Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106

05/02/2023 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

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Audio Topic
03:02:57 PM Start
03:04:03 PM HB167
04:34:43 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
*+ HB 167 MINORS IN FACILITIES OUTSIDE AK TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
              HB 167-MINORS IN FACILITIES OUTSIDE AK                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:04:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX  announced that  the only order  of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO.  167, "An Act relating to the  care of children in                                                               
state  custody  placed  in  nonprofit  institutions  outside  the                                                               
state."                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:04:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FIELDS, as  prime sponsor,  began the  PowerPoint                                                               
presentation,  titled "HB  167" [hardcopy  included in  committee                                                               
packet] on slide  2, which read as  follows [original punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     HB  167  seeks to  improve  in  state care  and  reduce                                                                    
     reliance  on  for  profit   out  of  state  psychiatric                                                                    
     residential treatment facilities (PRTF).                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Excessive reliance on out of  state PRTFs is expensive,                                                                    
     abusive,  and perpetuates  systematic violence  against                                                                    
     predominantly Alaska Native children.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     The  result  is that  the  State  of Alaska  pays  high                                                                    
     costs, often provides  substandard care, sometimes even                                                                    
     harming the mental and behavioral health of kids.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:06:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FIELDS  showed slide  3,  which  read as  follows                                                               
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     2022 DOJ Report:                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     1.   In  Alaska,   children   with  behavioral   health                                                                    
     challenges are  institutionalized out of state  at high                                                                    
     rates and for long periods                                                                                                 
     2. Many  of these  children are eligible  for community                                                                    
     based services and supports  that Alaska offers through                                                                    
     Medicaid,  however  the  state has  failed  to  provide                                                                    
     necessary  services  to  the extent  that  it  violates                                                                    
     Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).                                                                     
     3. With the  adoption of the Medicaid  1115 Waiver, the                                                                    
     State of Alaska must  endeavor to provide the necessary                                                                    
     community  services  for  children  in  integrated  and                                                                    
     appropriate settings  that do  not rely  excessively on                                                                    
     institutionalization.                                                                                                      
     4.  For profit  institutions  have been  shown in  many                                                                    
     cases to be abusive, ineffective and expensive                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS  moved to  slide 4  and pointed  to several                                                               
headlines from  news articles.   He  moved to  slide 5  and noted                                                               
that the issue  of care not being provided in  Alaska goes back a                                                               
century.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:08:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS moved  to slide 6 and stated  that there is                                                               
increasing public  equity involvement  nationally.  He  said that                                                               
the  Department  of  Justice  (DOJ) report  found  that,  when  a                                                               
private residential  treatment facility  is out  of state,  it is                                                               
hard for families to travel and  have a connection.  He expressed                                                               
the opinion  that it  is problematic when  a profit  motive plays                                                               
into the care the state provides.   He said that the quote on the                                                               
slide was made by United  Health Services Chief Financial Officer                                                               
Steve  Filton  and discusses  that,  since  there  is a  lack  of                                                               
community  options, the  facilities  are able  to extract  higher                                                               
profit margins.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS paraphrased slide  7, which read as follows                                                               
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Provo Canyon  is one of  many PRTFs owned  by Universal                                                                    
     Health Services.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Provo Canyon  has a history  of abuse  allegations that                                                                    
     span  decades.  Despite   repeated  complaints,  Alaska                                                                    
     continues to send children to Provo Canyon.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     According to the Alaska  DOH, approximately 345 Alaskan                                                                    
     children were sent to Provo Canyon between 2012 2022.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska spent more than $31  million in Medicaid funding                                                                    
     over six  years sending  511 kids  to PRTFs  like Provo                                                                    
     Canyon in Utah.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS  moved to slide  8, which showed  a diagram                                                               
illustrating  "profits  over  patients"  as  it  relates  to  the                                                               
