Legislature(2013 - 2014)SENATE FINANCE 532
01/30/2014 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB121 | |
| Fy 15 Governor's Budget Overview: Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 121 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
January 30, 2014
9:06 a.m.
9:06:00 AM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Kelly called the Senate Finance Committee meeting
to order at 9:06 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Pete Kelly, Co-Chair
Senator Kevin Meyer, Co-Chair
Senator Anna Fairclough, Vice-Chair
Senator Click Bishop
Senator Mike Dunleavy
Senator Donny Olson
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman
ALSO PRESENT
Jeff Jessee, Chief Executive Officer, Alaska Mental Health
Trust Authority; Russ Webb, Trustee, Alaska Mental Health
Trust Authority. Mike Barton, Trustee, Alaska Mental Health
Trust Authority.
SUMMARY
SB 121 APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET
SB 121 was HEARD and HELD in committee for
further consideration.
SENATE BILL NO. 121
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and
capital expenses of the state's integrated
comprehensive mental health program."
9:06:35 AM
^FY 15 GOVERNOR'S BUDGET OVERVIEW: ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH
TRUST AUTHORITY
9:06:35 AM
Co-Chair Kelly discussed the day's schedule.
MIKE BARTON, TRUSTEE, ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH TRUST AUTHORITY,
introduced the PowerPoint presentation: "Alaska Mental
Health Trust Authority presentation to the Senate Finance
Committee."
9:08:15 AM
Mr. Barton began with slide 2: "Trustees."
· Mike Barton, chair
· Laraine Derr, vice chair
· Paula Easley, secretary
· William Doolittle, MD
· Mary Jane Michael
· Larry Norene
· Russ Webb
Mr. Barton continued with slide 3: "Trust Beneficiaries."
Alaskans with:
· Mental Illness; 34,479
· Developmental Disabilities; 12,784
· Chronic Alcoholism/substance abuse disorder;
21,000
· Alzheimer's disease and related dementia; 5,000
· Traumatic Brain Injury; 11,900
Mr. Barton detailed slide 4: "Guiding Principles."
Improve the lives of beneficiaries
· Education of the public and policymakers on
beneficiary needs
· Collaboration with advocates
· Maximize beneficiary input into programs
· Prioritize services for beneficiaries at risk of
institutionalization
· Useful and timely data for evaluation
· Include intervention and prevention components
· Provision of reasonably necessary beneficiary
services based on ability to pay
Mr. Barton continued with slide 5: "Advisors and Partners."
· Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
· Alaska Mental Health Board
· Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special
Education
· Alaska commission on Aging
· Commissioners of:
o Health and Social Services
o Revenue
o Natural Resources
o Corrections
· Alaska Brain Injury Network
· Statewide Suicide Prevention Council
· Alaska Court System
9:10:21 AM
Mr. Barton moved on to slide 6: "Trust Cash Assets - FY
13." The graph depicted the Trust's assets in FY 13.
Mr. Barton explained slide 7: "Trust Resource Portfolio."
The graphs showed the non-cash assets managed by the Trust
and Land Office in the Department of Natural Resources. He
mentioned that cash assets were managed by the Permanent
Fund Division of the Department of Revenue. The Trust had
full-fee ownership on 55 percent of the lands in the
settlement. The resources must be developed on the
remaining land for beneficiaries to see the intended
benefits.
9:11:57 AM
Mr. Barton discussed slide 8: "FY 15 Available Income." He
stated that the Trust fund payout was based on 4.25 percent
of the net asset values at approximately $19 million. A
lapse of the prior year's distributions and land office
income with interest combined with the payout equaled
approximately $26 million.
Co-Chair Kelly asked about a statutory formula for the
payout.
Mr. Barton pointed out slide 9: "Trust Focus Areas."
Promoting change in systems to better serve Trust
beneficiaries in a cost effective manner
· Bring the Kids Home
· Disability Justice
· Housing (new emphasis on long-term supports and
services)
· Beneficiary Projects (new emphasis on employment)
· Workforce Development
· Alcohol and Substance Abuse (new)
9:14:49 AM
JEFF JESSEE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH
TRUST AUTHORITY, discussed slide 10: "Bring the Kids Homes…
Investing Wisely." He stated that an evidence-based process
with a focus on outcomes allowed for optimal results. He
explained that Alaska had 430 kids housed out-of-state in
residential psychiatric treatment facilities at a cost of
more than $40 million.
