Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106

04/13/2023 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

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Audio Topic
03:05:07 PM Start
03:06:22 PM State Medical Board|| Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Board
04:18:30 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Consideration of Governor’s Appointees: Alaska TELECONFERENCED
Mental Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees -
Anita Halterman and John Morris; State Medical
Board - Dave Barns
-- Public Testimony --
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
+= HB 115 NATUROPATHS: LICENSING; PRACTICE TELECONFERENCED
<Bill Hearing Canceled>
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
      HOUSE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                     
                         April 13, 2023                                                                                         
                           3:05 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Mike Prax, Chair                                                                                                 
Representative Justin Ruffridge, Vice Chair                                                                                     
Representative CJ McCormick                                                                                                     
Representative Dan Saddler                                                                                                      
Representative Jesse Sumner                                                                                                     
Representative Zack Fields                                                                                                      
Representative Genevieve Mina                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
All members present                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
State Medical Board                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     David Barnes  Anchorage                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     - ADVANCED                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mental Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Anita Halterman - Eagle River                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     John Morris - Anchorage                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     - ADVANCED                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
No previous action to record                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
DAVID BARNES, MD, Appointee                                                                                                     
State Medical Board                                                                                                             
Wasilla, Alaska                                                                                                                 
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified as  appointee to the State Medical                                                             
Board.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
ANITA HALTERMAN, Appointee                                                                                                      
Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees                                                                          
Eagle River, Alaska                                                                                                             
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified as  appointee to the Alaska Mental                                                             
Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
JOHN MORRIS, MD, Appointee                                                                                                      
Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees                                                                          
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified as  appointee to the Alaska Mental                                                             
Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:05:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MIKE PRAX  called  the House  Health  and Social  Services                                                             
Standing   Committee    meeting   to    order   at    3:05   p.m.                                                               
Representatives  Ruffridge, McCormick,  Saddler, Sumner,  Fields,                                                               
Mina, and Prax were present at the call to order.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)                                                                                                        
^State Medical Board                                                                                                            
^Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                    ^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)                                                                                    
                      ^State Medical Board                                                                                      
          ^Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Board                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:06:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX  announced that  the only order  of business  would be                                                               
the  consideration of  the governor's  appointees  for the  State                                                               
Medical Board and the Alaska  Mental Health Trust Authority Board                                                               
of Trustees.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:06:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVID BARNES,  MD, Appointee, State  Medical Board,  testified as                                                               
the appointee  to the State  Medical Board.   He shared  his life                                                               
experience previous to becoming a  doctor, which included being a                                                               
licensed flight instructor and working  for the National Security                                                               
Agency.  He detailed his medical  training and his first years of                                                               
practice as a hospitalist in Denver.   He stated that he accepted                                                               
a  position in  Palmer in  2003,  where he  and his  veterinarian                                                               
wife, five kids, and pets have lived since.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
DR. BARNES stated that because of  the large amount of people who                                                               
live  "off  the road,"  Alaska  is  a  unique place  to  practice                                                               
medicine.   He spoke to  his experience working with  patients in                                                               
many remote  villages and he illustrated  the difficulties facing                                                               
medical care in rural Alaska.   He reported that his colleague is                                                               
often  the only  medical staff  present in  the village  clinics,                                                               
which means  patients often need  to be transported  to Anchorage                                                               
for care, and  this accompanies many issues of  having to receive                                                               
care away  from home,  including inability  to travel  because of                                                               
weather  conditions, receiving  care from  unfamiliar physicians,                                                               
and delays  in procedure  scheduling, which  causes unanticipated                                                               