troubled-teens industry.  He suggested  the companies see all the                                                               
new assistance programs as profit opportunities.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS showed slide 9, which read as follows                                                                     
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Bring The Kids Home: A Model That Works                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     The  Bring   The  Kids   Home  (BTKH)   Initiative  was                                                                    
     established in 2004  by the Alaska DHHS  and the Alaska                                                                    
     Mental Health Trust to address  the high numbers of out                                                                    
     of  state   placement  of   children  and   to  provide                                                                    
     resources for in state treatment.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Primary Goals:                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     1. Significantly  reduce the  numbers of  Alaskan youth                                                                    
     placed in Outside PRTFs.                                                                                                   
     2.  Build capacity  and core  competencies of  in state                                                                    
     providers  to   serve  children  with  all   levels  of                                                                    
     behavioral health needs.                                                                                                   
     3. Develop  an integrated, culturally  competent system                                                                    
     to serve children as close to home as possible.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:11:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS turned to slide 10, which read as follows                                                                 
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Bring the Kids Home (Con't)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Accomplishments                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     28 new  BTKH operating  grants helped  develop services                                                                    
     in 12 communities.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     During FY 06/07 56 new in state beds were developed.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Funded  expanded culturally  competent, close  to home,                                                                    
     tribal  mental  health   services  that  accessed  100%                                                                    
     federal reimbursement rate.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Addressed  workforce  issues  with new  grants  through                                                                    
     training and mentoring.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     In FY  2007, enrolled  58 students in  new "Residential                                                                    
     Services Certificate Program                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS showed slide 11, which read as follows                                                                    
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Bartlett Regional Hospital saw a  need in the region to                                                                    
     alleviate the  high number  of youth  placed in  out of                                                                    
     state psychiatric facilities.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
          Addresses urgent mental  health needs by providing                                                                    
     the  first  crisis  center   for  youths  in  Southeast                                                                    
     Alaska.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
          Reduces  the  number  of children  experiencing  a                                                                    
     behavioral   health  crisis   who   must  leave   their                                                                    
     communities and families.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
          8 bed capacity, 24/7 crisis care.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
          Provides   23   hour    crisis   observation   and                                                                    
     stabilization and  crisis residential services up  to 7                                                                    
     days.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS brought attention to slide 12, which read                                                                 
as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     The State  is negotiating with USDOJ,  and a negotiated                                                                    
     agreement may  provide guidance on how  Legislature can                                                                    
     support better in                                                                                                          
     state care.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Workforce  shortages and  API being  over capacity  are                                                                    
     opportunities to look at systems improvement now.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     If  the Legislature  wants  to  support improvement  of                                                                    
     care  in communities,  this bill  is an  opportunity to                                                                    
     convene                                                                                                                    
          Department  of Health  /  Department  of Family  &                                                                    
          Community Services                                                                                                    
          Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority                                                                                  
          Tribal Entities                                                                                                       
          Stakeholders                                                                                                          
     to  provide guidance  on  how  legislature can  support                                                                    
     Bringing the Kids Home                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:14:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
COURTNEY OWEN,  Staff, Representative  Zach Fields,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, on  behalf of Representative Fields,  prime sponsor,                                                               
offered  the  sectional analysis  of  HB  167 [copy  included  in                                                               
committee packet],  which read  as follows  [original punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section  1:  This  section amends  AS  47.14.100(a)  to                                                                  
     delete language that permits the  department to place a                                                                    