Mr. Jessee informed the committee that out-of-state
institutions were expensive and the expenses were
increasing. He stated that the Murkowski administration
initially approached the Trust to address the problem many
years ago. A reinvestment of funds allowed progress with an
increase of support services for families and communities.
The Trust provided capital, allowing the initiative to
thrive throughout different administrations. He pointed out
that each governor had their own individual priorities that
could sometimes lose emphasis with new administrations. The
Trust could span those changes. The Trust spent $16 million
to continue the initiative.
9:17:58 AM
Mr. Jessee continued to discuss slide 10. He explained that
the Trust visited a model program in Maine to learn about a
facility that had successfully navigated some of the more
difficult behavioral health issues. He stated that one
solution was to work closely with families and community
providers on communication and behavior. If the kids could
communicate effectively and manage their behavior they
could remain with their families or in lower-level
programs.
9:19:53 AM
Mr. Jessee brought up the Alaskan Youth Initiative that
solved a similar problem in the past. The program was
dismantled after the problem was solved. Following the
completion of the Bring the Kids Home initiative, the Trust
promised to prevent a relapse. The program had less than
100 recipients at the time of the hearing.
Mr. Jessee stated that the Trust wished to avoid a similar
mistake in the final year of the Bring the Kids Home
initiative. He stated that the Trust's data framework would
actively monitor the costs of children sent out-of-state.
Data "trip wires" would provide early warning before
another crisis could occur.
9:21:18 AM
Mr. Jessee discussed slide 11: "Investing Wisely."
Investing Wisely
Complex Behavioral Collaborative
· Prevent inappropriate and costly institutional
placements (API, correctional facilities, and
out-of-state placements).
· Build capacity and expertise within the state to
serve individuals with complex behavioral needs
who have multiple dialing conditions.
Mr. Jessee shared a story about dementia. He noted that
proper staff training could prevent a wide range of
problems in an institution like the Pioneer Home. The Trust
helped the Pioneer Homes appropriately address dementia as
one example of the Complex Behavioral Collaborative (CBC).
Mr. Jessee credited Rita Sullivan on her efforts in
assembling a list of expert consultants in various areas of
disability and behavioral programming. The experts were
linked with facilities or families that would benefit most
from their expertise. The effort allowed beneficiaries to
remain in their homes or facilities as opposed to ascending
the intensity-of-service scale. The facilities benefit as
the skill level of the service providers grows. He stated
that the Trust increased their contribution in FY 13. The
program was fully funded with general fund mental health
funding in FY 14, with all increments classified as One
Time Increments (OTI).
9:25:33 AM
Mr. Jessee shared slide 12: "Outcomes of CBC." He noted
that expenses for 14 participants were approximately $600
thousand before their entry into the CBC and $400 thousand
afterward. He acknowledged that the CBC was not successful
with every single person. He stated that one beneficiary
with severe emotional problems cost a large amount of money
($140 thousand per year) to treat in the Lower 48. Another,
an adolescent was treated in a Lower 48 psychiatric
treatment facility that cost $90 per year. He pointed out
that the $200 thousand savings would continue through each
upcoming annual cycle. He believed that the investment made
sense, from a fiscal policy standpoint. He quoted
Representative Mike Newman "we can't cut our way to a
sustainable budget; somehow, we have to cut our front-end
costs over the long term." The Trust believed that CBC
accomplished the goal.
9:27:58 AM
Mr. Jessee detailed slide 13: "Disability Justice…Investing
Wisely?" The graph was presented to the legislature by ISER
to project prison population figures in Alaska. The red
dotted line depicted a potential scenario including the use
of strategies to reduce recidivism. The slide concluded
that Alaska would not benefit from those strategies as they
had yet to be implemented. He recalled recent discussions
about the need for a new prison.
9:29:15 AM
Mr. Jessee discussed slide 14: "Clinical Characteristics
Trust Beneficiaries in the Department of Corrections." He
stated that 42 percent of inmates in the Department of
Corrections were trust beneficiaries, while 38 percent
qualified because of their chronic alcohol use. He added
that 26 percent of inmates would qualify for benefits based
on diagnosed mental illness.