needs  for  housing, clothing,  food,  and  other expenses.    He                                                               
contributed  many   of  these   challenges  to   Alaska's  unique                                                               
geography and  infrastructure.  He applauded  the legislature for                                                               
addressing part  of the  root problem by  passing HB  265 [passed                                                               
during  the thirty-second  Alaska State  Legislature] which  gave                                                               
doctors the  ability to  practice via  telehealth.   He described                                                               
telehealth as an invaluable tool in providing care to Alaskans.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
DR.   BARNES   expressed   the  understanding   that   the   main                                                               
responsibilities  of the  Board of  Medicine is  to regulate  the                                                               
practice  of  medicine  per Alaska  Statute,  contribute  to  the                                                               
professionalism of  Alaska's medical community, and  protect both                                                               
the public  and health care  providers.  He cited  his experience                                                               
in  rural  Alaska,  in  metropolitan  hospitals,  and  with  both                                                               
inpatient and outpatient  care as "invaluable" to  his ability to                                                               
fulfil these responsibilities.  He  shared that his background as                                                               
a  pilot has  given him  a focus  on self-evaluation  and staying                                                               
current  with  technology,  which  is  also  imperative  to  this                                                               
position.    He expressed  hope  that  he  would be  granted  the                                                               
opportunity to contribute to the board.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:12:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS questioned how  the state could address the                                                               
lack of care  for people on Medicare.  He  asked what the process                                                               
is of taking in a Medicare patient.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
DR. BARNES described the Medicare issue  as a "can of worms."  He                                                               
referenced a bill  that had passed when he first  moved to Alaska                                                               
that had  increased the reimbursement rate  for Medicare patients                                                               
to over  40 percent  more than the  nationwide rate;  however, it                                                               
had  been allowed  to  eventually  sunset.   He  stated that  now                                                               
Medicare is  a significant  problem for  physicians, as  they are                                                               
facing greater  financial pressure.   He reported  that insurance                                                               
companies  have  reduced  reimbursements  to the  point  where  a                                                               
physician would  only be paid $100  to $120 for a  standard hour-                                                               
long  appointment  with  a  Medicare patient.    He  opined  that                                                               
physicians would go bankrupt under  these pay rates, and it would                                                               
be a felony to charge more.   He shared that many patients do not                                                               
understand   that  secondary   insurance  does   not  cover   the                                                               
difference.    He expressed  the  belief  that "firing"  Medicare                                                               
patients  is unethical,  but  many physicians  have  had to  stop                                                               
seeing Medicare patients to keep from  going out of business.  He                                                               
reported that about  50 percent of his patients  are Medicare and                                                               
Medicaid participants,  and he  has been able  to afford  this by                                                               
hiring  a  physician's  assistant  (PA)  who  sees  his  Medicare                                                               
patients.   He commented that  change would  have to happen  at a                                                               
federal level.   He  reiterated that  at the  moment there  is an                                                               
immense amount of pressure on physicians.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FIELDS expressed  appreciation  for the  insight.                                                               
He expressed the  hope that if Dr. Barnes is  confirmed, he would                                                               
continue  to  educate  the  legislature  on what  it  can  do  to                                                               
maintain access for young children and older Alaskans.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
DR.  BARNES  responded  that  Medicare   and  Medicaid  are  both                                                               
federally funded; therefore,  there are not many  options for the                                                               
state legislature  on effecting change.   He stated  that medical                                                               
practices are businesses  and, while he is  interested in working                                                               
with  the  legislature  on  the  Medicare  issues,  he  expressed                                                               
uncertainty on what could be done at the state level.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:17:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RUFFRIDGE inquired  about the  use of  telehealth                                                               
services and questioned its future use.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
DR. BARNES described using telehealth  as "glitchy," and he noted                                                               
that  many  elderly patients  do  not  understand how  it  works.                                                               
Also, he expressed  the concern that patients put  too much trust                                                               
in telehealth,  as many  issues need to  be diagnosed  in person.                                                               
However,  he   reported  that  it   has  also   been  beneficial,                                                               
especially in  the treatment  of COVID-19  patients who  were too                                                               
ill to come  into a physical office.   He added that  it has been                                                               
an incredible  help for  providing care to  remote villages.   He                                                               
reported that increasing access to  devices that allow doctors to                                                               
listen to  the heart  and take blood  pressure remotely  would be                                                               
beneficial; however, he noted that  the initial cost is high, and                                                               
