Legislature(2025 - 2026)DAVIS 106
02/18/2025 03:15 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB73 | |
| HB70 | |
| HB27 | |
| HB14 | |
| Overview(s): Child Advocacy Centers | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 73 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 70 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 27 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 14 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 73-COMPLEX CARE RESIDENTIAL HOMES
3:19:19 PM
CHAIR MINA announced that the first order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 73, "An Act relating to complex care residential
homes; and providing for an effective date."
3:19:48 PM
ROBERT LAWRENCE, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Office of the
Commissioner, Department of Health, co-presented HB 73 on behalf
of the bill sponsor, House Rules by request of the governor. He
reviewed that the bill would establish a new residential license
type for complex care residential homes. The homes would
provide long-term residential care in a home-like setting for
those with complex behavioral and/or co-occurring medical and
disability-related needs.
3:20:40 PM
CHAIR MINA opened public testimony on HB 73. After ascertaining
there was no one who wished to testify, she closed public
testimony.
3:21:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked for confirmation that the proposed
legislation would apply to facilities - not to the people
working within them.
3:21:43 PM
EMILY RICCI, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner,
Department of Health, provided information and answered
questions on behalf of the sponsor of HB 73, House Rules by
request of the governor. She responded to a series of questions
from Representative Prax related to the function and timing of
the proposed complex care facilities. She spoke about the need
for legislation to be passed prior to creating regulation and
the expressed need for the facilities prompting efficiency of
putting those regulations in place get the facilities running.
3:25:18 PM
MS. RICCI, in response to Chair Mina. She said she does not
think there are specific care facilities that would convert to
complex care facilities under HB 73 even if they may be doing
their best currently to provide needed complex care. She
speculated that some of them may modify a portion of a building
or home to meet these needs. She further speculated that new
facilities may be built as a result of the proposed legislation.
3:26:52 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 3:27 p.m. [to address
technical issues].
3:27:46 PM
MS. RICCI, in response to Chair Mina, explained that the 15-
person limit per Alaska complex care residential home (CCRH)
[proposed in Section 4 of HB 73 reflects federal law that
establishes an institute for mental disease (IMD) exclusion
limiting use of Medicaid dollars. She clarified, "So, that
institute for mental disease prohibition against using Medicaid
funds to provide long-term care residential services does not
apply to facilities that are 16 beds or less."
3:30:26 PM
DR. LAWRENCE, in response to Chair Mina, said the vision is to
have multi-disciplinary services on site.
3:31:27 PM
MS. RICCI, in response to a question from Representative
Schwanke as to what would be gained with the proposed new
license type when facilities are already treating patients with
multiple conditions, proffered that the current mode of
operation may not be the most effective. For example, she said,
"We have this gap with individuals who need consistent support
in a way that is not available through an assisted living home
that is not funded or staffed at the levels of need that these
individuals require, or they are receiving care or treatment in
in-patient settings that are overly restrictive and are beyond
what they may need." She said HB 73 would create a facility
type that could be crafted for patients with specific needs.
She offered further examples.
3:35:03 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS recalled two individuals in that past that
were murdered by people who likely should have been in a CCRH.
He emphasized the urgency in getting this legislation passed in
response to the public safety aspect of the issue.
3:35:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS moved to report HB 73 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, HB 73 was reported out of the House
Health and Social Services Standing Committee.