04/09/2014 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

          HCR 19-SUPPORTING EFFORTS OF RECOVER ALASKA                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:46:47 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  STEDMAN  announced the  consideration  of  HCR 19.  [CSHCR
(HSS)  was before  the  committee.]  He said  it  is the  first                                                               
hearing  of the  resolution. The  intent is  to have  the sponsor                                                               
introduce  the  resolution, take  public  testimony,  and set  it                                                               
aside.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BOB  HERRON,  Alaska State  Legislature,  Juneau,                                                               
Alaska, sponsor of  HCR 19. He said HCR 19  is a brief resolution                                                               
that supports the efforts of  Recover Alaska. It brings awareness                                                               
to  a  group of  Alaskans  that  want  to recover,  reclaim,  and                                                               
restore  the strength  of Alaska's  families  and communities  by                                                               
getting to the  root causes of excessive  alcohol consumption. He                                                               
referred  to information  in members'  packets on  Recover Alaska                                                               
partners.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS thanked Recover Alaska  and the Rasmuson Foundation                                                               
for  their support.  He said  he has  been involved  with Recover                                                               
Alaska  since   its  inception.  He  requested   the  committee's                                                               
support.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR STEDMAN noted one zero fiscal note from the Legislature.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:48:57 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:49:19 PM                                                                                                                    
ALEESHA   TOWNS-BAIN,  Program   Officer,  Rasmuson   Foundation,                                                               
Anchorage,  Alaska, presented  information  related to  HCR 19  -                                                               
Supporting Efforts of  Recover Alaska. She began with  a video of                                                               
an  alcoholic's   story,  an   investment  in   partnership  with                                                               
Anchorage Daily News.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:53:53 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. TOWNS-BAIN  described what Recover  Alaska is;  an initiative                                                               
to identify the  root causes of excessive  alcohol consumption, a                                                               
solutions-based program.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:54:25 PM                                                                                                                    
DIANE KAPLAN, President,  Rasmuson Foundation, Anchorage, Alaska,                                                               
shared  information related  to Recover  Alaska. She  related the                                                               
history  of  Recover  Alaska.  She said  about  four  years  ago,                                                               
Rasmuson  Foundation convened  a broad-based  group of  people to                                                               
discuss  ways to  combat  the  root causes  of  alcohol abuse  in                                                               
Alaska. They decided to put the  focus on building solutions at a                                                               
high decision-maker  level and assembled  a group of  people they                                                               
felt could  have an impact.  Early on, colleagues such  as Robert                                                               
Wood Johnson  Foundation were brought  in. Part of the  secret of                                                               
success  was a  wide  variety of  partners; representatives  from                                                               
judicial, health providers, and  other non-profits serving on the                                                               
steering committee.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
ELZABTEH  RIPLEY, Executive  Director, Mat-Su  Health Foundation,                                                               
Wasilla,  Alaska,   presented  information  related   to  Recover                                                               
Alaska. She  spoke as  a funding partner  of Recover  Alaska. She                                                               
said the results of the  Healthy Alaskans 2020 Survey showed that                                                               
alcohol  use and  abuse  is  the top  health  issue important  to                                                               
Alaskans. It  is a pervasive problem  in the state and  uses many                                                               
resources  without   seeing  positive  impacts.  She   noted  the                                                               
financial impact of alcohol on Alaska's economy of #1.2 billion.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:57:24 PM                                                                                                                    
JEFF  JESSEE,   CEO,  Alaska   Mental  Health   Trust  Authority,                                                               
Anchorage,  Alaska,  presented  information  related  to  Recover                                                               
Alaska.  He  mentioned  two  other   efforts  Recover  Alaska  is                                                               
undertaking;  working in  conjunction with  the Alcohol  Beverage                                                               
Control Board  to look  at the Title  4 alcohol  beverage control                                                               
statutory  framework,  and with  a  social  norm campaign  around                                                               
underage  drinking  around the  state.  Science  is showing  that                                                               
negative ads are not as persuasive to kids as positive ads are.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS.  TOWNS-BAIN reported  on places  Alaskans can  look for  help                                                               
using a referral system in partnership with United Way 211.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:58:56 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR ELLIS moved  to report CS for HCR  19(HSS) from committee                                                               
with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR STEDMAN announced that without  objection, CSHCR 19(HSS) is                                                               
reported  from the  Senate Health  and  Social Services  Standing                                                               
Committee to the next committee of referral.