10/23/2003 01:20 PM House MLV

                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
            HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND                                                                           
                       VETERANS' AFFAIRS                                                                                      
                        October 23, 2003                                                                                        
                           1:20 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Bob Lynn, Chair                                                                                                  
Representative Beverly Masek, Vice Chair (via teleconference)                                                                   
Representative Nancy Dahlstrom                                                                                                  
Representative Sharon Cissna                                                                                                    
Representative Max Gruenberg                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hugh Fate                                                                                                        
Representative Bruce Weyhrauch                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
Representative Kevin Meyer                                                                                                      
Representative Les Gara                                                                                                         
Representative Harry Crawford                                                                                                   
Representative Eric Croft                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
OVERVIEW:  LEARN  ABOUT AND EXAMINE THE  PROCEDURES, STANDARDS OF                                                               
CARE,  PERSONAL  SAFETY, AND  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  CARE PLANS  FOR                                                               
RESIDENTS OF  ALASKA PIONEERS' HOMES  WITH A CASE  STUDY EMPHASIS                                                               
ON MILITARY VETERANS                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
TAPES                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
03-11, SIDE(S) A & B                                                                                                            
03-12, SIDE(S) A                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  BOB  LYNN  convened  the  meeting  of  the  House  Special                                                             
Committee  on  Military  and  Veterans'   Affairs  at  1:20  p.m.                                                               
Representatives  Lynn,  Masek  (via  teleconference),  Dahlstrom,                                                               
Cissna,  and  Gruenberg  were  present  at  the  call  to  order.                                                               
Representatives  Meyer, Gara,  Crawford, and  Croft were  also in                                                               
attendance.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION                                                                                                        
MARTY  MARGESON,   legal  representative  to   William  Margeson,                                                               
testified  on  his  behalf regarding  grievances  issued  on  the                                                               
quality of care received at the Anchorage Pioneers' Home.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
RON COWAN, Long  Term Care Ombudsman, Alaska  Mental Health Trust                                                               
Authority,  Department  of  Revenue, testified,  giving  a  brief                                                               
overview  regarding his  role in  investigations in  general, and                                                               
with William Margeson in particular.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SUSAN ARMSTRONG,  Deputy Long Term Care  Ombudsman, Alaska Mental                                                               
Health Trust Authority, Department of Revenue, testified.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
LISA CARESS-BEU, Senior Advocate for  the Center for Advocacy and                                                               
Rights  of  the  Elderly  (CARE),  testified.    She  stated  her                                                               
affiliation with  Mr. Margeson and  elaborated on  his subsequent                                                               
grievances with the home.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
[David  Frain, administrator  of  the  Anchorage Pioneers'  Home,                                                               
Division of Alaska Longevity Programs,  and John Vowell, director                                                               
of the  Division of Alaska  Longevity Programs, were  invited but                                                               
absent.]                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
The committee discussed the possibility  of future legislation to                                                               
improve  the  grievance process,  with  emphasis  on the  linkage                                                               
between the long-term care ombudsman and the licensing board.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Public testimony followed.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
ANNOUNCEMENTS                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There were no announcements.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
The committee took no action.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
NOTE:   The  meeting was  recorded.   A copy  of the  tape(s) and                                                               
witness  register(s)  may be  obtained  by  contacting the  House                                                               
Records Office  at State  Capitol, Room  3, Juneau,  Alaska 99801                                                               
(mailing address),  (907) 465-2214, and after  adjournment of the                                                               
second session of the Twenty-Third  Alaska State Legislature this                                                               
information  may  be  obtained   by  contacting  the  Legislative                                                               
Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.