Mr. Jessee slide 15: "A Legacy for Alaska; addressing the
impacts of alcohol." He recalled last year's committee
conversation and the challenge issued by Co-Chair Kelly
regarding Alaska's difficult social legacy with alcohol.
Mr. Jessee slide 16: "Annual cost of alcohol in Alaska."
The interest in the legacy was due to the $670 million in
lost productivity within private sector industry. The state
felt the impact of the $200 million for criminal justice
and protective services and $237 million for health care.
Mr. Jessee continued with slide 17: "Impacts of Alcohol and
Substance Abuse in Alaska."
· 18,296 alcohol-related arrests
· 7,996 victims of alcohol and drug associated crimes
· 45,500 days of hospital care associated to alcohol and
drug related injury
· 2,239 nursing home and long-term care days attributed
to alcohol and drugs
· 26.9 per 10,000 live births annually or approximately
700 babies per year are FAS/D
· 27 percent (66,260) Alaskans experienced at least one
alcohol or drug involved sexual assault or forcible
rape in their lifetime
· 45 percent of suicides were proven or suspected
intoxication
9:32:05 AM
RUSS WEBB, TRUSTEE, THE ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH TRUST
AUTHORITY, spoke to the issues of alcohol abuse in Alaska.
He discussed slide 18: "Focus on impacts of alcohol and
substance abuse."
Interventions will be outcome focused and will:
· emphasize prevention and early intervention
· decrease the negative impacts of alcohol on
Alaskan families
· reduce the long-term financial burden on state
and local budgets
9:33:18 AM
Mr. Webb continued with slide 19: "Focus on Impacts of
Alcohol and Substance Abuse."
Solutions must be comprehensive
Prevention and early intervention with children and
families
· Education
· Early child mental health system
· Primary Care
Harm reduction
· Housing programs and community-based supports
Cross systems collaborations
· Reduce silos and maximize cross system/sector
collaboration
Access to treatment
· Increased and improved access
· Same day access and other business efficiencies
· Patient Centered Medical Home
Enhanced tribal partnerships
Environmental strategies
· Title 4
9:36:02 AM
Mr. Webb shared a story about his wife who was a district
court judge. He stated that his wife ordered alcohol
rehabilitation for people who were then placed on a waiting
list for longer than six months. He stated that most people
on those lists racked-up other offenses during the time
that they were waiting for rehabilitation services; costing
the state more money. He discussed the impact of the lag
time on the criminal justice system. He advocated for same-
day access, patient-centered medical care and other methods
that encouraged a holistic approach through the medical
system.
9:38:27 AM
Mr. Webb discussed slide 20: "Legacy Investments."
Maximizing Impact
· Trust focus on Alcohol and Substance Abuse
· Recover Alaska
· Mat-Su Health Foundation substance abuse and
trauma emphasis
· Alaska Resiliency Partnership
· Empowering Hope
Mr. Webb discussed slide 21: "Trust Focus: Alcohol and
Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment."
· Trustees committed to addressing alcohol and substance
abuse
· Trustees committed $400.0 in FY 14 and $1,000.0 FY 15
· Emphasis addressing the whole continuum of care from
prevention to recovery
9:40:28 AM
Mr. Webb discussed slide 22: "Recover Alaska."
· Joint Leadership (Rasmuson Foundation, Mat-Su Health
Foundation
· Partnerships
· Strategies
o Communications/Media Partnership
o Polling
o Advocacy
o one Stop Shop
o Positive Social Norms
Mr. Webb noted slide 23: "Mat-Su Health Foundation:
substance abuse and trauma emphasis."
Community Health Assessment
· Household survey, workplace survey, local health
policy assessment, 23 community meetings
Alcohol and substance abuse was identified as the top
issue in Mat-Su
Top two goals identified through a community process:
· Having a community where all children are safe
and well-cared for
· Where people do not use drugs and are sober or
drank responsibly
9:42:28 AM
Mr. Webb discussed slide 24: "Adverse Childhood
Experiences."
Adverse Child Experiences (ACEs) is one of the largest
investigations conducted by Kaiser Permanente and the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to
assess impact of childhood maltreatment and later-life
health and well-being.
Child traumatic experiences utilized to determine ACE
score:
· child abuse and neglect
· exposure to domestic violence household member
abusing alcohol/drugs
· depressed, mentally ill or suicidal family member
· family member incarcerated
· divorce/separation
9:44:25 AM
Mr. Webb discussed slide 25: "Adverse Childhood
Experiences."