private practitioners do not have access to these devices.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:19:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  asked about the practicality  and utility                                                               
of  direct  health  care  agreements,  or  "concierge  care,"  in                                                               
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
DR. BARNES tied the question  back to the issue of reimbursement,                                                               
stating that  if physicians continue  to be  pushed [financially]                                                               
they would have  to choose to go out of  business, group together                                                               
to  provide rationed  health care,  or go  into a  concierge care                                                               
model.  He posited that  concierge care is problematic because it                                                               
is only  available to  those who  can afford  it.   He maintained                                                               
that people  should find  health care affordable.   He  said that                                                               
there were "good and bad" aspects to concierge care.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:20:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   SADDLER    expressed   appreciation    for   the                                                               
acknowledgement  of "gray"  areas in  these complex  issues.   He                                                               
mentioned that efforts are currently  being made through proposed                                                               
legislation in the Senate to raise Medicare reimbursement rates.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
DR. BARNES  expressed the  opinion that  there is  no alternative                                                               
but to raise the reimbursement rates.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:21:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FIELDS referred  to  the  Department of  Health's                                                               
(DOH's) Healthy Families  Initiative.  He stated  that this would                                                               
focus on  bettering public  health measures  in order  to improve                                                               
societal outcomes,  such as increased literacy  and the reduction                                                               
of incarceration rates.   He questioned the role  the board would                                                               
have in these policy efforts made by DOH.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
DR. BARNES  expressed the hope  that the  state would be  able to                                                               
achieve  these  kinds  of   "incredible  outcomes;"  however,  he                                                               
expressed uncertainty  on the board  having a  direct interaction                                                               
with  these  goals.    He  expressed  the  understanding  that  a                                                               
position  on  the   board  would  be  spent   in  supervision  of                                                               
physicians  and  health  care  providers  to  make  sure  medical                                                               
practices are  safe for patients.   He expressed  the willingness                                                               
to  support this  push towards  better public  health as  much as                                                               
possible.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:22:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK requested that  Dr. Barnes expand on his                                                               
experience in remote Alaska.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DR. BARNES  replied that he  has patients in  Dillingham, Bethel,                                                               
and  other  villages.    He said  these  patients  are  typically                                                               
teachers who  can travel to see  him during breaks in  the school                                                               
calendar.    He  reported  that their  main  complaints  are  the                                                               
limited  access  to  health  care,  medication,  and  the  travel                                                               
requirement to receive services.   He stated that telehealth is a                                                               
step towards a solution to  these problems, and he suggested that                                                               
more PAs  and nurse practitioners  in places off the  road system                                                               
would be  helpful.   He expressed uncertainty  on how  to achieve                                                               
solutions.  He mentioned that  state versus federal funding would                                                               
be a big part of the puzzle.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:24:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER   mentioned  Dr.   Barnes'  "interesting"                                                               
career  trajectory and  asked  what motivated  him  to move  from                                                               
Russian   studies  and   international  security   to  practicing                                                               
medicine.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
DR. BARNES  responded that the  collapse of the Soviet  Union had                                                               
instigated his career change.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:24:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MINA thanked Dr.  Barnes for his positive comments                                                               
on telehealth and House Bill 265.   She expressed the belief that                                                               
regulating telehealth  by the  medical board  is essential.   She                                                               
questioned  his  perspective  on  health equity  and  the  social                                                               
determinants  of health  that can  cause  different outcomes  for                                                               
certain populations.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
DR.  BARNES reported  that there  are certain  diseases that  can                                                               
disproportionally   effect   certain    populations,   and   some                                                               
medications work  better for  some populations  over others.   He                                                               
referenced his experience in Texas  working with the Hispanic and                                                               
Native populations.   He acknowledged  that the question  is very                                                               
complex, and he  posited that expanding health care  to all would                                                               
be the first step to address  it.  He suggested that getting more                                                               
providers  into  Alaska would  help  fix  the shortage  of  care,                                                               
especially in  villages.  However,  he recognized  the challenges                                                               
with recruiting people for those kinds of positions.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:27:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX  introduced that the next  appointee for consideration                                                               
