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Dwight Harris Named Executive Director of the Texas Youth CommissionThe Texas Youth Commission (TYC) Board of Directors has named Dwight Harris, a veteran of the juvenile corrections agency, as its new Executive Director. The selection of Mr. Harris ends a nationwide search for a replacement for Steve Robinson, who retired at the end of September. Harris, who was serving as Deputy Executive Director, has been at TYC for 22 years. He has run the Corrections division and was a Director overseeing institutions. He also was an Assistant Superintendent at Gainesville State School, a Parole Supervisor, a Youth Rights Administrator, a Community Coordinator at a halfway house, and a Caseworker. Mr. Harris, a native of Smithville, earned an associate's degree in psychology from El Camino Junior College, a bachelor's degree in Sociology from California State University in Carson, California, and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. He attended but did not pursue a degree from the University of California Los Angeles Law School. He will be responsible for an agency with an annual budget of $251.6 million. The Youth Commission's 4,700 employees work to rehabilitate the state's most serious or chronic juvenile offenders. Almost 8,000 young people are in the TYC's system in residential placements or on parole status. 
MHMR Chief To RetireKaren Hale, the Commissioner of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (TDMHMR) for the past 6 years, has announced intends to retire at the end of February. She stated that the current transition of TDMHMR into the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) created an opportune time for her to leave the agency and pursue other interests. Ms. Hale was appointed by the TDMHMR Board of Directors and approved by Governor George W. Bush to the position of commissioner in October 1998. She had been interim commissioner since May 1998. Previously, she was the director of Policy and Planning for TDMHMR for almost four years, and had earlier served as Interim Commissioner from August 1994 to February 1995. From 1984 to 1990 Ms. Hale was Associate Director of the Mental Health Association of Texas, a staff director of the Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health and Mental Retardation and Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Tarrant County from 1980 to 1983. 
Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins' Response to Bob Bullock AwardLast week, Albert Hawkins, Executive Commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), received the Bob Bullock Award for Outstanding Public Stewardship. In response to the honor, and the landmark transition occurring at HHSC, he had these comments in response to a call from Government Insider reporters. "We have an unprecedented opportunity to transform our health and human services system in a way that will improve access to services, generate significant administrative savings and increase accountability at every level. "I cannot imagine a more exciting or challenging time in state government. House Bill 2292 basically directs us to reorganize one-third of state government, and we must implement these changes without disrupting the services that Texans count on." Outsourcing a Main Topic at Subcommittee Meeting on Texas PrisonsThe House Corrections Subcommittee on Targeted Contracting met earlier this week to review strategies and initiatives in the prison system. As the subcommittee discussed how the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is accommodating the $240 million worth of budget cuts, Rep. Ray Allen repeatedly called for the TDCJ to increase efficiencies through public/private partnerships. He stated that TDCJ, a $4 billion operation, has great potential for positive change and invited the private sector to bring forward cost-saving initiatives in the next three to four months. The agency, in turn, was advised to examine their internal operations and find areas in which outsourcing could reduce costs. UT Board Opens Door for Bid on Los Alamos ContractThe University of Texas Board of Regents granted UT Chancellor Mark Yudof authority to spend $500,000 in initial planning for a bid to operate Los Alamos National Laboratory. Yudof stated that the UT System would most likely pursue a bid with one or more academic or industrial partners and announced the formation of a task force to begin planning. The laboratory, which is funded by the United States Energy Department, has been under the stewardship of the University of California since its inception during World War II. This year legislation was passed that required all Energy Department management contracts to be competitively bid, which means that management of the Los Alamos site must be opened to competition when the University of California's contract expires in September 2005. The laboratory is one of the nation's key sites for designing and managing nuclear weapons. The Energy Department is also opening the Ames, Argonne, Lawrence Berkeley, and Lawrence Livermore nuclear lab contracts to competition as well. Health and Human Services Commission Launches First New DepartmentThe Texas Department of Family and Protective Services(DFPS) officially became the first new agency created under a major restructuring of the state's health and human services system. The department is responsible for the programs previously administered by the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. Thomas Chapmond is the Commissioner of the new agency. Charged with serving children, the elderly, and the disabled, the newly formed DFPS announced that its initial priority projects would include:
