Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 106
03/10/2011 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HCR1 | |
| HCR3 | |
| HCR5 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HCR 3 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HCR 1 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HCR 5 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HCR 3-SENIOR CITIZEN PROTECTIONS
3:16:11 PM
CHAIR KELLER announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 3, Relating to promoting the
safety and protection of older Alaskans.
3:16:56 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CATHY MUNOZ, Alaska State Legislature, explained
that HCR 3 raised awareness to the problem of elder abuse. She
emphasized that elder abuse was on the rise both in Alaska and
nationally. She declared that Department of Health and Social
Services reported a 169 percent increase in the reports of harm
over the last four years, and the office of the Long Term Care
Ombudsman had seen a corresponding increase of 200 percent over
the past three years. She listed the most common allegations to
include self-neglect, abuse, neglect, and financial
exploitation.
3:18:22 PM
CHAIR KELLER asked if Representative Munoz would accept a
conceptual amendment.
3:18:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked for a definition of elders.
3:19:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ, in response, stated that it was 60 years
of age and older.
3:19:35 PM
DENISE DANIELLO, Executive Director, Alaska Commission on Aging,
Division of Senior and Disabilities Services, Department of
Health and Social Services (DHSS), clarified that the target age
was 60 years of age and older, as that co-ordinated with the
eligible ages for response by the office of the Long Term Care
Ombudsman. She pointed out that this was also the age to
receive services funded by the Older Americans Act. She noted
that proposed HCR 3 supported a public awareness campaign about
elder abuse and its prevalence, and called for greater
coordination among the agencies serving elders.
3:21:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked for a definition of abuse.
3:21:22 PM
MS. DANIELLO replied that there were many types of abuse, which
included: physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, abandonment,
withdrawal of support, neglect for the basics of care, financial
exploitation, and self neglect.
3:24:40 PM
MARIE DARLIN, Coordinator, AARP Capital City Task Force, stated
that AARP supported HCR 3. She offered her belief that proposed
HCR 3 would better focus public awareness on the problems. She
directed attention to the AARP policies for education,
awareness, and enforcement and suggested that the committee
review these for guidance.
3:27:52 PM
DIANA WEBER, Ombudsman, Long Term Care Ombudsman, Alaska Mental
Health Trust Authority, Department of Revenue, expressed support
for proposed HCR 3 as it would raise the profile of elder
maltreatment with the public. She emphasized that it
communicated the priority for this to all the state agencies.
3:29:18 PM
CHAIR KELLER closed public testimony.
3:29:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT declared that it was devastating to hear
about elder abuse.
3:30:31 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON, directing attention to page 2, lines 14
and 18, regarding the percentage of reports filed, asked if the
State of Alaska was still responding with appropriate levels of
intervention.
CHAIR KELLER re-opened public testimony.
3:31:31 PM
MS. DANIELLO suggested the question be directed to the Long Term
Care Ombudsman office.
3:31:51 PM
MS. WEBER reported that a response, especially for imminent harm
issues, was within one working day. She asserted that the
bigger concern was for the lack of available time to continue
the individual support for each senior.
3:32:58 PM
CHAIR KELLER closed public testimony.
CHAIR KELLER moved to adopt Amendment 1, which read [original
punctuation provided]:
Page 2, Line 23: insert "families and" before the
word communities"
Page 2, Line 28: Insert new (2) "Recognizes that
family and community can provide the essential source
of security and well being for vulnerable older
Alaskans."
(re-number following paragraphs)
Page 3, Line 4: insert new paragraph (n) to read:
"supports efforts by HSS to enable independent living
and supporting family services to enable independent
living."
(ties with the first whereas)
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT objected for discussion.
CHAIR KELLER read proposed Amendment 1 and expressed his
willingness for any wordsmithing.
3:34:41 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT removed her objection.
There being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.
3:34:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE DICK moved to report HCR 3, as amended, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHCR 3(HSS) was
reported from the House Health and Social Services Standing
Committee.