would  be Anita  Halterman  for the  Alaska  Mental Health  Trust                                                               
Authority Board of Trustees.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:27:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ANITA HALTERMAN, Appointee, Alaska  Mental Health Trust Authority                                                               
Board  of  Trustees, testified  as  an  appointee to  the  Alaska                                                               
Mental Health  Trust Authority  (AMHTA) Board  of Trustees.   She                                                               
shared  that she  has  been  a public  servant  for  most of  her                                                               
career, and  she is being  reappointed to the Board  of Trustees.                                                               
She stated  that after being appointed  in 2019, she has  had the                                                               
opportunity  to  fill several  leadership  roles  for the  board,                                                               
including chair.   She described  her service on the  AMHTA board                                                               
as an "enlightening  and powerful journey" that  has provided her                                                               
with a  better understanding  of the mental  health needs  in the                                                               
state  and the  many  programs  funded through  the  trust.   She                                                               
expressed enjoyment in  giving back to her community,  as she has                                                               
been  able  to  work  with  AMHTA  beneficiaries  throughout  her                                                               
career.   She expressed the  desire to continue working  with the                                                               
board  to  shape meaningful  reform  for  Alaska's mental  health                                                               
programs.   She shared her  childhood experience in  foster care,                                                               
which  was because  of the  mental health  issues in  her family.                                                               
After meeting her  husband during their service  in the military,                                                               
she stated  that they  moved to  Alaska and  have lived  in Eagle                                                               
River for 28  years.  She shared that while  working as the chief                                                               
of staff for  an Alaska legislator, she received  her master's in                                                               
business administration.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS.  HALTERMAN  reported that  she  has  an extensive  background                                                               
working  for the  Department  of Health  and  Social Services  in                                                               
Alaska, and  in Iowa she  worked for  the Medicaid program.   She                                                               
continued that  for the last seven  years she has worked  for the                                                               
Division of  Senior and Disability  Services.  She  reported that                                                               
she  had  worked  with  the   Department  of  Health  and  Social                                                               
Services'  budget development  for many  years, gaining  a better                                                               
understanding  of  the  funding  for  regulatory  budgets.    She                                                               
reiterated  that she  has dedicated  her career  to working  with                                                               
underserved populations, and she  shared her personal experiences                                                               
with the mental health problems  in the state, including the loss                                                               
of  her daughter  to  addiction.   She  emphasized her  continued                                                               
efforts  in studying  the issues  surrounding  mental health  and                                                               
looking  for new  solutions on  behalf of  AMHTA's beneficiaries.                                                               
She posited that her experience  in the public sector has allowed                                                               
her to bring a new perspective,  such as the focus on issues like                                                               
the globalization  of the workforce.   She expressed the  hope to                                                               
continue using her  experience to reform programs  to sustain the                                                               
future  populations.   She expressed  anticipation in  working in                                                               
partnership with  the legislature,  state departments,  and other                                                               
stakeholders  to build  an  integrated  and comprehensive  mental                                                               
health program  that best serves  Alaskans, while  protecting and                                                               
enhancing the trust to maximize its impact.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:35:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  shared that Ms. Halterman  is his friend,                                                               
and he commented  on her exemplary service in the  community.  He                                                               
thanked her for her work with  AMHTA.  He questioned how well the                                                               
trust is providing for its beneficiaries.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. HALTERMAN  replied that AMHTA  has been  doing "phenomenally"                                                               
well  in its  resource development  and investment-based  income.                                                               
She  pointed  out  that  the   Permanent  Fund  Division  of  the                                                               
Department of  Revenue (DOR) manages  most of  AMHTA's resources.                                                               
She credited the Trust Land  Office with managing its real estate                                                               
holdings in  a way that  has maximized  the trust's income.   She                                                               
pointed out that  the portfolio it has built is  impressive.  She                                                               
acknowledged  that   AMHTA  could  improve  in   its  beneficiary                                                               
engagement  by better  communicating the  importance of  resource                                                               
development  to Alaskans,  but  she stated  that  it is  actively                                                               
working  to increase  public understanding  of  the link  between                                                               
resource development and  the services that AMHTA  provides.  She                                                               
asked Representative  Saddler to restate  the second part  of his                                                               
question pertaining to beneficiaries.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER asked  to  what degree  AMHTA serves  its                                                               
beneficiaries,   and   he   requested  a   description   of   its                                                               
