HR 6: Encouraging the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority to develop its land and resources to the fullest extent possible consistent with its legal and moral responsibility to provide jobs and protect and enhance the lives of those who benefit from the mental health trust.
00 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 6 01 Encouraging the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority to develop its land and 02 resources to the fullest extent possible consistent with its legal and moral responsibility 03 to provide jobs and protect and enhance the lives of those who benefit from the mental 04 health trust. 05 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: 06 WHEREAS the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority is the trustee of the trust 07 established under the Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act of 1956, P.L. 84-830, 70 Stat. 709; 08 and 09 WHEREAS the mental health trust was established with more than 1,000,000 acres of 10 land and $200,000,000 to serve the beneficiaries of the trust with services related to mental 11 health and to enable the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority to act as a catalyst for change 12 in the systems and services that serve the beneficiaries of the trust; and 13 WHEREAS many of Alaska's most vulnerable citizens, who experience mental 14 illness, developmental disabilities, Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, alcohol and 15 substance addictions, traumatic brain injuries, and other mental health disabilities, are
01 beneficiaries of the mental health trust; and 02 WHEREAS many of these vulnerable Alaskans suffer neglect; sexual, physical, and 03 emotional abuse; homelessness; and exposure to domestic violence; and 04 WHEREAS many communities lack adequate mental health care and treatment 05 facilities; and 06 WHEREAS employment opportunities, treatment, education, and housing for 07 beneficiaries of the mental health trust are particularly limited in the rural areas of the state; 08 and 09 WHEREAS the lack of jobs in the rural areas of the state contributes to unlawful 10 behavior, feelings of despair, and, in extreme cases, suicide; and 11 WHEREAS more than 40 percent of the offenders in Alaska's correctional facilities 12 are beneficiaries of the mental health trust; and 13 WHEREAS many of the beneficiaries of the mental health trust who have access to 14 an adequate support program are capable of being employed; and 15 WHEREAS prevention and early intervention by mental health organizations can 16 prevent more costly institutional and intensive care; and 17 WHEREAS the costs of providing mental health care services are increasing; and 18 WHEREAS the Department of Health and Social Services, the Alaska Mental Health 19 Trust Authority, and other partner organizations work cooperatively to plan, budget, and 20 implement an integrated and comprehensive mental health program for the state; and 21 WHEREAS the ability of the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority to assist the state 22 in developing a better mental health program is largely dependent on the authority's ability to 23 generate revenue from the land and natural resources of the trust; and 24 WHEREAS development of the land held by the mental health trust creates jobs for 25 beneficiaries of the mental health trust and other Alaskans; 26 BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives encourages the Alaska Mental 27 Health Trust Authority to develop its land and resources to the fullest extent possible, 28 consistent with its legal and moral responsibility to provide jobs and protect and enhance the 29 lives of those who benefit from the mental health trust.