03/29/2018 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

        HB 280-EXTEND: BOARD OF MARITAL & FAMILY THERAPY                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:37:38 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR COSTELLO announced the consideration of HB 280.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:37:47 PM                                                                                                                    
MEGAN  HOLLAND,  Staff,  Representative  Andy  Josephson,  Alaska                                                               
State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, said  the Board of Marital and                                                               
Family  Therapy regulates  and licenses  therapists and  approves                                                               
supervisors,  establishes and  enforces training,  education, and                                                               
continuing  education  required  of their  licensees.  The  board                                                               
oversees  85  licensees.  Legislative Audit  recommended  a  full                                                               
eight-year extension for this board.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:38:34 PM                                                                                                                    
KRIS  CURTIS, Legislative  Auditor,  Legislative Audit  Division,                                                               
Alaska State  Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, reviewed  the May 2017                                                               
audit findings related  to HB 280. She said the  board is serving                                                               
the  public's interest  by effectively  licensing and  regulating                                                               
marital and  family therapists and  approving marital  and family                                                               
therapist supervisors. The board  monitors licensees and works to                                                               
ensure   only   qualified   individuals   practice   in   Alaska.                                                               
Furthermore,  the  board  develops   and  adopts  regulations  to                                                               
improve the marital and family therapist occupation.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CURTIS said  no recommendations  were  made as  part of  the                                                               
audit.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. CURTIS  pointed out that  license activity  on page 6  of the                                                               
audit shows the  board has 85 active licensees as  of January 31,                                                               
2017. She noted  that this is a 7 percent  decrease from the 2013                                                               
sunset audit. The  schedule of revenues and  expenditures on page                                                               
8 shows  the board  had a  surplus of just  over $68,000  and has                                                               
operated with a  surplus over the past several  years despite the                                                               
low number of licenses.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. CURTIS  said the department,  board, and governor  agree with                                                               
the extension.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:40:18 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  COSTELLO  asked  about   the  additional  regulations  for                                                               
telemedicine or distance delivery of marital and family therapy.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:40:39 PM                                                                                                                    
KAREN  CUNNINGHAM,  Vice  Chair,  Board  of  Marital  and  Family                                                               
Therapy, Anchorage, Alaska,  said there is a  need for additional                                                               
regulations for telehealth and  telesupervision. They are waiting                                                               
for  language  and  approval from  the  American  Association  of                                                               
Family  Therapy regulatory  board. The  information is  out there                                                               
and filtering down to them.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO opened public testimony on HB 280.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:41:55 PM                                                                                                                    
MS.  CUNNINGHAM said  the  board supports  the  extension of  the                                                               
termination date.  She said  the practice  of marital  and family                                                               
therapy  includes  the  diagnosis  and treatment  of  mental  and                                                               
emotional   disorders    referenced   in    standard   diagnostic                                                               
nomenclature.  This  covers  all  disorders,  whether  cognitive,                                                               
affective,   or   behavioral   within  the   context   of   human                                                               
relationships.  Marital and  family therapy  is one  of the  core                                                               
mental  health  disciplines.  Research  shows  that  marital  and                                                               
family  interventions are  often more  effective than  individual                                                               
therapy to treat  a wide range of disorders.  Research also shows                                                               
that human  connection is linked  to better physical  health. For                                                               
these reasons  and many  more marital  and family  therapy should                                                               
continue to  be regulated. she reviewed  the responsibilities and                                                               
actions of  the board and noted  it met more often  than required                                                               
by statute.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO suggested  that she send her  prepared comments to                                                               
the committee.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:47:24 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR COSTELLO closed public testimony on HB 280.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:47:29 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MICCICHE moved  to report  HB 280,  version 30-LS1162\D,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:47:46 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  COSTELLO announced  that without  objection, HB  280 moves                                                               
from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.