Legislature(2005 - 2006)HOUSE FINANCE 519
03/02/2005 01:30 PM House FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB81 | |
| SB60 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| HB 81 | |||
| SB 60 | |||
SENATE BILL NO. 60
An Act extending the termination date of the Statewide
Suicide Prevention Council; and providing for an
effective date.
SHANNON STRAUBE, STAFF, SENATOR BEN STEVENS, stated that
suicide is an Alaskan tragedy. On average, suicide takes
130 Alaskans every year, which is nearly twice the national
average. With Alaska's large geography, multiple cultures,
and many communities, addressing suicide is a complicated
matter.
nd
Ms. Straube continued, in 2001, the 22 Alaska State
Legislature enacted legislation that created the Statewide
Suicide Prevention Council (SSPC) and tasked it with the
mission to reduce suicide through coordination with public
and private entities as well as its own initiatives, and
broaden suicide awareness. Under A.S. 44.29.350, the
Council is charged with advising the Legislature and the
Governor on "actions that can and should be taken to improve
health and wellness throughout the State by reducing suicide
and its effect on individuals, families and communities."
The Council is made up of 15 members. In addition to
legislative and executive branch members, there are nine
public members. The public appointments represent a broad
spectrum of individuals from rural and urban communities,
clergy, youth, and behavioral health community. There is
one part-time staff person to coordinate council activities.
Ms. Straube noted that among the Council's accomplishments
is a statewide suicide prevention plan. The plan sets up
goals and strategies for suicide prevention. Currently, the
Council is also in the process of implementing a Follow Back
Study and a public awareness campaign. The media campaign
fulfils the Council's mission to educate Alaskans on suicide
and its devastating effects.
Ms. Straube continued that the findings from a recently
conducted sunset audit recommend the SSPC continue the work
of research, broadening public awareness, collaborating
prevention and intervention efforts around the State and in
making recommendations to the Governor and Legislature.
Ms. Straube concluded that SB 60 extends the termination
date of the Council to 2009, which will allow the statewide
Suicide Prevention Council to continue in the work.
3:07:43 PM
PAT DAVIDSON, LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR, LEGISLATIVE AUDIT
DIVISION, noted that the Division conducted an audit to
determine if the termination date for the Suicide Prevention
Council should be extended.
She pointed out that the Council advises the Legislature and
the Governor on suicide and suicide prevention in Alaska.
Recently, the Council completed a statewide suicide
prevention plan, which establishes goals and strategies for
suicide prevention. The Council has been providing suicide
prevention training, coordinating statewide suicide
prevention efforts and provides technical assistance to
communities as they develop their own plans. The Council
has been operating in public interest in a manner consistent
with its statutory responsibilities.
Ms. Davidson noted that the termination date for the Council
is June 30, 2005; the Division recommends that the
termination date be extended until June 30, 2009.
She continued, during the review, the Division identified
that Council funds were misspent by the Department of Health
and Social Services. Additionally, unclear communications
between the Department and the Council about available funds
resulted in the Council curtailing some activities and
ultimately, lapsing over 60% of the original funding.
Ms. Davidson advised that in the report, the Division has
made recommendations for improvements including:
· 1. That the community based suicide prevention
grants issued by the Department of Health and Social
Services, conform to the recently developed
statewide suicide prevention plan. The Division is
not recommending that the Council become involved in
the grant making process; rather the Department of
Health & Social Services staff modify the grant
application process so that communities read the
statewide suicide prevention plan and certify that
the grant for their local plan is consistent with
the State plan.
· 2. That the Department of Health and Social Services
establish a more formalized and helpful system of
reporting financial information to the Council. It
is not clear where the flow of financial information
between the Department and the Council went awry.
However, given the Department's resources and
sophistication in obtaining financial information,
the Division believes it is incumbent on them to
ensure the Council clearly understands their
financial situation.
· 3. Besides the lack of effective access to FY04
funds, the Council was hampered by delays in
appointment of members. The Legislative Audit
Division recommends that the Office of the Governor
make appointments to the Council in a timely manner.
3:11:21 PM
Co-Chair Chenault voiced his appreciation that the Division
had provided important information. He noted his concern
with the impact of the fiscal note.
Representative Hawker requested further information
regarding the fiscal note.