The Health and Human Services Commission's (HHSC) reorganization has two goals: to improve client services and to streamline the administrative structure to work more efficiently. As part of the plan, twelve agencies are being combined into DFPS, the Department of State Health Services, the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, and the Department of Aging and Disability Services, which will all fall under the umbrella of HHSC. The new Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services will begin consolidated operations on March 1. The departments of State Health Services and Aging and Disability Services will follow, beginning consolidated operations on September 1. For more information, visit the agency's new website at http://www.dfps.state.tx.us. TEXAS SHORTS:UT Health Science Center at Houston Outsourcing 178 JobsThe UT Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSC Houston) has decided to hire a private firm to handle its physician billing and collection services. The arrangement with Per-se Technologies is supposed to save the facility $20 million in clinical practice revenue over the next five years. Because the Per-se Technologies is based in Atlanta, UTHSC Houston required that the company maintain an ongoing Houston presence and offer positions to all employees displaced by the decision to outsource. 178 employees will be offered positions with Per-se, effective February 9, and the company will lease space in the university's current offices. UTHSC Houston officials hope that the Per-se arrangement will assist the facility in achieving "center of excellence" status for academic medicine business management. $22.5 Million for Housing at UT Health Science Center HoustonThe University of Texas System Board of Regents approved $32 million in construction projects, the larget bulk of which is for a student housing facility at the UT Health Science Center in Houston. The $22.5 million project is a 315-unit apartment complex that should be completed by August 2005. The Board also funded a $9.45 million parking garage at UT San Antonio, and reviewed a campus master plan for UT Tyler, which expects to increase enrollment 50 percent by 2012. TIERS Project Director to Step DownBill Stobie, Project Director for The Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System (TIERS), has announced that he will leave the project in late March. TIERS is a multiyear project to create one integrated web-based eligibility determination system for all Department of Human Services programs, be they medical, food, or community care related. Stobie has been with the program for approximately two years. In his resignation letter, he expressed pride in the efficiency and accomplishments of the TIERS team. Funding for A&M Kingsville Pharmacy School Put on HoldThe Legislative Budget Board (LBB) decided to delay discussions on funding for the Irma Rangel Pharmacy School, to be located at Texas A&M University in Kingsville, until May of this year. Governor Perry has promoted the project, announcing in December that he would request $4.2 million from the LBB for the school's startup costs. Usually the LBB, comprised of ten lawmakers, including the Speaker and the Lt. Governor, meets once before a new legislative session begins. Last year's budget shortfall of $10 billion, however, has caused the LBB to meet quarterly to review and revise the budget. Speaker Tom Craddick's spokesman expressed that much uncertainty remained about the budget, Medicaid costs specifically, adding that the school would be able to wait until May. Gov. Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, via spokespersons, both expressed their commitment to the school's construction. City of Houston Faces Ballooning Employee Health Care CostsThe City of Houston expects the cost of providing health care for employees to increase by $40 million in the next fiscal year, which begins on July 1. The city has been carrying 88% of employees' healthcare costs, but finds the increase from $170 million to $210 million too large to bear. In examining how to deal with the increase, Chief Administrative Officer Anthony Hall stated that city officials have considered shifting 8 percent of the burden to employees. While opposition to the increase argues that this equates of a pay cut for workers, it appears that the city will approve the 80 percent, 20 percent split. In addition to the sky-rocketing cost of healthcare plaguing many companies and municipalities, Mayor Bill White's administration faces a number of fiscal challenges including increases in pension contributions and a police pay raise expected to cost the city $50 million. The City Council will meet on February 11 to formulate a plan and consider the benefits of a preferred provider organization over a health maintenance organization. |
NEW SPI GOVERNMENT OPPORTUNITY PACKAGESPI has a dedicated Information Services (IS) Department that researches governmental entities and analyzes data for future and current business opportunities. IS provides these key services:
Please contact SPI at 512-531-3905 for more details. Event LinksFourth Annual Purchasing and HUB Connection Forum - 2/11/04 58th Annual Texas Association of School Business Officials Conference and Expo - 02/23/04-02/27/04 Austin Mobility Roundtable 2004: The Future is Unwired - 3/11/04 - 3/12/04 NASCIO 2004 Midyear Conference - 4/25/04 - 4/27/04 Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Association of School Boards 44th Annual Convention - 09/17/04-09/20/04 NASCIO 2004 Annual Conference - 9/19/04 - 9/22/04 Past ABJ articles by Mary Scott NabersMillions in security funds sailing into Texas - 1/19/2004 Believe It! It Is Possible to Win Government Business Without Having to Bid For It! - 12/4/03 Fingering opportunities in biometric technology - 11/03/2003 It's smart for vendors to watch 'smart card' deals - 10/6/2003 Watch Cap Metro, AISD for vendor opportunities - 9/22/2003 Watch state water board for flow of grant money - 9/8/2003 New state laws open up market at state agencies - 8/25/2003
Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) is a Texas-based, nine year old research and knowledge based consulting firm offering business development and public affairs services.
