of what we're able to do in this committee at this time we want to work carefully to to build on the initiatives that now can be initiated and are being initiated at the federal level as well. So this it's, it's a, but that does not mean that we wait on this bill in order to move things forward on the ground here in Vermont from my point of view. And I would also stress the two extra hours that that needs to be a continual training, not only of their own self, but of other cultures. And as I say there, there, we've heard testimony from numbers of people yourself included others this morning and we will be modifying the bill in different ways to try to take next steps. And some of this is some of this we can integrate some of your thoughts and others we can integrate into a new version of the bill. But again, even that will be a next step, not a full achievement of what we're hoping for longer term. Thank you. Are there other questions representative page and representative China. Yes, I was curious. Has the state or the federal government ever offered a apology. I think the net maybe nationally has two indigenous peoples. Do you know anything about that. I know that I know that as the state there is has been an apology that the commission is also involved with with the state I'm not sure the status of that right now. I don't know the status of that right now. I can. You have. Yes, could I just could I just step in and say that we uniquely have one of our members our vice chair representative Donna who introduced a bill a number of years ago to initiate an apology for the eugenics impact on Vermonters. I joined that effort some years later, and a number there isn't there's active consideration of that in our sister committee, the general committee general housing military affairs committee during this session, but there's trying to be thoughtful about how we can move forward with an appropriate level. I would welcome represent down here again, I didn't mean to speak for you but I do want to acknowledge your groundbreaking work and having set something in motion a few years ago which really undergirds what's happening now. Thank you yes just to add a little bit to that. I think the committee is quite close to finishing its work and I was going to apologize to the chair for missing the first 15 minutes of this afternoon's testimony because I've been asked to testify to that committee in the progress on that specific effort to an apology to all those affected by the eugenics movement in in Vermont. Yes, and I think you can see I was just going to take the liberty to just say that the intersection of different efforts are very important week you cannot have heard the testimony this morning from native people of Vermont to not be profoundly aware that the eugenics movement and the eugenics activities in Vermont have had a profound and lasting impact on native communities of Vermont. So, and I'll add I just forwarded to our committee on the materials that are the basis of will be of my testimony and some of the background in originally introducing this because another number of other states have done this already and so you folks have that box. And I'm going to again take the liberty to say that the intersection of some of the issues such as Andrea mentioned and others about the training cultural competency cultural awareness for medical providers has to also include an understanding of the history of trust with health care providers themselves. So to come into the health care system in 2021 and not be aware of what has happened in the past that has broken trust for very important communities would leave you unaware and unable. As a result of the failure to have us know about some of these know about some of this, it's hard to fault someone for not knowing something that they've never been told. And I will include myself as someone who's still learning and continuing to learn and continuing to be heartbroken at the level of hurt that has been imposed on native communities as well as other communities and some communities that some of us are a part of as well. There's much more for us all to know that we could we could take that and run with it for a long time here and I think at this point represent page. Thank you for asking the question that prompts the ability to comment some of on some of this because it's it's it's important for our committee to be aware in the context of what we're doing here on this bill as well. It's a part of this bill. Representative China and again I want to be respectful of Andrea's time, but I welcome you to make a pose a question or make a comment representative China. I'm Haku Noh-Izian. It's see you will you need to talk to a cool a look at a really not a while MZ. It's good to see you or you appear new to me. Yeah, great. Thanks. And good job. And then you can go out. William me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you represent China. Thank you Andrea. It's important for us to hear. The, the language of people who are with us in Vermont language we don't most of us or many of us don't get to hear on any regular basis. Okay, with that, any final any final comment you wish to make Andrew before we move to our next part of our work this morning. No, thank you so much for having. Thank you so much for having me. Okay. Thank you. So I want to It's good for me to leave now. You're welcome to stay and go off video. I'm going to make a few quick announcements for the committee. I will also say that. And for you to hear I'm trying to juggle too many machines here in front of me. But if people would give me one minute. I wanted to convey a greeting from Here it is. So if I may, I'd like to Read into the record a comment from Rich whole shoe, who is the spokesperson for the El new amnesty In Vermont, who has Talked with the chief of the El new amnesty But they cannot be with us this morning, but he sent me an email and I said, I would read I would read it into the record Chair Lippert, thank you for the invitation to testify on behalf of El new amnesty in regard to H 210 And thank you for our conversation by phone just now. We spoke by phone I would like to affirm that El new as a Vermont state recognized tribe Would be in support of the premises and objectives of this bill as substantially as substantively drafted It is well understood within the native community that access to the broad benefits of citizenship are not in fact equitable These social disparities can manifest in many ways All of which affect the ability to lead fulfilling and healthful lives within one's own culture and community While I do not feel I can speak in a well informed manner on the particulars of this bill I do appreciate the committee's intention to include native voices And with that he made several suggestions of folks we could continue to reach out to And he Greeded me and Gave me a salutation in the native language. I will not try to Read it and probably mispronounce those greetings in the salutation But that's from rich Halshoo who is the spokesperson for the El new Abinac in Vermont and I said I would share that with the committee I Also want to say that that I reached out over the last day several days to the other recognized tribes in Vermont and Chief Shirley hook Was going to join us this morning, but was unable to because of a family emergency and Others had conflicts because of previously scheduled work so But I did want the committee to know that I'd reached out to each of the Recognized tribes in Vermont to invite their participation this morning At this point I'm going to suggest a break for our committee and I'm sorry represent China. Yes. How long is the break so that I can So that we can plan how to maximize the use of the time we're given. Yeah, I'm trying to think