SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE March 20, 2015 1:35 p.m. 1:35:31 PM CALL TO ORDER Co-Chair MacKinnon called the Senate Finance Committee meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Anna MacKinnon, Co-Chair Senator Peter Micciche, Vice-Chair Senator Click Bishop Senator Mike Dunleavy Senator Donny Olson MEMBERS ABSENT Senator Pete Kelly, Co-Chair Senator Lyman Hoffman ALSO PRESENT Sana Efird, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Health and Social Services; Michael Frawley, Facilities Manager, Department of Health and Social Services. SUMMARY SB 26 BUDGET: CAPITAL SB 26 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further consideration. FY 16 BUDGET OVERVIEW: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES SENATE BILL NO. 26 "An Act making appropriations, including capital appropriations and other appropriations; making appropriations to capitalize funds; and providing for an effective date." 1:36:19 PM ^OVERVIEW: FY 16 BUDGET DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES 1:36:19 PM SANA EFIRD, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, introduced herself. MICHAEL FRAWLEY, FACILITIES MANAGER, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, introduced himself. Ms. Efird discussed the PowerPoint, "Results for Alaskans, Department of Health and Social Services, FY 2016 Capital Budget" (copy on file). Ms. Efird looked at slide 2, "FY 2016 Capital Request." The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Match for Code Blue was located in the Capital Budget bill. The other project, Mental Health Home Modification and Upgrades request was identified in the Mental Health Budget. The EMS request was $500,000 in general funds (GF), and the Home Modification request was $750,00 in GF and $300,000 of MHTAAR funding for a total of $1,050,000. Ms. Efird addressed slide 3, "Emergency Medical Services Match for Code Blue Projects - $500.0 GF Match." -Matches federal, local and private funds to purchase critical EMS equipment and ambulances -Serves all seven EMS Regions -Projects identified by Code Blue Steering Committee -Since program inception in FY 2002, over $20,500.0 has been leveraged. Senator Dunleavy wondered why the projects had ongoing requests. Ms. Efird replied that the issue was ongoing. There was a waitlist from every EMS regions each year. The request did not cover their universe of need for the projects. The EMS Code Blue would replace old equipment, so there was a constant turnover of old ambulances and other types of equipment. Senator Dunleavy wondered why the other project had ongoing requests. Ms. Efird replied with slide 4, "Mental Health Home Modification and Upgrades to Retain Housing - $1,050.0 ($750.0 GF/Co-Chair Hawker, $300.0 MHTAAR)": -Competitive capital grants -Provides housing modifications -Allows persons with a disability to remain in their homes -Approximately 125 families served each grant cycle -Grantees coordinate efforts 1:40:53 PM Senator Dunleavy wondered if this was the first year for the Home Modification, and whether there was leftover money from previous years. Ms. Efird responded that the program was created in 2002, and there was approximately $8 million appropriated since that time. Over $6 million of the total was expended, and the current grant cycle had encumbered the majority of that money, but had not been completely expended. Senator Dunleavy wondered which organization administered the program. Ms. Efird replied that it was a competitive grant program, and there were a number of grantees that she would provide to the committee. Vice-Chair Micciche asked if there were strict perimeters for whether the home modifications were needed for a specific case. Ms. Efird replied that there were perimeters under the solicitation and the agreements with the grantees, there were a number of specifications. For example, the grantee must require individuals to sign a promissory note for a period of three years, as a security agreement. Within that three-year period, the grant funds must be repaid, if the recipient no longer resides in the dwelling. Vice-Chair Micciche wondered if the state had a process to collect a removable high value home. Ms. Efird responded that there were funding limits. She shared that individuals with special needs could receive a maximum of $15,000 per home, and there were some other specifications on the amount of funding. She believed that the state would not recoup the funds after the three-year limit. Senator Dunleavy asked if the competitive bid process had any leftover from year to year. Ms. Efird replied that the entire amount of funding was appropriated, but there may be leftover funds through each grantee. That leftover money was used for another request for proposal (RFP). Co-Chair MacKinnon announced the following week's agenda. SB 26 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further consideration. ADJOURNMENT 1:46:34 PM The meeting was adjourned at 1:46 p.m.