     child  in   its  custody  in   for-profit  institutions                                                                    
     providing care outside of the  state. This section adds                                                                    
     language that  clarifies that the department  may place                                                                    
     a  child in  its  custody in  a non-profit  institution                                                                    
     providing care outside of the state.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Section  2:  This  section amends  AS  47.14.112(d)  to                                                                  
     require  the  department  to  report  annually  to  the                                                                    
     legislature on  the number of  children placed  in non-                                                                    
     profit institutions providing care out of the state.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:15:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER questioned what  the problem would be with                                                               
for-profit institutions.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FIELDS   responded  that  the  report   from  DOJ                                                               
identified  some  of  the for-profit  institutions  as  having  a                                                               
history  of  abuse.    He deferred  further  explanation  to  the                                                               
invited testifiers.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:16:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JEFF JESSEE, representing  self, shared that he  retired in 2021.                                                               
He came to  Alaska in 1980 as a volunteer  for the Disability Law                                                               
Center.   He  shared that  he  served as  the CEO  of the  Alaska                                                               
Mental Health  Trust Authority for 22  years and was the  Dean of                                                               
the College of  Health at the University of  Alaska Anchorage for                                                               
four  years.   He said  that this  is the  third time  Alaska has                                                               
faced this  issue, as  in the  1980s there  was the  Alaska Youth                                                               
Initiative,   which  was   designed  to   ameliorate  the   issue                                                               
Representative Fields is  seeking to address.   He explained that                                                               
the  system was  set up  to develop  individualized programs  for                                                               
children with  severe need,  and if  there is  no community-based                                                               
option found,  then the  children would  become institutionalized                                                               
out  of  state.    He   recounted  that,  during  Governor  Frank                                                               
Murkowski's administration with  Gill Gilbertson as commissioner,                                                               
there  were 700  children cycling  into out-of-state  placements.                                                               
He  further recounted  that  the trust  invested  $15 million  in                                                               
developing  the  infrastructure.   He  stated  that with  venture                                                               
capital for training and start-up  funding for in-state programs,                                                               
the number of children was lowered to 70.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. JESSEE  related that  it is  very difficult  to get  the kids                                                               
back after  being sent  out of state,  and regardless  of whether                                                               
the placement  is for profit or  not, a clinical record  has been                                                               
created that concludes being in  the facility is the best option.                                                               
He  explained  that  creating an  adequate  system  of  community                                                               
placements  would not  be complex,  just difficult,  as it  would                                                               
require  a   rate  structure  that  provides   an  incentive  for                                                               
community providers in Alaska,  whether nonprofit, for-profit, or                                                               
Tribal.   He explained  that the  formula used  in the  Bring the                                                               
Kids  Home initiative  had the  department work  with the  trust,                                                               
providers, families, and other stakeholders  to craft a plan.  He                                                               
explained  that the  first step  would  be to  understand who  is                                                               
being sent  out of state, how  the child is sent,  and what could                                                               
have been done to keep the child  in the state.  He stressed that                                                               
the amount  of money  spent on  out-of-state placements  is huge,                                                               
especially  when compared  to  the possible  in-state  cost.   He                                                               
suggested that  investing in community services  would reduce the                                                               
cost of out-of-state placements.   He pointed out that during the                                                               
Alaska Youth Initiative, investments  were made towards community                                                               
programs and the number of  out-of-state placements went down, as                                                               
did  the cost.   He  expressed  encouragement that  the issue  is                                                               
getting renewed attention.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:26:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATIE BALDWIN-JOHNSON, COO, Alaska  Mental Health Trust Authority                                                               
(AMHTA), said it is important  to recognize that the child exists                                                               
within the family, and to  better address child mental health, it                                                               
must  also be  addressed  in  the context  of  the  family.   She                                                               
acknowledged  that   the  Bring  Kids  Home   initiative  has  an                                                               
impactful  framework,  as  the   system  has  progressed  on  the                                                               
recommendations  made.    She  pointed   out  that  some  of  the                                                               