beneficiaries.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. HALTERMAN explained  that the beneficiaries of  the trust are                                                               
defined  in statute.   She  reported that  the beneficiaries  are                                                               
people  affected  by  substance  abuse  and  mental  health  that                                                               
receive services through government  agencies or nonprofits.  She                                                               
stated that  the funding  generated through  resource development                                                               
is  supplied  to  organizations that  serve  populations  falling                                                               
under the definition of an AMHTA beneficiary in statute.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. HALTERMAN described AMHTA as  a funder of projects and opined                                                               
that it  is only as  strong as  its partnerships.   She explained                                                               
that AMHTA  can only fund  projects that are "shovel  ready," but                                                               
it  works with  organizations through  technical support  to help                                                               
projects that  are "on  the edge" of  qualifying.   She expressed                                                               
the desire to help fund projects  for those entities who have not                                                               
requested it.   She emphasized the trust's work  on improving its                                                               
ability  to  help  rural  communities, such  as  the  Crisis  Now                                                               
program; however,  she acknowledged that  there is still  work to                                                               
do.  She  opined that telehealth could be  used more effectively,                                                               
stating  that  insurance  coverage  is a  barrier,  and  this  is                                                               
because   Medicaid  is   the  primary   source  of   funding  for                                                               
telehealth.   She stated that  Tribal health can  fund telehealth                                                               
sometimes; however, there  are federal exemptions for  this.  She                                                               
reported that  many younger  Medicare beneficiaries  are becoming                                                               
trust beneficiaries later in life  because of the [lack of health                                                               
care access].  She opined that  Alaska could be serving its aging                                                               
populations better, especially those  who struggle with dementia;                                                               
however, the state does not  receive the federal waivers to serve                                                               
them.   She expressed the  belief that this has  impeded Alaska's                                                               
ability to best serve these populations.   She said that AMHTA is                                                               
poised  with resources  to work  with the  department when  it is                                                               
ready to move  forward with reforms of the  mental health system.                                                               
She described  the trust  as a partner  in funding,  stating that                                                               
the    federal   government,    Alaska's   general    fund,   and                                                               
appropriations   made    by   the   legislature    for   specific                                                               
organizations are all  a part of the concerted  effort to improve                                                               
the state's mental health programs.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:42:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE referred to  Alaska's most recent report                                                               
card  on  mental  health,  as  Alaska has  been  trending  in  an                                                               
unfavorable  direction with  increasing rates  of depression  and                                                               
suicide.   In regard  to additional funding,  he asked  what else                                                               
the trust could do to curb these trends.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. HALTERMAN opined  that there is more everyone could  do.  She                                                               
described  the report  from the  Department of  Justice (DOJ)  as                                                               
very  concerning  and  explained   her  previous  work  with  the                                                               
department on the Bring the  Children Home initiative.  She cited                                                               
the  workforce shortages  as an  obstacle to  providing services.                                                               
She  posited that  the state  needs to  reexamine its  systems to                                                               
find  efficiencies.    She  explained  that  the  trust  provides                                                               
funding for  programs, but it  does not administer  the programs,                                                               
and this is  why the trust was exempted from  being identified in                                                               
the DOJ report.  She emphasized  the trust's role as a funder and                                                               
opined  that funding  requests from  state  departments to  AMHTA                                                               
should be  viewed as joint  requests, as  both the trust  and the                                                               
legislature should be  expected to provide funding.   She posited                                                               
that Alaska needs to look  "outside of the box" concerning mental                                                               
health,  as current  operations are  not working.   She  reported                                                               
that many of  the programs funded by AMHTA are  not funded by the                                                               
government because  some beneficiaries  do not  receive Medicaid;                                                               
therefore, do  not qualify  for government  services.   Since the                                                               
move towards  the deinstitutionalization of mental  health in the                                                               
1980s, she  reported that most  of the funding for  mental health                                                               
services   comes   from  Medicaid.      She   stated  that   many                                                               
beneficiaries  are suffering  because  of a  lack of  appropriate                                                               
service settings  in Alaska.   She expressed her belief  that the                                                               
main  goal  for  improving  the state's  mental  health  services                                                               
should be providing infrastructure.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:45:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RUFFRIDGE  asked  for  examples  of  programs  or                                                               
services  that are  currently  working but  could  use a  funding                                                               