Adult alcoholism and substance abuse increases
exponentially with the higher number of adverse
experiences
Alaska Resiliency Partnership
· The Trust
· Alaska Children's Trust
· Mat-Su Health Foundation
· Rasmuson Foundation
· Alaska Mental Health Board
· Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
· Department of Health and Social Services
· University of Alaska Anchorage
· Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
· First Alaskans Institute
Mr. Webb discussed slide 26: "The Empowering Hope Group."
Executive level think-tank focusing on Alaska's
critical health and social challenges
9:45:17 AM
Co-Chair Kelly introduced the Empowering Hope Leadership
Team. He founded the group following the 2013 overview
provided by the Trust last session. He recalled feeling
surprised that Alaska was facing similar problems to those
he witnessed 18 years ago. He pointed out that Vice-chair
Fairclough was also a member of the Empowering Hope
Leadership Team. He acknowledged that his initial intention
was to save Alaska from all of the problems that plagued
the state. After an initial review, the focus was reduced
to addressing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
Co-Chair Kelly explained that the group chose to leave the
experienced Trust in charge of serving the victims of FASD.
The Empowering Hope Leadership Team's focus was the
eradication of FASD. He stated that the group utilized the
phrase "leg brace" as an analogy to Jonas Salk and the
discovery of the polio vaccine. While other doctors applied
the leg braces needed to help those already afflicted with
polio, Salk chose to eradicate the disease.
9:50:30 AM
Co-Chair Kelly explained that the Empowering Hope
Leadership Team was a "think tank" to develop consensus.
The members were Mark Hamilton, Reggie Joule, Norm
Phillips, Niesje Steinkruger, Val Davidson and Jeff Jessee.
He referred to slide 27: "Empowering Hope; Strategic
Priorities."
1. Eradicate the occurrence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder in Alaska.
a. Alaska has the highest documented FAS birth
prevalence in the United States.
b. Each child born with FAS/D will cost the state
of Alaska between $860 thousand to $4.2 million
over the course of his/her lifetime
2. Empower "Natural Responders" in communities
throughout Alaska
a. "Natural Responders" within a community are
primary support providers to fellow community
members in crisis. "Natural Responders" may or
may not be in leadership positions within their
communities
3. Mitigate infrastructure barriers to ensure healthy,
thriving communities
a. Address rural Alaska's access to care challenges
Co-Chair Kelly noted that the problem of FASD was
particularly acute in rural Alaska. The communities in
rural Alaska were so small and separate with a lack of
infrastructure. He hoped that members of rural communities
would help to educate and empower women to stop drinking
alcohol during pregnancy. He understood the need for a
large-scale public relations campaign to enable a better
understanding of FASD.
9:54:59 AM
Co-Chair Kelly continued to discuss the Empowering Hope
Leadership Team. Identification of the infrastructure
barriers was a key aspect of the solution. He noted the
process of including private enterprise in the solution.
The effort must outlast the organization of the think tank.
He stated that the intention was not to gain status as a
non-profit organization. He spoke about a potential
collaboration with the Alaska Wellness Coalition. He hoped
to provide a model for other states in the nation.
Co-Chair Kelly thanked Jeff Jessee for his help and many
efforts.
9:57:52 AM
Vice-Chair Fairclough echoed the statements made by Co-
Chair Kelly. She explained that the words "Empowering Hope"
were meant to inspire. She believed that if any mother
understood the damage that they were causing their child
for the rest of their lives, they would not make the choice
to drink alcohol during pregnancy. The group wished to
empower women to make a different decision while helping
them to understand that one drink of alcohol does matter.
The group found that the medical community directed women
differently in regards to alcohol. She noted that there was
not a consistent message about alcohol's harmful effects
during pregnancy. She wished to gather the medical
community to deliver a consistent message about drinking
alcohol during pregnancy. She strongly believed that a
mother would never do damage intentionally.
Co-Chair Kelly pointed out that people who suffer from FASD
were more likely to produce babies with FASD. He added that
women with children afflicted with FASD often produced
additional children with FASD. He stated that affecting
community members with the hyper realization regarding the
risks of alcohol in pregnancy could help those faced with
addiction.