strategies under the  initiative are still working  today to keep                                                               
children  in  communities.    She   explained  that  one  of  the                                                               
strategies focusing  on early childhood  has helped  increase the                                                               
attention  to  the  age  group of  prenatal  through  age  eight;                                                               
furthermore, through  the initiative therapeutic foster  care was                                                               
identified as an alternative to  in-patient care.  She added that                                                               
this  has  been  a   cost-effective  alternative  to  residential                                                               
treatment.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:30:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BLADWIN-JOHNSON  said  that  AMHTA  has  been  working  with                                                               
partners to improve its system  and ensure that all beneficiaries                                                               
have  access  to behavioral  health  care  as  close to  home  as                                                               
possible.    She commented  that  strengthening  and growing  the                                                               
network of  community-based services needs  to be a  priority, as                                                               
well as  providing start-up funding for  expanding organizations.                                                               
She  concurred that  examining the  rate  setting methodology  is                                                               
important  and   the  trust  needs   to  work  on   the  Medicaid                                                               
reimbursement structure.  She stressed  that with less workforce,                                                               
services and  programs are  closing, and  this is  an exacerbated                                                               
issue in rural communities where  many may have limited access to                                                               
resources.   She  said that  one of  the contributing  factors in                                                               
challenging  access to  behavioral  healthcare is  the number  of                                                               
providers that  accept Medicaid.   She continued that  aside from                                                               
behavioral health community  providers, independent practitioners                                                               
generally do  not accept Medicaid  patients.  She  suggested that                                                               
if there were  more providers that see  Medicaid patients, access                                                               
would expand, as too would the levels of care.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:34:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. BLADWIN-JOHNSON  said AMHTA  is working on  the establishment                                                               
and expansion of crisis stabilization  services across the state.                                                               
She pointed  out that child  intervention and  prevention efforts                                                               
are  important, as  the earlier  children's needs  are addressed,                                                               
the less  acute their symptoms  become.  She stressed  that using                                                               
out-of-state facilities should be a  last option, when all others                                                               
are exhausted.   She concluded that the trust  is looking forward                                                               
to  being  included,  along with  state,  community,  and  Tribal                                                               
partners, to  address the  issues, such  as crisis  care, complex                                                               
needs, and getting resources to families and children sooner.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:37:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ANGEL GONZALES, Board President,  Facing Foster Care, shared that                                                               
she was in foster  care at 5 years old, until  she was adopted at                                                               
16 years  old.  While she  was not sent to  a treatment facility,                                                               
she  had  a  younger  brother  who was,  and  she  witnessed  the                                                               
negative  effects on  him and  her foster  siblings.   She stated                                                               
that she never saw someone who  left the state for treatment come                                                               
back better,  and while  she was working  at Covenant  House, she                                                               
saw that the  youth were worse off  than when they went  in.  She                                                               
said she had been terrified  of treatment because of the outcomes                                                               
she had  seen.  She  shared that she would  try her best  to show                                                               
she was a  good child and did  not need treatment.   She shared a                                                               
situation where she  almost had to go into  treatment since there                                                               
was no  foster placement; however,  a placement was found  at the                                                               
last  minute.    She  stressed that  foster  children  need  more                                                               
support around them, and they should  not be sent out of state to                                                               
face abuse.   She said that former foster children  who are grown                                                               
up now  have long-lasting  effects because  of the  medicine used                                                               
while  they were  in  treatment.   During  her  time at  Covenant                                                               
House, she recounted that she  saw children who were abandoned at                                                               
out-of-state centers,  and they  would often  end up  in homeless                                                               
shelters,  as  they did  not  know  how  to  live outside  of  an                                                               
institution.   She  noted  that  the chance  is  high that  these                                                               
children get picked up by traffickers, die, or go to jail.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:43:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MINA questioned  the  resources available  before                                                               
youth are referred for out-of-state treatment.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:44:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HEATHER  CARPENTER, Health  Care  Policy Advisor,  Office of  the                                                               