partnership to get "to the next level."                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS.  HALTERMAN expressed  the  belief that  a  focus on  maternal                                                               
health  programs, which  provide  families  with resources  while                                                               
children are still  developing, could allow the  state to prevent                                                               
exacerbated health  issues in future  populations.   She reported                                                               
that babies  and mothers  who do not  receive prenatal  care show                                                               
much  poorer  outcomes  later  in  life.    She  reiterated  that                                                               
focusing more energy on programs  for children and young families                                                               
could go a  long way.  However, she also  emphasized the need for                                                               
proper  support of  senior  care, and  she  suggested that  there                                                               
should be a balance between the two areas of services.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:47:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FIELDS  agreed  with Ms.  Halterman's  statements                                                               
about the importance  of maternal health programs  and shared his                                                               
knowledge  of  declining funding  of  many  programs directed  at                                                               
children and  young families.   He  requested that  Ms. Halterman                                                               
help  continue  to  educate  the legislature  on  the  return  on                                                               
investment  (ROI)  for  many  of   these  programs,  like  infant                                                               
learning.  He  mentioned that in recent reports from  DOH, one of                                                               
the worst metrics  showed an increased risk of  suicide for teens                                                               
because  of social  media.   He  questioned any  thoughts on  the                                                               
introduction of regulations for social media companies.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. HALTERMAN  responded that she  has researched this  issue and                                                               
has found  no easy way  to regulate  social media.   She compared                                                               
the process to  finding a "needle in a haystack."   She suggested                                                               
that many of the children who  were most at risk [for suicide and                                                               
other mental  health issues]  are those who  live in  poverty and                                                               
lack access to  constructive outlets.  She  posited that "boredom                                                               
does bad things"  to children and can encourage  misuse of social                                                               
media, and she referenced attempting  to manage social media with                                                               
her  children.      She  opined that  as  a  society,  meaningful                                                               
strategies need  to be  put in  place to  give children  hope, as                                                               
this would encourage  better outcomes.  She  expressed the belief                                                               
that the state  needs to provide more  opportunities for children                                                               
to be optimistic  about their futures, because  currently many do                                                               
not see any opportunities for themselves in Alaska.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:51:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MINA  questioned the  status  of  the Crisis  Now                                                               
funding   in   comparison   to  the   demand   for   Crisis   Now                                                               
implementation  across  the  state.     She  questioned  how  the                                                               
legislature could continue to support implementation efforts.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. HALTERMAN responded that the  best way for the legislature to                                                               
support the  implementation of Crisis  Now is to better  fund the                                                               
program through  the general fund.   She reported that  the trust                                                               
has implemented Crisis  Now in major communities,  but work needs                                                               
to  be done  to bring  the  same support  to rural  Alaska.   She                                                               
explained that AMHTA  has worked on implementing  "a pure support                                                               
model" in  remote communities, but  she stressed that there  is a                                                               
larger  need  for capital  projects  to  build infrastructure  in                                                               
rural Alaska.   She mentioned other ways of  improving the mental                                                               
health  system overall,  including  telehealth.   She  emphasized                                                               
that funding  projects is  critical, as the  trust cannot  be the                                                               
only funder for crisis implementation efforts.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. HALTERMAN continued  that funding for Crisis Now  needs to be                                                               
a  cooperative effort  between the  legislature and  AMHTA.   She                                                               
suggested  that if  the legislature  did  not appropriate  enough                                                               
from  the  general fund,  AMHTA  would  have to  sacrifice  other                                                               
programs to  fully fund Crisis  Now.  She reported  that [because                                                               
of a  lack of funding]  AMHTA has  been forced to  make decisions                                                               
about which  programs are the most  important to fund.   This has                                                               
led the  trust to "dig  deep" into  its reserves.   She explained                                                               
that AMHTA chose not to cut  funding for any programs because the                                                               
entire country  is experiencing a mental  health services crisis.                                                               
She  reported that  many  state mental  health  services are  not                                                               
being  well   reimbursed,  and  this   is  because   of  Medicare                                                               
reimbursement policies.   In result  of this, many  providers are                                                               
limiting service  to Medicare  and Medicaid  patients.   She said                                                               
that although there is no way  to know the number of patients who                                                               
are not  being served, the  evidence is in the  "crisis unfolding                                                               