Texas Government Insider ArchivesVolume 2 Issue 4 - 1/30/04 Volume 2 Issue 3 - 1/23/04 Volume 2 Issue 2 - 1/16/04 Volume 2 Issue 1 - 1/8/04 Volume 1 Issue 7 - 12/31/03 Volume 1 Issue 6 - 12/18/03 Volume 1 Issue 5 - 12/11/03 Volume 1 Issue 4 - 12/4/03 Volume 1 Issue 3 - 11/20/03 Volume 1 Issue 2 - 11/13/03 Volume 1 Issue 1 - 11/7/03 News from Strategic Partnerships, Inc.Upcoming Event: Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc., will address the DFW Homeland Security Alliance on March 25 in Dallas. The DFW Homeland Security Alliance was created to promote economic growth in Texas and support partnerships between universities and industries related to Homeland Security concerns. For more information, look in next week's Texas Government Insider.
Upcoming Event: The Business Success Center will host a Networking Luncheon, March 9 in Austin. Crystal Kuhs, of Strategic Partnerships, Inc., is to be the keynote speaker. Her address will cover...
Upcoming Event: The LBJ School of Government Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) have scheduled the next Legislative Communications Conference for October 7, 2004. The day long conference will again be held at the JJ Pickle Center. ResourcesNew Employment Index Forecasts Job Recovery: The new Hudson Employment Index, a monthly measure of U.S. employee attitudes on critical work issues, including career opportunities, job satisfaction, and workplace performance, argues that the economy is in a "slow, but demonstrable" recovery. According to the survey, 29 percent of workers believe that their companies will hire more employees in the coming months, while 17 percent project layoffs. Business managers echoed that forecast, with 32 percent projecting new hires in the upcoming months, and 16 percent expecting layoffs. In the Healthcare, Accounting & Finance, and Manufacturing industries, workers predicted even higher rates of hiring. Verifying the continued shortage of skilled nurses and medical staff, healthcare workers reported the lowest likelihood of layoffs, with only 14 percent believing that would occur. Click here to view the entire report. NASBO Fiscal Survey of the States Fiscal Year 2003 Quality Assurance Team's Annual Report Summary of 729 new statutes that became effective as of the beginning of fiscal year 04 in Texas Texas International Economic Development Fact Sheet Public HearingsHouse Committee on Transportation-- 9:00am, February 9, 2004, E1.010 House Select Committee on State Health Care Expenditures-- 10:00am, February 11, 2004, E1.010 Senate Select Interim Sub-committee on State Water Rights-- 1:00 pm(MST), February 11, 2004, Dell City House Select Committee on Public School Finance-- 2:00pm, February 17, and 10:00am, February 18, 2004, E1.030 Insights from Government Insiders:"Water availability is a critical component of all future economic health and economic development. We are just beginning to implement the state water plan and must use every tool, from water conservation to developing new supplies. We must also ensure adequate freshwater inflows to maintain our fisheries and the ecological health of our coastal systems. -- Margaret Hoffman, Executive Director TCEQ (volume 1 issue 5) "LCRA is unlike most organizations because it is a governmental agency that must function as a business. It funds the services it provides to the public with revenues from the sales of energy, water and other operations. We are like a business in that we don't receive legislative appropriations and we have no authority to tax anyone. That means we have to be efficient -- conducting ourselves like a business and earning our own way." -- Joe Beal, General Manager LCRA (volume 2 issue 2) "One of the reasons I'm here is because Dr. Faulkner was willing to engage in an experiment. He was one of the few-though two years later there are many more-that believe education is a business, and it needs to be run as a business with a number of for profit concepts, etc…He brought me in here to see if we, together, could convert the way we think about running this university to a more business kind of concept." -- Kevin Hegarty (volume 1 issue 6) "When Electronic Procurement gets implemented, it will be the equivalent of moving state purchasing from a horse drawn carriage to a super-sonic aircraft. There is no in-between." -- Sil Romero (volume 1 issue 3) "Both the TxMAS and Reverse Auction processes, which were mandated by legislation passed in the 77th Legislative Session, provide viable purchasing alternatives to the traditional competitive sealed bid purchasing method and have generated savings and other benefits for the State." -- Texas Building and Procurement Commission (volume 1 issue 5) |