Commissioner,  Department  of  Health (DOH),  answered  that  the                                                               
department first  exhausts any in-state placement  before an out-                                                               
of-state one is considered.  She  said that the processes of both                                                               
DOH and  the Department of  Family and Community  Services (DFCS)                                                               
are explained in the DOJ report.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:45:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TAMMIE WILSON,  Family Coordinator,  Office of  the Commissioner,                                                               
Department  of Family  and  Community  Services, explained  that,                                                               
when  DFCS  has  a child  who  is  at  a  facility, a  packet  of                                                               
information  is provided  to all  in-state providers.   She  said                                                               
when  there  is  no   response,  then  specialized,  out-of-state                                                               
options  are considered,  namely  ones that  address the  child's                                                               
aggression.  She said that the  packets would be sent to Medicaid                                                               
and non-Medicaid facilities, with  the Medicaid facilities looked                                                               
at first.   She stressed  that DFCS does  not look as  to whether                                                               
the  facility is  for-profit or  not, rather,  what services  the                                                               
child would receive.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:47:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MINA asked  what the  wait times  would be  for a                                                               
child waiting  to be referred  to an out-of-state facility.   She                                                               
questioned  if  there  is  a difference  in  wait  times  between                                                               
nonprofit and for-profit facilities.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS.  WILSON answered  that many  facilities have  not opened  the                                                               
same  number of  beds as  before the  COVID-19 pandemic,  and the                                                               
more specialized  facilities are  the ones with  wait lists.   In                                                               
response  to  a follow-up  question  regarding  the average  wait                                                               
time, she said that it could be a week to two weeks.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MINA  asked what the  conditions are of  the child                                                               
while they are waiting.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILSON  answered that if  there is a  bed, the child  will be                                                               
provided one while he/she "wait the wait list."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:49:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE  noted that the price  Medicaid pays for                                                               
residential  services  varies  from  state to  state,  with  some                                                               
states lobbying for other state's  Medicaid rates.  He questioned                                                               
the  treatment  rate that  Alaska's  Medicaid  pays, and  whether                                                               
there is a different cost for in-state versus out of state.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CARPENTER answered  that the  rates  are individualized  for                                                               
each provider.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:50:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
FARING  BROWN, Acting  Director, Division  of Behavioral  Health,                                                               
Department  of  Health, explained  that  each  state undergoes  a                                                               
rate-setting process  in collaboration with the  federal Division                                                               
of  Behavioral  Health,  and  this   is  done  by  examining  the                                                               
specialty areas in  facilities.  She explained that  the rate can                                                               
be the in-state Medicaid rate or  higher, and Alaska has a higher                                                               
rate for in-state facilities than out-of-state facilities.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE  asked if regulation directs  the Alaska                                                               
Medicaid program to  never pay above what  the in-state treatment                                                               
would be  for another state.   He further  asked if this  rate is                                                               
internally set, or if the legislature could provide guidance.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:53:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CARPENTER explained  that during  the rate-setting  process,                                                               
DOH  must  work  with  the  Centers  for  Medicare  and  Medicaid                                                               
Services (CMS) and be deliberate in  how rates are set.  She said                                                               
DOH's goal  is to have as  many services as possible  in state in                                                               
order to  keep children in their  home region at the  lower level                                                               
of  care,  and  only  escalate   up  to  out-of-state  care  when                                                               
necessary.  She  explained that CMS has other  guidelines, as DOH                                                               
must  allow   any  willing  provider   to  enroll   in  Medicaid,                                                               
regardless of  whether the  provider is for-profit  or not.   She                                                               
added  that  when  thinking  about  out-of-state  placement,  DOH                                                               
cannot make the  final placement decisions, as it  works with the                                                               
parent or guardian.  If the  child is in state custody, DOH would                                                               
work with the  Office of Children Services (OCS)  or the Division                                                               
of Juvenile Justice (DJJ).                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:55:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS  relayed that the Kaiser  Family Foundation                                                               
published  an  article,  titled  Profit  Strategies:  Psychiatric                                                             
