Legislature(2007 - 2008)BUTROVICH 205
03/19/2007 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SCR4 | |
| SB100 | |
| SB38 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SCR 4 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 38 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 100 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 100-SUBSTANCE ABUSE/MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS
2:01:42 PM
CHAIR BETTYE DAVIS announced SB 100 to be up for consideration.
SENATOR ELLIS, sponsor of SB 100, cited statistics regarding
alcohol abuse in Alaska, and said that it's no revelation that
the issue is huge, tragic and expensive. The bill is long
overdue, and the state of Washington (WA) has set an example for
what SB 100 could do in Alaska. There is growing recognition of
the link between substance abuse and mental illness. As
resources allow, these would be the priorities outlined in the
bill: treatment for incarcerated sufferers, children, and
certain populations. The bill also mandates priority treatments
for pregnant women in in-state programs, and provides a non-
discrimination clause for effective faith-based programs, which
have shown to be very helpful in prisons and other public
institutions when state services are lacking.
He continued to explain that section eight of the bill would
create a facility for involuntary commitments. The state of WA
has shown that it's an effective solution for many people; it
would not be for street inebriates, but rather people who are
severe substance abusers who are dangerous to themselves and
others. This bill would simply expand the existing program,
which is currently underused; it proposes a small number of beds
and a secure facility. People often walk out of detoxification
facilities and return to the same abusive lifestyles; the
population of these repeat offenders is around 40 in anchorage.
A University of Alaska Anchorage study recommended that forced
interventions towards these users could be effective. These
high-end users constantly cycle through the system at great cost
to the state.
He said that the bill could be a vehicle for working together to
find a better approach to treating this issue.
2:12:32 PM
SENATOR DYSON asked which part of the bill addresses the faith-
based-initiative funding.
SENATOR ELLIS replied that the provision is in line 30 of the
bill.
SENATOR DYSON commented that faith-based programs are very
effective, and asked if that provision of the bill might be
challenged in any way.
SENATOR ELLIS said that he'll have the Department of Law look at
the language of the bill.
SENATOR DYSON commented on a program in Anchorage that's
currently underused because it's faith-based.
SENATOR ELLIS said that the bill has a fiscal note of $1.9
million for the secure-bed facility, and that it would make
sense to have the beds co-located with a detoxification program.
2:16:07 PM
SENATOR COWDERY asked when the pilot program in WA state will be
completed.
KATE HERRING, aide to Senator Ellis, said that the WA program is
just now getting underway and will be completed in 2 years. WA
has had the facilities for years now, and the new program is
just for a secure facility.
SENATOR COWDERY asked how SB 100 differs from the WA bill.
MS. HERRING said that the language in Alaska's bill is less
colloquial, and that the one main difference is that Alaska only
sets up one pilot program versus WA's two.
2:18:30 PM
SENATOR DYSON said that some people in Juneau who have been
using an involuntary commitment program are claiming significant
success.
SENATOR ELLIS said that he would look for data on this.
2:19:42 PM
SONIA SUBANI, with AARP Alaska, asked if the committee received
her letter of support.
CHAIR DAVIS replied that they had.
MS. SUBANI said that substance abuse is prevalent in Alaska,
particularly among older citizens. Currently there's only one
treatment center for older Alaskans in Anchorage; often abuse
problems are confusing to a lot of people and are misdiagnosed
by those treating them. The AARP is also concerned with how
abuse affects grandchildren of its members, who often live with
the grandparents because of their own parents' problems.
2:23:10 PM
NATHAN JOHNSON, Division Manager for the Anchorage Municipal
Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), said that the
department continually struggles with treating abuse and the
bill will help its efforts greatly. The Alaskan statistics for
alcohol and drug related issues are high, and treatment ability
is critical to reduce costs. The lifetime financial cost for a
baby with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, for example, is almost $3
million. A limited number of people are responsible for the bulk
of drug and alcohol abuse incidents in Anchorage; they're a
major burden on tax dollars and a more comprehensive means of
treating them is necessary.
2:26:00 PM
MIKE FORD, with the Alaska Native Health Board, said that this
area of concern deserves a sharper focus, and the individuals
being discussed today are a major cost and should be targeted.
2:27:33 PM
LONNIE WALTERS, Chair of the Advisory Board on Alcohol and Drug
Abuse, related his history with involuntary commitment work, and
said that he has never seen more success than with such
programs. The system won't necessarily burden the court system,
because people can often be persuaded to enter on their own
recognizance. Cuts in treatment funding for involuntary
commitment have made the waiting list incredible long.
He concluded by saying that he wholeheartedly recommends the
program and its high success rate.
2:31:02 PM
SENATOR ELTON asked what the commitment process entails.
MR. WALTERS said that state laws need to be carefully consulted
before the involuntary commitment process is used, and the
Alaskan and Washingtonian laws are very similar. In his
experience, he would obtain letters of support from family and
friends of individuals.
SENATOR ELTON asked if Mr. Walters, in his past involuntary
commitment experience, had remained involved through the
patient's process and treatment.
MR. WALTERS said that he did not, and gave an example of how the
program worked in WA.
SENATOR ELTON asked how Mr. Walters felt about turning a patient
over to people unfamiliar with their particular case.
MR. WALTERS said that it's not a problem with a good counselor,
and that the counselors were provided with information
beforehand; such programs have the highest success rates he's
ever seen.
2:35:35 PM
MARGARET LOWE, with the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority
(AMHTA), said that substance abuse is very often linked to child
abuse, and the state is in great need of more treatment options.
Far more money needs to be spent on treatment facilities and
personnel to make a difference in the future of the state.
JEFF JESSE, Chief Executive Officer for the AMHTA, said that
he's pleased with the bill and impressed with the grants for
evidence-based programs and the prioritization of pregnant
women; in the long run, there will be significant cost savings.
The pilot program is important because 20 percent of chronic
substance abusers cases incur 80 percent of the associated
costs; they need to be held accountable for their behavior.
2:40:20 PM
MATT FELIX, with the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug
Dependence, said that during the years when the Juneau Hospital
did involuntary commitments the program was very successful. The
most chronically addicted were committed, and many of them are
still sober today; they needed to be forced to turn their lives
around. Addiction isn't a choice, but a loss of control.
2:42:58 PM
SENATOR ELTON asked for the elements that lead to commitment.
MR. FELIX said that laws protect civil rights very well, so the
process before court is lengthy; loss of control must be proved,
as well as the chance of rehabilitation. The program was
successful in Juneau because it was a city program with access
to the city lawyers.
2:44:36 PM
SENATOR THOMAS said that hopefully the program will do some good
because the present situation needs to be changed; he asked what
the problem is with convincing people to agree to funding the
program, and what effort is needed to show that the program is
effective.
MR. FELIX said that per capita alcohol consumption has fallen to
under a gallon annually in Alaska, partially due to awareness of
abuse problems. He added that addiction is better understood
now, and treatment is getting to be more effective.
SENATOR THOMAS asked if alcohol abuse is being replaced by drug
abuse.
MR. FELIX said that alcohol is a drug of choice, and in Alaska
it's the major problem.
2:50:09 PM
SENATOR THOMAS moved to report SB 100 from committee with
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There
being no objection, the motion carried.
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