that through right Give me a minute It's a very real a very good question Actually, let me think out loud here for a minute Our next witness is not scheduled till 11 o'clock And we're going to be shifting gears here the witnesses we've heard from this morning have been witnesses from the native communities of Vermont In order for us to learn about health disparities and also get feedback on this bill H 210 at 11 o'clock We are scheduled to hear from will the white Who is going to provide some feedback on the bill as well from the racial justice alliance of which the group that she's part of mad freedom is part of that alliance and One thought would be for us to take a substantial break between now and perhaps Just before 11 that would allow each one of us to attend to some other things that are in front of us. I don't We had some other witnesses who had to not be but who were not with us this morning as a result of conflicts or had to cancel and so I think that's what my suggestions going to be that we take a break now and come back as a committee at Five minutes to our 10 minutes five days they say between five and 10 minutes to 11 And I communicate with will the white she'll be available. I think to join us at 11, but if we could be on Yes, our agenda says 1115. Thank you. I note that But I spoke with her this morning And in anticipation that we might be able to move her testimony up And she indicated 11 was the earliest she could join us today, but she is planning to join us at 11 So I think Yeah, that's that's going to be my proposal and I think that responds to what your question was represented Tina That will give you and others time to attend to other things that are pressing plus get a chance to stretch Maybe even walk outside for a moment. I understand it's a sunny day most places And that it's actually the temperature is rising to in a way that we have not experienced for a long time Before we go represent golden as a question Thank you I'm just curious, you know, we're taking testimony in each to 10 What's the process as we take more and more testimony Just like the stand how to think about it. Thank you Yes, yes Based on the testimony that we've taken I'm going to be I am in the process of trying to work on a candidate of redraft That we then would put put before the committee For review and further input My experience is that that's the that's often the best next step Rather than trying to have the committee Redraft as a group But that but again that redraft that will be put together Is not going to be put forward as a final product, but as and it will be shared with you I'm a lot of pieces to do between now and when we need to achieve our goal That that is the next step from my point of view May I ask a follow-up You may You just said we need to achieve our goal. Is there a time frame of wanting to achieve that goal? Cross over is the end of the day on Friday. So that's what we're aiming for crossover I just wanted to make that clear. Thank you. We're aiming for crossover and we're Thinking about what that means so There's much in much it not much at play here and that's why if you look at our agenda Tomorrow we are coming back to 104 where I think we can bring closure because we've had previous committee discussions. We're going to go through a draft I don't have everything in front of me, but I think oh We're also going to be here. It's interesting one of the issues that was touched on today was access to health care for Vermonters whose immigrant status does not allow them have access to health care And we've started that process. We'll be hearing more about that tomorrow morning To try to take that a next step and see whether there is anything that we can do at this point in time And then the red eyes. I've tentatively put everything else on the schedule is s 210 between now and the end of the day Friday Because we're going to need that time for committee discussion and secure residential testimony this afternoon H 210 Did I say yes again? I don't know why there must have been an s 210 in my past somewhere But yes h 210. Yeah, thank you for asking represent golden that that you have another question It's it's a similar question on the Middlesex facility. What what's the time frame that we have to come together with our thoughts. I Am in touch with the chair of the house institutions and corrections committee and this morning again and We are going to need to put some time set aside We're going to find some time in the midst of all what we're doing for some committee discussion That is also a complex and challenging issue and I'll be honest and say my hope and my goal is that for me That we might be able to have some opportunity at the very beginning of next week If we can't find our way through that this week because the incident the capital bill Needs to be completed by that committee not by this crossover, but by the following Friday But I've been in communication with the chair Emmons She recognizes and shares some of the questions that we have and we were doing a lot of the initial work in order to Be able to give a recommendation to her committee I Just to say so so the other people we are also I'm anticipating. Oh, in fact representative Houghton Well, I guess we're let's do this. We're in the midst of some this is a good time We have a little bit of time here for some updates actually Represent Houghton. Do you want to give us an update on the status of the bill that? has audio only And not not to get into deep details, but to the process of where we are so the committee other committee members are aware of that as well Yes, so it was voted out of Senate Health and Welfare yesterday at 5. Oh I have not looked to see I'm assuming it's on notice calendar today for the Senate But I actually have not looked so we will obviously be getting that at some point in the future fingers crossed Yeah, so today is Wednesday. I believe right keep track of myself So that means that we may not receive that what we will likely not receive that bill for action Until the first part of next week we've begun to look at the agenda the first part next week also needs to include closure on that bill I don't know that has a number yet. Maybe it does because it's actually not on the senate calendar Okay, so but just but just to alert committee members and interested parties That we will turn to that bill as soon as we can Early next week because it has a Doesn't have a crossover deadline. It has a deadline to get to the governor before March 31st when there's a lot of deadlines so we need to get it out of our committee to the house floor and then depending on what what that entails Hopefully you can go directly to the governor depending depending on what we receive Because the governor staff is going to need a chance to review the bill itself In order to the governor to consider hopefully signing the bill or recommending further changes before the March 31st deadline which Is there are many deadlines for emergency covid extensions that we have talked about in the past And And The next today I understand as well as next week is going to be filled with bills coming out of other committees So we're going to be on the house floor Much more than we have been previously and that's going to limit some of our time in committee So we we may need to meet early again Or meet late in order to achieve our goals So i'll be trying my best to manage all that and letting you know and consulting with you So I think with that I think I'd still recommend that we Take our break, which is not quite as long as it might have been but I think this is good to give us an update Thank you for asking the questions that Help me remember to update our committee on where we are in our process So let's now then go off youtube