Prioritize Out-of-State Kids, April 2022.   He asked that this be                                                             
distributed to  committee members as  it adds further  context to                                                               
the question.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:56:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  PRAX   offered  his  understanding  that   the  rates  are                                                               
controlled, and  as far  as Alaska is  concerned, DOH  is looking                                                               
for  a  provider who  can  provide  the  service.   He  asked  if                                                               
providers with a higher price would come into play.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CARPENTER responded  that DOH  is looking  for providers  to                                                               
enroll, as  it cannot  pay Medicaid until  a provider  enrolls in                                                               
Alaska Medicaid.   She shared  that in looking at  Medicaid rates                                                               
for hospitals in the state, they  are all individual and at cost-                                                               
based rates.   She offered to provide  additional material around                                                               
how Medicaid rates are set.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:57:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  WILSON  clarified that  the  facilities  are not  soliciting                                                               
DFCS, rather,  DFCS is actually  soliciting them.  She  said that                                                               
some  cases are  so specialized  there is  no in-state  placement                                                               
option.   She explained  that part  of her job  is to  figure out                                                               
what the child's discharge will  look like when he/she comes back                                                               
to  Alaska, ensuring  that  the child  has  all the  coordination                                                               
needed to be successful and reunited with the family.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:59:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  questioned whether the  provider shortage                                                               
is for a particular skill or just overall.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILSON  answered that DFCS  has opened the Complex  Care Unit                                                               
so  it can  be  determined why  children have  been  sent out  of                                                               
state.   It would  also determine whether  the child  would still                                                               
have the  same issues if in  the beginning there was  a different                                                               
kind of care.   She said that the current  issue for providers is                                                               
needing  staff  for  therapy, substance  abuse,  and  specialized                                                               
foster care.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  asked if there is  anything intrinsically                                                               
improper with for-profit out-of-state facilities.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS.  WILSON  shared  that  she works  with  both  for-profit  and                                                               
nonprofit facilities,  and she  ensures that  they have  the same                                                               
requirements for meeting the needs of the child.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:03:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER  requested the bill sponsor  to address the                                                               
fiscal notes.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FIELDS explained  that  the proposed  legislation                                                               
points to a problem that has  already been identified by DOJ.  He                                                               
expressed the  hope that  the bill  would prompt  discussion with                                                               
those in Alaska  who have experience around the  problems of for-                                                               
profit out-of-state  facilities.   He expressed the  opinion that                                                               
the  state  should   consider  the  best  way   to  ensure  these                                                               
facilities are only  used as a last resort.   He pointed out that                                                               
in-state care needs to be "fleshed  out."  He shared that DOH has                                                               
created a  working group  recently that  will be  examining rates                                                               
over the  summer.  He  expressed the  hope that by  January 2024,                                                               
the committee will have thought about  what should be in the bill                                                               
and how it can line up with the working group's solutions.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:05:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. JESSEE, in  response to Representative Saddler,  said that he                                                               
has not  compared incidents  in the state  to incidents  in other                                                               
states;  however, he  suggested that  every state  struggles with                                                               
foster care.   He explained  that the  children who are  put into                                                               
intensive community  services have  high incidences  of childhood                                                               
trauma; therefore,  any early  on support to  the family  and the                                                               
child would minimize the amount  of trauma; thus, reduce the need                                                               
for services later.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:08:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  offered his  understanding that  there is                                                               
an  inadequate  supply  of   community-based  services  in  rural                                                               
Alaska.  He asked whether it  is realistic to provide rural areas                                                               
the range of services needed.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. JESSEE answered  that the entire continuum of  care cannot be                                                               
in  a  small  village;  however, the  Tribal  health  system  has                                                               
developed resources.   For example,  there are  behavioral health                                                               
aides in  many villages.   He  concurred that  providing services                                                               
early is important and may lead  to the child not having to leave                                                               
