05/07/2002 09:51 AM Senate FIN

     SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 209(HES)                                                                               
     "An Act directing the Department of Health and Social Services                                                             
     to establish a foster care transition program; relating to                                                                 
     that program; and providing for an effective date."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This  was the first  hearing  for this  bill in  the Senate  Finance                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Hooley informed the  Committee that this legislation would allow                                                            
the  Division  of  Family  and  Youth  Services   (DFYS)  to  access                                                            
available federal  funds to provide  a variety of services  to youth                                                            
ages  16 to  21 "who  are  aging out"  of  the State's  Foster  Care                                                            
Program.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
JOANNE GIBBENS, Program  Administrator, Division of Family and Youth                                                            
Services,  Department of  Health and Social  Services, informed  the                                                            
Committee  that the  federal Foster  Care Independence  Act of  1999                                                            
includes a foster  care program to assist in developing  independent                                                            
living services  for children  "who are in  State custody who  would                                                            
probably  not be finding  a permanent home  in terms of adoption  or                                                            
guardianship,"  and who would likely  be emancipated from  care. She                                                            
stated that statutory  authority would allow the State  of Alaska to                                                            
expend a  portion of $500,000  federal funds  to provide  additional                                                            
support for individuals  over the age of 18 who had  previously been                                                            
in the foster care system.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Austerman asked  the testifier whether  matching funds  are                                                            
required to receive these federal funds.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Gibbens responded  that  the 20  percent match  requirement  is                                                            
currently funded by the  "grantees who are providing some of the in-                                                            
kind services" to the program.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Kelly clarified there  is therefore  no need to "find  new                                                            
money" to meet the match requirement.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Gibbens concurred.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator Austerman  asked how  much of the  current $500,000  federal                                                            
funding would be allocated to this program.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Gibbens replied that  the amount would be determined by how many                                                            
eligible individuals would request this transitional assistance.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Austerman  stated that language in the Department  of Health                                                            
and  Social Services  fiscal  note specifies  that  the State  shall                                                            
receive  "no  less  than  $500,000"  from  the federal  government;                                                             
therefore, he asked how  much federal funding is currently allocated                                                            
to the Foster Care program.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Gibbens clarified  that  the  State  is receiving  $500,000  in                                                            
federal funds.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Austerman clarified  that the  Foster Care  program is  not                                                            
currently  able to use these  federal money  to provide services  to                                                            
individuals who have transitioned out of the program.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Gibbens confirmed that is correct.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Austerman  offered  a  motion  to  report "HB  209  out  of                                                            
Committee with  individual recommendations  and accompanying  fiscal                                                            
note."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
ANTHONY LOMBARDO,  representative  of Covenant House, testified  via                                                            
teleconference  from Anchorage,  in support of  this bill, as  it is                                                            
"excellent for Alaska's youth."                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There  being no  objections,  SCS  HB 209  (HES) was  REPORTED  from                                                            
Committee with zero fiscal  note #2, dated February 8, 2002 from the                                                            
Department of Health and Social Services.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
AT EASE 10:35 AM / 11:02 AM