10:01:00 AM
Vice-Chair Fairclough recalled a presentation where a woman
was asked why she continued to birth babies with FASD, and
her reply was that the state kept taking her babies away.
She stated that decisions made by government officials
often had unforeseen reactions.
Co-Chair Kelly stated that the group was planning to
introduce two separate resolutions. He anticipated that he
would have the support of the administration.
10:03:36 AM
Mr. Jessee highlighted the opportunity to set objective
benchmarks. He suggested that one benchmark might be to
reduce recidivism into the criminal justice system. He
stated that the Trust learned to identify a quantifiable
target whether financial or otherwise to focus their data
around. He asked if a rallying point existed.
Vice-chair Fairclough stated that identification of
children with FASD would allow the group to help prevent
future pregnancies for the woman afflicted with untreated
alcoholism. She discussed teenage pregnancies as a
potential health indicator. She stated that the group would
look to the Trust to help guide investment decisions.
10:05:29 AM
Mr. Jessee suggested identifying a quantifiable goal and
determining individual strategies later. He suggested
searching for larger indicators that the state could be
rallied around.
Co-Chair Kelly pointed out that there was very little known
about state expenses in response to alcoholism. He recalled
a document generated by Legislative Research Services. The
data suggested that the Alaska's alcohol problems were
prevalent and pervasive.
10:07:24 AM
Senator Dunleavy suggested the document: "Legislative
Research Report; Public Funding for Programs in Alaska
Targeting Alcohol and Substance Abuse by Source and State
Fiscal Year, FY 2003 -2012 (copy on file)." He noted that
state funding for alcohol related issues in 2003 was
$1,146,600, while federal funding was $2,605,046. He noted
that 2012 saw a twelve-fold increase in spending.
Co-Chair Kelly replied that the twelve-fold increase was
for identifiable expenses alone. He stated that Legislative
Research Services had alluded to even greater spending upon
further investigation.
Senator Dunleavy clarified that the total alcohol related
state spending over a nine-year period was $362,897,000.
10:08:59 AM
Senator Olson applauded the efforts of Co-Chair Kelly and
Vice-chair Fairclough. He admitted that he, as a physician
could accomplish immediate results by applying a leg brace
for a patient. He agreed that the problem of FAS was
monumental and he wished that he had a similar vision.
Co-Chair Kelly shared a story about Senator Olson
10:11:33 AM
Senator Bishop acknowledged that the subject matter was
difficult for him. He asked about slide 17 and the 7,996
victims of alcohol and drug associated crimes. He wondered
about the potential for unreported numbers.
Mr. Jessee replied that the university performed research
regarding unreported rates of domestic violence and sexual
assault associated with the governor's Choose Respect
campaign. He stated that the study found large numbers of
unreported domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska.
Many of the instances involved alcohol.
10:13:35 AM
Senator Dunleavy asked about the program in place without
research data. He asked about program inventory and
wondered about an attached research model or a data-
gathering mechanism attached to determine the program's
impact. He asked about benchmarks and the potential to
abandon an unsuccessful program.
10:14:51 AM
Mr. Jessee stated that the Trust was undergoing a
behavioral health system assessment.
Mr. Webb added that good data drove the Trust's decisions.
He pointed out the lack of good information regarding the
capacity of the mental health system in the state. He
stated that the Trust planned to establish a baseline to
help make these difficult decisions. He stated that perfect
information was difficult to obtain. He had anecdotal
information about a gap in services because of waiting
lists for addiction treatment. Hard data regarding the
needs was difficult to come by. He added that people with
coexisting mental illnesses often ended up in the criminal
justice system. He stated that the hard data would be
provided to the committee and the legislature once the
difficult process of retrieving it was completed. He stated
that the Trust and the commissioner were interested in
moving toward an evidence-based system.
10:18:13 AM
Mr. Jessee furthered that the Division of Behavioral Health
had made strides in achieving outcome measures from the
programs. He had been working with the department for an
acuity adjustment factor to encourage the system to move
toward the target population. He advocated for clear goals
from the legislature. He sat with the Criminal Justice
Working Group, which was assembled with various department
members discussing the problem of recidivism. He suggested
the Department of Health and Social Services, Department of
Labor and Workforce Development and Alaska Housing Finance
Corporation (AHFC).