the village.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:10:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  PRAX  asked  about  the  shift from  700  children  to  70                                                               
children placed in out-of-state care facilities.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS  confirmed that  the number of  children in                                                               
out-of-state care facilities is about  70 today, with about 20 in                                                               
state custody.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:11:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. CARPENTER explained  that there were 965  children in out-of-                                                               
state  placement  in  2004,  and the  children  were  covered  by                                                               
Medicaid or in  state custody.  As of yesterday,  she stated that                                                               
there  are 70  children  in  out-of-state care  paid  for by  the                                                               
state's Medicaid  dollars.  She  added that, since DOJ  began its                                                               
investigation in 2020, out-of-state  placements have been reduced                                                               
by 25 percent.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:12:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHRISSY VOGELEY,  Special Assistant, Office of  the Commissioner,                                                               
Department  of Family  and Community  Services,  stated that  the                                                               
number  of children  in state  custody that  are in  out-of-state                                                               
facilities is 25.  According  to historical records going back to                                                               
2008, she stated  that at any given time there  has been about 30                                                               
children in the state's custody who were placed out of state.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS.  WILSON reminded  members that  before  a child  goes out  of                                                               
state, the placement goes through  a court hearing to examine why                                                               
the child's needs  cannot be met in Alaska.   She said that these                                                               
placements are reviewed every six months.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:13:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  asked for  the difference between  the 25                                                               
and 70 figures that have been referenced.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CARPENTER  answered that  70  children  have Medicaid  as  a                                                               
payment source  to the facilities,  and 25 children are  in state                                                               
custody.   In response to  a follow-up question, she  stated that                                                               
the 25 children  are also on Medicaid.  She  continued that for a                                                               
child  with a  specialized need,  DOH  must find  a provider  who                                                               
meets this need.  She said  this may also include a provider that                                                               
is not  yet enrolled in  the Medicaid  program.  She  pointed out                                                               
that  Ms.  Wilson  has  been  working  to  get  specialized  need                                                               
providers enrolled in the program.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:16:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILSON added  that there are currently five  children who are                                                               
in private-pay  agreements with facilities, with  the requirement                                                               
that these  facilities work towards  enrolling in Medicaid.   She                                                               
elaborated that  the agreement provides a  bridge between getting                                                               
the care for  the child and ensuring facilities  are enrolling in                                                               
Medicaid.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:17:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MINA  asked  if  there is  legislation  in  other                                                               
states  that  prohibits  out-of-state, for-profit  referrals  for                                                               
kids.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS expressed uncertainty.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:18:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX inquired  about legal challenges in  trying to enforce                                                               
specific  organizations, whether  for-profit  or  nonprofit.   He                                                               
asked for Legislative Legal Services to answer.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS offered his  understanding that the concern                                                               
was  not flagged  by Legislative  Legal Services.   He  suggested                                                               
that the  question would be  how the state could  best prioritize                                                               
care in a legal way, while supporting the best care.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:19:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  PRAX  asked whether  the  population  of children  needing                                                               
service has complicated or intense needs.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILSON answered "both," as  the children are aggressive, even                                                               
toward  staff.   She said  that  it is  DFCS's responsibility  to                                                               
ensure that a child placed at  a facility is monitored.  She said                                                               
the problem has  been for the child to continue  to be successful                                                               
when back  in Alaska.   As initiatives  like Bring the  Kids Home                                                               
have  come, services  have grown,  and so  has the  complexity of                                                               
children.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:21:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER questioned  the  success  rate of  DFCS's                                                               
treatment systems and programs.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILSON  answered, "We've come a  long way."  She  recounted a                                                               
successful case and said there are  more successes than not.  She                                                               
said that  in any state,  there are  struggles in the  balance in                                                               
