02/04/1998 09:00 AM Senate HES

          SCR 14 - PARITY FOR MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE                         
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN WILKEN noted no teleconference participants were available            
to testify on SCR 14 at this time.                                             
                                                                               
SENATOR ELLIS asked committee members to read written testimony, in            
their files, from a family in Kodiak that puts a human face on the             
issue of parity.                                                               
                                                                               
SENATOR GREEN said she read an article in a recent issue of                    
Newsweek about the growing definition of mental illness and how                
that definition may become ever broader.  She asked committee                  
members to consider requiring the task force to focus on a                     
description of illnesses covered by this resolution.                           
                                                                               
SENATOR LEMAN added he would like the task force to address the                
issue of quantification.                                                       
                                                                               
Number 328                                                                     
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN WILKEN said a component of the committee substitute                   
addresses that issue.  He announced SCR 14 would be held in                    
committee at this time.