Ms. Davidson referenced Page 6 of the Audit Report. (Copy
on File). Page 6 provides a summary of the FY04 spending.
· $35,000 dollars was spent on Council related
activities, which represents 20% of the budget.
· $32,000 was spent for office furnishings for the
information technology systems within the
Department. The Division has identified that as a
concern. Statute addresses reimbursable service
agreements and requires that services be billed on
actual and specific costs or a cost allocation
methodology. Those costs were not specified costs.
The Division looked at the reasonableness of that
amount coming out of the budget. The cost did not
have an allocation plan.
· The Council lapsed $95,000 dollars into various
working reserves accounts in the general fund.
Representative Hawker voiced concern that the Administration
had placed the Council in that situation. The Reimbursable
Service Agreement (RSA) makes the legislative budget
difficult. He questioned the furniture costs for the
Council. Ms. Davidson stated that those funds were used to
purchase furnishings for the information technology group.
Representative Hawker emphasized that problem, and that the
Committee should address it. He questioned if there was a
mechanism in place to help keep spending in line.
Ms. Davidson advised that spending was a violation of
statute. A small cost associated with the Council could be
used in support of department-wide information technology,
but clearly not that amount of their budget. There are
statutes in place to prevent that. She did not know of
anything that could be done on a budgetary basis.
3:17:06 PM
Representative Hawker stated that would be an appropriate
question for the Department.
DIANE CASTO, MANAGER, PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION
SERVICES FOR THE DIVISION OF BEHAVIOR HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, advised that she had been a part
of the conversations regarding the audit and the concerns of
the Department. The Department is aware of these concerns
and is committed to "not falling down that road again".
They have made a commitment to monitor the actions more
carefully. The Department was in the midst of a major
reorganization and new people were coming in and out of the
newly formed Division of Behavioral Health. The Council was
one of the entities that got "lost" as their coordinator had
quit. Ms. Casto pointed out that there are many oversights
that lead to the confusion. She reiterated that the
Department is committed to doing better monitoring.
Vice-Chair Stoltze stated that the Suicide Prevention
Council is so important and that he felt outraged at that
type of abuse.
3:20:14 PM
Representative Joule inquired if the bill would be held in
Committee. Co-Chair Meyer replied that it would and
requested that the Department be present with the Director
of Administrative Services.
Representative Joule noted that the Council has been tasked
with very heavy responsibilities and that the Legislature
cannot sit by idly with that type of interference.
Co-Chair Chenault expressed how "upsetting" it is to see
that amount of money being spent on such projects. The
Council is tasked with an important job and if they do not
have the ability to run the Council in an appropriate way,
then they are impaired.
Co-Chair Chenault questioned what has happened on the
Council since inception. He requested that a Council member
be present at the next meeting to discuss these concerns.
He wanted to know their goals in the future and how that
money related to what has been spent.
3:23:50 PM
Representative Weyhrauch pointed out that the Director of
the Division of Administrative Services also the Finance
Manager of Services, should be present to discuss these
concerns. He reiterated the importance of the questions.
He pointed out the fact that the auditor assessed the
situation and the Department's response was defensive. He
th
referenced a letter dated December 27, 2004.
Representative Weyrauch urged more accountability.
3:25:13 PM
Representative Joule asked if the Council was closer to
hiring a coordinator. Ms. Casto noted that Kathy Kraft is
the current coordinator for the Council, as part time work.
Originally, it was a full time position and Mary Carlson was
then the coordinator. The current plan is to look for a
more permanent fulltime coordinator. Ms. Casto did not know
the timeline.
Representative Hawker recommended that the Committee "expand
the thought process" regarding the issue. He stated that
there are a number of councils that are not consolidated
within the Department of Health & Social Services budget
such as:
· Mental Health Board
· Alcohol and Drug Abuse Advisory Board
· Commission on Aging
· Suicide Prevention Council
Representative Hawker recommended a more consolidated
approach, which might provide a better management structure.
He asked consideration of the discussion whether or not
there could be a more effective manner in dealing with the
concerns and bring them together in a more consolidated
approach.
3:28:21 PM
Co-Chair Meyer noted that SB 60 would be held for further
deliberation.
SB 60 was HELD in Committee for further consideration.
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