03/21/2024 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

         HCR 15-MENTAL HEALTH MONTH; TARDIVE DYSK WEEK                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:31:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX  announced that the  final order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE  CONCURRENT  RESOLUTION NO.  15,  Designating  May 2024  as                                                               
Mental Health Awareness Month; and  designating May 5 - 11, 2024,                                                               
as Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:32:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RILEY  NYE,   Staff,  Representative  Mike  Prax,   Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  on behalf  of  the sponsor,  the  House Health  and                                                               
Social Services Standing Committee,  on which Representative Prax                                                               
serves as  chair, explained that  HCR 15  would shine a  light on                                                               
mental  health awareness.    He  noted that  a  large portion  of                                                               
Alaskans have a  mental health condition.  He  explained that HCR
  would designate  may as  mental Health  awareness month,  and                                                               
this  would allow  for  mental  health to  become  a priority  in                                                               
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:34:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX opened public testimony on HCR 15.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:35:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ANN  RINGSTAD, Executive  Director, National  Alliance on  Mental                                                               
Illness Alaska,  Testified in support of  HCR 15.  She  said that                                                               
NAMI's mission  is to eliminate  stigma with mental  illness, and                                                               
complimented Mr.  Nye's analysis.   She said that more  than half                                                               
of  the people  in the  United States  Affected by  Mental health                                                               
issues  didn't   seek  out  treatment.     She  said   anyone  is                                                               
susceptible to mental health issues,  and that NAMI provides this                                                               
resolution to  increase awareness and treatment  of mental health                                                               
issues. She said  this resolution is important  for mental health                                                               
awareness.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:38:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX asked about the statistics of anti-psychotic drugs.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS.  RINGSTAD  said  there  are  many  physiological  effects  of                                                               
medication,  and  that many  under  prescription  don't seek  out                                                               
help.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  PRAX   asked  if  there  are   alternative  treatments  to                                                               
medication.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. RINGSTAD said she is  not a physician, but recommended people                                                               
go to a provider to discuss alternative treatments.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:39:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER asked  if there  is an  understanding for                                                               
the cause of the high rate of serious mental illness in Alaska.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. RINGSTAD  responded, "Who knows?"   She said that  all anyone                                                               
can  do  is  focus  on awareness  and  direct  resources  towards                                                               
treatment of those affected.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER noted  that there  are several  different                                                               
observance months and  weeks, and he asked how  making May mental                                                               
health awareness  month would impact mental  health awareness and                                                               
treatment.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS.  RINGSTAD   answered  that  it  would   give  legislators  an                                                               
opportunity to bring the issue to light.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:42:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX, after  ascertaining there was no one  else who wished                                                               
to testify, closed public testimony on HCR 15.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 4:42 p.m. to 4:43. p.m.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:43:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE moved to report  HCR 15 out of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There being no objection,  HCR 15 was reported out of the                                                               
House Health and Social Services Standing Committee.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:43:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 4:43 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.