10:21:25 AM
Mr. Webb added that a good target was crucial. He used
sobriety from alcohol treatment as an example. He stated
that the programs did not have the capacity to track their
clients. He recalled testimony stating that treatment did
not work. The expectation was for treatment to fix alcohol
problems. He compared problems with alcohol to other health
issues such as hypertension. Both alcoholism and
hypertension required diligence on behalf of the person
suffering from the health problem. He opined that the
sobriety target should be set differently.
Mr. Webb mentioned judicial council studies from the early
1990s stating that 78 percent of misdemeanants were under
the influence of alcohol when they committed the crime. He
stated that 90 percent of serious felons were under the
influence of alcohol when they committed the crime. The
offences were not categorized as alcohol-related. He
advocated for setting the target at reducing recidivism
among people with alcohol problems. Another target would be
reducing the number of rapes and robberies committed under
the influence of alcohol. He suggested the targets because
they drove expenditures in the state budget.
10:26:14 AM
Mr. Jessee urged the use of careful targets. He mentioned
discussions with the governor's office regarding domestic
violence issues. He explained that decreasing the reported
rate of domestic violence would seem like a valid goal, but
a better target would be to increase the reported rate
because a situation would not warrant intervention without
a report. He suggested that aggressive law enforcement,
prosecution and incarceration might have the opposite
effects. The reported rate might be driven down because
victims were reluctant to report domestic violence.
Mr. Jessee suggested strategies that encouraged victims to
report the crime because they feel that a report would
bring a positive outcome. The reported rate would be higher
initially. He stressed that the goal setting process was
crucial to any initiative.
Mr. Webb added that while the reported rate might increase,
the repeat offenders should be the target for the short
term.
Co-Chair Meyer stated that he was also involved with the
treatment of FAS. His focus was on the education system. He
stated that a progressive bill was heard a couple of years
ago, involving the court system. He was encouraged by Co-
Chair Kelly's efforts to prevent FASD. He stated that the
state experienced recent successes with tobacco cessation.
He mentioned the tobacco cessation settlement that allowed
for a steady media campaign.
Co-Chair Meyer discussed society's difficulty with
discussing mental illness. He noted that sympathy was given
to those with physical illness, while mental illnesses were
looked at differently. He encouraged open conversations
about mental illness. He advocated for further discussion
during the budgeting process. He wondered if the state
would be making a similar or preventable mistake if
marijuana was legalized. He wondered if the state should be
more progressive with greater intervention. He wondered if
the state would pay a future price for the decision of
legalizing marijuana.
10:32:19 AM
Mr. Barton stated that the Trust had not discussed the
issue of legalizing marijuana. He assured the committee
that the conversation would occur between members of the
Trust in the near future.
Co-Chair Meyer suggested that the Trust announce their
position before the issue was before the people in August
2014. He believed that the topic deserved thoughtful
discussion.
10:33:48 AM
Co-Chair Kelly requested help from Mr. Jessee and Mr. Webb
to develop the necessary benchmarks. He advocated for
inclusion of the commissioner of Department of Health and
Social Services.
Mr. Jessee stated that many addictive behaviors had a
variety of consequences. He stated that policy makers
determined the legality of those behaviors and the
consequences for a violation of state law. He believed that
a description of the impacts of certain substances were
easier for Trust members to decipher. The issue of legality
was for the policy makers to determine. He stressed that
his movement did not have prohibitionist intent. The goal
was to manage the negative consequences of overuse or
inappropriate use of substances or behaviors. He shared a
story about himself related to alcoholism recovery and the
criticism faced by those in the limelight. He believed that
the anonymous piece of Alcoholics Anonymous prevented the
necessary social progress. He compared the issue to the
AIDS where society was encouraged to treat AIDS victims as
normal members. He believed that the moral dimension of
alcoholism retarded potential problem solving.
10:37:27 AM
Mr. Webb added that the Trust supported employment for its
beneficiaries.
Co-Chair Kelly appreciated the efforts of the Trust.
SB 121 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
10:38:19 AM
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10:38 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 013014 Jan 30 presentation to Senate Finance FINAL.pdf |
SFIN 1/30/2014 9:00:00 AM |
Mental Health Budget |
| 013014 EconomicCostofAlcoholandDrugAbuse2012.pdf |
SFIN 1/30/2014 9:00:00 AM |
Alaska Mental Health Trust |