all around us."                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:55:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  PRAX  referenced  Ms. Halterman's  previous  work  with  a                                                               
company involved  in risk management  and asked her to  expand on                                                               
how this experience would apply to her work with the board.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS.  HALTERMAN  replied   that  she  has  worked   for  two  risk                                                               
management firms,  the first  of which  was an  insurance company                                                               
that  provided supplemental  plans  to employees.   She  reported                                                               
that many of the employers she  worked for had employees who were                                                               
Medicaid beneficiaries and working  there gave her better insight                                                               
into  private sector  health care  needs.   She  stated that  the                                                               
other   risk  management   company   she   worked  for   provided                                                               
information technology solutions for  businesses to improve their                                                               
cyber  security,   which  she  described  as   an  "eye  opening"                                                               
experience.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:57:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX opened  public testimony for the  appointment of Anita                                                               
Halterman to  the AMTHA  Board of  Trustees.   After ascertaining                                                               
that there  was no one  who wished  to testify, he  closed public                                                               
testimony.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:58:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX opened  public testimony for the  appointment of David                                                               
Barnes  to the  State  Medical Board.    After ascertaining  that                                                               
there  was  no  one  who  wished to  testify,  he  closed  public                                                               
testimony.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:59:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX announced that the  last confirmation hearing would be                                                               
for John Morris, an appointee to the AMHTA Board of Trustees.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:59:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOHN MORRIS, MD, Appointee, Alaska  Mental Health Trust Authority                                                               
Board of  Trustees, testified as  appointee to the  Alaska Mental                                                               
Health Trust Authority  Board of Trustees.  He  shared the belief                                                               
that in  order to be successful,  a trustee of AMHTA  needs to be                                                               
skilled in financial investment,  land management, or have worked                                                               
extensively in  the service  of trust  beneficiaries.   He stated                                                               
that he  has experience in all  three areas.  He  spoke about his                                                               
childhood exposure  to serving others  as an  emergency responder                                                               
through his  parents' careers as a  firefighter and a nurse.   He                                                               
said that  accompanying his father  to calls inspired him  to get                                                               
involved in service.   He shared his early career  in the medical                                                               
field,  where  he  has worked  as  an  anesthesiologist,  studied                                                               
psychiatry, and  worked with children  in need of  major surgery.                                                               
During  a  year  off  from his  full-time  medical  practice,  he                                                               
reported that  he studied  financial management  and sat  for the                                                               
Chartered  Financial  Analyst One  exam.    He shared  that  this                                                               
experience  gave him  a nuanced  understanding of  active trading                                                               
and  portfolio management,  as well  as  the responsibility  that                                                               
comes with making  prudent investment decisions on  the behalf of                                                               
others.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
DR.  MORRIS stated  that when  he  returned to  practicing as  an                                                               
anesthesiologist in West Virginia, he  bought a 64-acre farm with                                                               
mineral  rights and  quickly learned  about the  many aspects  of                                                               
land   management,  including   property  rights,   environmental                                                               
impacts,  and issues  with corporations  who have  differing land                                                               
use desires.   He detailed  various experiences he has  had while                                                               
working  with state  departments,  consulting with  environmental                                                               
agencies, and  navigating litigation  against a  utility company.                                                               
He spoke to his  professional experience with trust beneficiaries                                                               
during  his  early  career.    He  stated  that  he  worked  with                                                               
individuals  with  traumatic  brain  injuries  and  other  mental                                                               
health issues, and  he shared how mental health  has impacted his                                                               
personal life.   He  emphasized that his  motivation to  care for                                                               
beneficiaries  came   from  his   ability  to  relate   to  their                                                               
experiences and  described AMHTA as  one of the most  unique ways                                                               
for Alaskans to care for each other.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:04:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked what  lessons Dr. Morris learned from                                                               
his work  with homeless services  and how these lessons  could be                                                               
related to  the legislature to  insure better services  for those                                                               
experiencing homelessness in the state.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
DR. MORRIS  replied that  there are  many things  the legislature                                                               
could do  to help the  homelessness issue, and a  crucial missing                                                               
piece  is  good data.    He  posited  that many  decisions  about                                                               
homeless  populations are  based on  anecdote or  local sentiment                                                               