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Senior Executives Named for New HHS DepartmentsHealth and Human Services Commissioner Albert Hawkins today announced the selection of nine individuals to serve in key executive positions at the new departments being created in a transformation of the state's health and human services system. The nine executives announced today are: Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services
Department of Family and Protective Services
Department of Aging and Disability Services
Department of State Health Services
House Bill 2292 from the 78th Texas Legislature mandated a fundamental transformation of health and human services in Texas by consolidating the 12 existing agencies into four new departments under the oversight of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). Thomas Chapmond is Commissioner of the Department of Family and Protective Services. Terry Murphy will serve as Commissioner of the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services. Dr. Eduardo J. Sanchez will lead the Department of State Health Services, and Jim Hine will head the Department of Aging and Disability Services. |
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Texas Medical Association, 2004 Winter ConferenceSponsored by the Texas Medical Association, on February 28 at the Renaissance Hotel, Austin. Highligts will include Dawn Duster speaking on the role of medical staff in improving patient care with health law expert Alice G. Gosfield, JD and a luncheon with Gov. Rick Perry. For more information and to register, visit http://www.texmed.org/ata/nrm/mms/wcf/2004/home/default.asp. |
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UT System Board of Regents Elects Krier Vice ChairmanCyndi Taylor Krier was elected Vice Chair of the University of Texas Board of Regents by a unanimous vote this week. Krier, whom Governor Perry appointed to a six-year term in 2001, also chairs the board's Academic Affairs committee. She will join Woody Hunt and Rita Clements as one of three Vice Chairmen. The board oversees the UT System, which consists of over 170,000 students and a budget of $7.8 billion. Krier, a former Bexar County Judge, is currently Vice President of Texas Government Relations for USAA in San Antonio. Alfaro to Chair Texas Youth CommissionGovernor Perry named Baytown Mayor Pete C. Alfaro as Chairman of the Texas Youth Commission Board of Directors, replacing Leonard E. Lawrence, M.D., of San Antonio, a 12-year TYC board member. Mr. Alfaro first was appointed to the TYC Board in 1995 by Governor George W. Bush, and was reappointed in 2002 by Governor Perry. Alfaro, Baytown Mayor since 1993, and a member of the Baytown City Council since 1989, recently announced that he would not seek re-election. His mayoral term will end after the May 15 city election. He retired in 2000 from Exxon where he was a professional engineer. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of San Jacinto Methodist Hospital in Baytown, and a member of the Family Selection Committee for Habitat of Baytown. He holds a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Statewide Health Coordinating Council AnnouncedGovernor Perry named Ben G. Raimer, M.D.; Thalia H. Munoz, R.N.; Janie Martinez Gonzalez; Richard Madsen Smith, D.D.S.; and Karl Alonzo Floyd to the Statewide Health Coordinating Council this week. Their terms will expire on August 1, 2009. Governor Perry Names Six to Texas Board of Pardons and ParolesGovernor Perry announced his appointments to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles this week. Lafayette Collins will serve on the board for a term to expire on February 1, 2005. Stephen T. Rosales and Linda Faye Garcia's term is to expire on February 1, 2007. Jose L. Aliseda Jr., Juanita Maria Gonzalez, and Rissie Owens have terms that expire in February of 2009. Perry appointed Owens as Chair. |
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Department of Homeland Security Presents FY 2005 Budget in BriefTexans should see additional federal funds (Homeland Security allocations) flowing into Texas in the near future. The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) budget requests a total of $40.2 billion for FY05. This is an increase of 10 percent above the comparable FY 2004 level. Some highlights of the budget include:
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