Bills could shift agency control

COLUMBIA -- The authority for several state agencies that provide health care services to residents would be shifted to the next governor under several proposals before the Legislature.

Bills that would make the Department of Health and Environmental Control and the Department of Mental Health agencies of the governor's Cabinet are being considered this session. Another bill that would make the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs a Cabinet agency also is up for debate but is less likely to become law.

The Senate Medical Affairs Committee was briefed on the proposals Thursday. The committee postponed debate on what could be one of the most controversial bills of the session -- allowing the next governor to appoint a secretary of Health and Environmental Control to run the agency in conjunction with a seven-member board.

The bill also would set new standards for education and experience for the board members, who currently hire the agency director.

Sen. Danny Verdin, R-Laurens, said shifting authority to Gov. Mark Sanford for the control of the departments of Transportation and Motor Vehicles has been successful and the model should be duplicated.

One of the goals is to insulate DHEC decisions from politics, Verdin said.

Verdin said the Medical Affairs subcommittee does not agree with a bill the House passed in March that would make the Disabilities and Special Needs Department part of the Cabinet.

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Instead, the subcommittee recommended that the full committee use the bill to make other changes at the agency, including new standards for criminal background checks for employees who provide direct care to residents.

Verdin said the testimony the subcommittee received was overwhelmingly opposed to making Disabilities and Special Needs Department part of the Cabinet.

That bill, which is similar to one the Senate sent the House last year, will go to the full Senate.

The committee members also wanted more time to review the bill to make the Mental Health Department a Cabinet agency and they decided to postpone debate on the matter.

The legislation, which passed the House in May, also calls for the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services and the Division of Continuum of Care for Emotionally Disturbed Children to be combined with the Mental Health Department to create a new agency called the Department of Behavioral Health Services.

The next Medical Affairs Committee meeting has not been scheduled.

Reach Yvonne Wenger at 803-926-7855 or ywenger@postandcourier.com.