It’s the “exciting hair-on-fire phase” of implementing the $195 million in rural health transformation grant funds Vermont is promised from the federal government, as Jill Mazza Olson described it to the House Health Care Committee this morning.

There has been a frantic, racing energy around acquiring and spending the federal funds since the applications opened in the fall, giving states just six weeks to build out their five-year plans. That effort paid off when the officials learned in December that Vermont would receive nearly double what they expected.

Now, the Vermont Agency of Human Services is working to obligate all of this year’s money by the end of September and spend it by the feds’ September 2027 deadline.

Olson and Sarah Rosenblum, who have been leading this work for the Agency of Human Services, gave both the House and Senate health care committees an update of where that work stands Thursday morning.

Right now, Olson and Rosenblum are in the throes of posting opportunities for sub-grants and contracts, for organizations to carry out the many facets of Vermont’s proposed work. 

So far, they’ve put out six such notices for work to bolster rural health care. There are notices for $1.45 million to bring dialysis and ventilators to nursing homes and $810,000 to develop licensed nursing assistant training programs. 

One project seeks bids for organizations to operate residences for people recovering from substance use disorders while another would invest in mobile clinics for dental, medical, mental health and substance use disorder services. Yet another proposal aims to put money toward pharmacists’ ability to “test-to-treat” and help reduce patient reliance on primary care or the emergency room. 

The last active bid seeks contractors who can help AHS build out an even more in-depth strategic plan for how to use these funds to help rural communities. 

Olson and Rosenblum said that they are close to posting the final 10 notices soon, which will center on improving technology and payments to support primary care providers. Once the last of those are out, they will shift into a new phase of this massive project.  

When the application windows close, AHS’s transformation team will begin sorting through the proposals and working with the federal government to figure out how to approve and implement the projects before the timeline is up.

With all the rushed excitement to spend this one-time money, Rep. Alyssa Black, D-Essex Town, the chair of the House Health Care Committee, worried about the Agency of Human Service’s ability to do its primary job.

“Do you think that this is so all-consuming that it might be a distraction? What are the essential things that we need our AHS to be doing that we want to make sure they’re still continuing to do and not get distracted by the shiny object?” she asked. 

The stability should come soon, Olson responded. The agency has already hired two full-time staffers to implement this plan and have the approvals they need to hire the rest of the team dedicated to working on this project.

Maybe then, Olson can douse the hair-on-fire feeling, and finally get a full night’s sleep.

In the know

A pop star in the People’s House?

That’s right — sorta. Vermont’s own Noah Kahan offered his endorsement of a bill currently making its way through the Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee on Thursday.

The committee watched a brief video Kahan recorded explaining his support for H.512, a bill supporters hope will cut down on online ticket scams and scalpers.  

“As an artist I care very deeply about the fan experience,” Kahan said, “This bill is a critical step in eliminating predatory resell behaviors.”

Stick season? More like s-ticket season. Ugh.

— Ethan Weinstein

Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday appointed former Sen. David Soucy of Barre Town to the House seat recently vacated by longtime Rep. Topper McFaun.

Soucy, a Republican, previously served in the Senate, representing Rutland County during the 2017-18 legislative session. He was elected to the Barre Town Selectboard last year.

Scott, in a press release, said Soucy “has been involved in his community for many years and will be a strong voice for common-sense legislation” in the Statehouse.

Read the full story here. 

— Corey McDonald

The Vermont Supreme Court has declined to intervene in the Scott administration’s effort to uphold its employee return-to-office policy — for now.

Last week, the Vermont Labor Relations Board ordered that the administration rescind its policy requiring employees to work at least three days per week at their worksites. 

Gov. Phil Scott and top administration officials said at the time that the state would appeal the decision and request a pause on the order from both the labor board and Vermont’s high court. 

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled that the administration “must first seek a stay” from the labor board, denying a request to pause last week’s decision. 

Steve Howard, executive director of the Vermont State Employees’ Association, called the ramifications of last week’s legal proceedings “very confusing” for state employees.  

With its decision last week, the Vermont Labor Relations Board has called into question what working life could look like for the approximately 8,000 Vermont state employees. 

Read the full story here. 

— Ethan Weinstein