the kinds of services needed.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:23:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. CARPENTER shared that she  had a direct family member receive                                                               
care in  an out-of-state facility.   She stated that it  is DOH's                                                               
priority to  get the best placements.   She pointed out  that the                                                               
1115  waiver  was part  of  Senate  Bill  74 [passed  during  the                                                               
Twenty-Ninth  Alaska  State  Legislature],   and  this  has  been                                                               
hopeful.   She explained that  using this waiver, along  with the                                                               
Bring  the Kids  Home initiative,  community level  services were                                                               
created.   She said that this  allows children and parents  to be                                                               
cared for  at a  lower level,  intervening on  a higher  level of                                                               
care.   She stated  that the goal  is for kids  to be  kept home,                                                               
closer  to family,  and  the  1115 waiver  supports  this on  the                                                               
behavioral  health side.   She  said DOH  has expanded  Medicaid-                                                               
covered services to  individuals who are at risk  of developing a                                                               
mental  health or  substance-use  disorder.   She explained  that                                                               
this is an important policy  decision because previously an adult                                                               
had to  be diagnosed with mental  illness or a child  as severely                                                               
emotionally disturbed,  as "at risk"  was not  allowable criteria                                                               
outside of a  waiver.  She said  that this shift was  done to get                                                               
service to children  sooner.  She stated  that consideration must                                                               
be made toward  getting more providers in the  state and ensuring                                                               
there  are  enough community-based  providers  for  adults.   She                                                               
emphasized  the   importance  of  the  continuum   of  care  from                                                               
childhood through adulthood.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:26:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  PRAX asked  the  testifiers to  identify  things that  the                                                               
departments have  done to  bring down the  number of  children in                                                               
out-of-state care.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CARPENTER  answered that  there  has  been a  collection  of                                                               
things over  the years, including continued  technical assistance                                                               
to   providers   and   efforts  like   the   Complex   Behavioral                                                               
Collaborative.  She  explained that the biggest  game changer has                                                               
been the  1115 waiver, as well  as bringing on new  service lines                                                               
that can be  reimbursed, as this reduces  reliance on grant-based                                                               
efforts.  She said that this  past spring, DOH has approved a 4.5                                                               
percent increase to the 1115 waiver rate.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:29:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. WILSON  addressed the fiscal note.   She stated that  if DFCS                                                               
could  not utilize  half of  the private,  for-profit residential                                                               
treatment  centers,  then  over  half of  the  children  who  are                                                               
currently in care  would have nowhere to go.   She said that when                                                               
DFCS finds the  right placement for the child, and  it happens to                                                               
be out  of state, there  is a  strict process to  determine there                                                               
were no  other alternatives.   She added  that OCS  has augmented                                                               
rates, which  would be higher  pay for staff  overseeing children                                                               
who require more time.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CARPENTER added  that in  DOH's response  to DOJ,  it stated                                                               
that a steering  committee would be created to  start the process                                                               
of  hearing from  providers.   She  thanked  the legislators  for                                                               
their interest in the topic.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:32:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS  commented that it  is indeed not  a simple                                                               
issue  of the  placements  being  in-state or  out  of state,  as                                                               
sometimes children are placed in  Anchorage outside of their home                                                               
region.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:33:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX  asked if  DOH would be  reporting to  the legislature                                                               
before next session.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CARPENTER  answered no;  however,  DOH  would plan  to  keep                                                               
stakeholders and legislators well-informed.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:33:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX thanked the bill sponsor and the invited testifiers.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
[HB 167 was held over.]                                                                                                         

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 167 Fiscal Note FCS-OCS.pdf HHSS 5/2/2023 3:00:00 PM
HB 167
HB 167 Psych Facilities Prioritize Out-of-State Kids - KFF 2022.pdf HHSS 5/2/2023 3:00:00 PM
HB 167
HB 167 ver A AK DOH 3 year review.pdf HHSS 5/2/2023 3:00:00 PM
HB 167
HB 167 ver A AK Justice Forum 2012.pdf HHSS 5/2/2023 3:00:00 PM
HB 167
HB 167 ver A Sectional Analysis 4.21.2023.pdf HHSS 5/2/2023 3:00:00 PM
HB 167
HB 167 ver A Sponsor Statement 4.21.2023.pdf HHSS 5/2/2023 3:00:00 PM
HB 167
HB 167 ver A.PDF HHSS 5/2/2023 3:00:00 PM
HB 167
HB 167 ver ADN Article 2019.pdf HHSS 5/2/2023 3:00:00 PM
HB 167
HB 167 ver DOJ Report 2022.pdf HHSS 5/2/2023 3:00:00 PM
HB 167
HB 167 PowerPoint.pdf HHSS 5/2/2023 3:00:00 PM
HB 167