rather than scientific data.   He stated homelessness is only one                                                               
of the many  issues that AMHTA deals with  and reinforced earlier                                                               
testimony that the legislature needs  to work in concert with the                                                               
trust, the  state departments, and  other organizations  to "move                                                               
the needle" on all of the  mental health issues facing the state.                                                               
He  opined that  no single  entity could  accomplish this  on its                                                               
own.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:06:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked how  the trust prioritizes funding                                                               
for  the various  mental health  issues.   He questioned  whether                                                               
there are any specific programs that need more support.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
DR.  MORRIS agreed  with Ms.  Halterman's testimony  on what  the                                                               
trust  can  do  broadly;  however,  he  expressed  hesitation  on                                                               
weighing in  on the  details of its  operation before  taking his                                                               
seat on the  trust.  He emphasized the importance  of having time                                                               
to digest the  vast amount of information about  the trust before                                                               
making  any high  stakes decisions.   He  pointed out  that "what                                                               
gets measured  gets done," and  he suggested that the  main focus                                                               
of trustees  should be pursuing an  integrative and comprehensive                                                               
mental  health system  that  prioritizes people  at  the risk  of                                                               
hospitalization, as mandated in statute.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:08:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RUFFRIDGE acknowledged  the difficult  role AMTHA                                                               
has in  deciding its funding  priorities and asked  whether there                                                               
would  be better  ways  to  prioritize things  in  Alaska to  see                                                               
better mental health results.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
DR. MORRIS  opined that broadly  speaking the state  could always                                                               
do better, but  he reiterated his reluctance to take  a stance on                                                               
specific policy changes at this point.   He said that he has read                                                               
extensively about AMTHA  on its website, and he has  kept up with                                                               
"frankly depressing"  state statistics  on mental  health issues,                                                               
such  as the  rising suicide  rate.   He expressed  motivation to                                                               
work  with  the other  trustees  and  AMTHA  staff to  "move  the                                                               
needle" on these issues.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:10:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX questioned whether Dr.  Morris has had the opportunity                                                               
to look at the trust's investment portfolio.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DR. MORRIS  expressed uncertainty  concerning the  portfolio, but                                                               
he   noted  the   management  of   extensive  holdings   and  the                                                               
partnership with the  Permanent Fund Division.  In  response to a                                                               
follow-up  question,  he  acknowledged the  history  between  the                                                               
trust and the legislature, which  includes an audit from previous                                                               
years.    He  echoed  Ms.   Halterman's  testimony  in  that  the                                                               
portfolio is doing  remarkably well.  He opined that  it would be                                                               
incumbent on  the trustees to  remain solvent amid  the pressures                                                               
of high inflation.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
DR. MORRIS  thanked the  committee for  the opportunity  to speak                                                               
and  expressed  his  excitement  to work  on  behalf  of  AMTHA's                                                               
beneficiaries.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:13:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX  opened public  testimony on  the appointment  of John                                                               
Morris to the  AMTHA Board of Trustees.   After ascertaining that                                                               
there  was  no  one  who  wished to  testify,  he  closed  public                                                               
testimony.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:13:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 4:13 p.m. to 4:16 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:16:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX moved to advance  the confirmations of Anita Halterman                                                               
and John  Morris, appointees  to the  Alaska Mental  Health Trust                                                               
Authority Board of  Trustees, and David Barnes,  appointee to the                                                               
State  Medical Board,  to  the  joint session  of  the House  and                                                               
Senate for consideration.   He reminded members  that signing the                                                               
reports regarding  appointment to  the boards and  commissions in                                                               
no way  reflected individual members' approval  or disapproval of                                                               
the appointees,  and that the  nominations were  merely forwarded                                                               
to the  full legislature  for confirmation  or rejection.   There                                                               
being no objection, the confirmations were advanced.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:18:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no  further business before the  committee, the House                                                               
Health  and  Social  Services   Standing  Committee  meeting  was                                                               
adjourned at 4:18 p.m.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
3.1.23 Anita Halterman AMHTA resume_redacted.pdf HHSS 4/13/2023 3:00:00 PM
Anita Halterman
3.8.23 John Morris AMHTA Resume_Redacted.pdf HHSS 4/13/2023 3:00:00 PM
John Morris
3.8.23 John Morris AMHTA App_Redacted.pdf HHSS 4/13/2023 3:00:00 PM
John Morris
3.23.23 David Barnes Medical App_Redacted.pdf HHSS 4/13/2023 3:00:00 PM
David Barnes
Dave Barnes Resume Redacted.pdf HHSS 4/13/2023 3:00:00 PM
Dave Barnes
HB 115 HHSS CS.pdf HHSS 4/13/2023 3:00:00 PM
HB 115
HB 115 FNMRA - Support Letter.pdf HHSS 4/13/2023 3:00:00 PM
HB 115