Legislature(2023 - 2024)BUTROVICH 205
02/28/2023 03:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB53 | |
| SB51 | |
| SB59 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SB 53 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 51 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 59 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 59-RUNAWAYS; DFCS/DOH: DUTIES/LICENSING/INFO
4:24:50 PM
CHAIR WILSON reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 59 "An Act relating to the
licensing of runaway shelters; relating to advisors to the board
of trustees of the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority;
relating to the sharing of confidential health information
between the Department of Health and the Department of Family
and Community Services; relating to the duties of the Department
of Health and the Department of Family and Community Services;
and providing for an effective date."
4:25:48 PM
MS. HEATHER CARPENTER, Deputy Director, Office of the
Commissioner, Department of Health (DOH), Juneau, Alaska, gave a
brief history of SB 59, stating that in 2021 Governor Dunleavy
introduced Executive Order 119 that proposed splitting the
Department of Health and Social Services into two departments,
Department of Health and Department of Family and Community
Services. Governor Dunleavy withdrew the order due to drafting
errors and substantive changes that went beyond the powers of an
executive order. Last session Governor Dunleavy reintroduced the
bill as Executive Order 121. The legislature adopted the order
that took effect July 1, 2022.
4:26:41 PM
CLINTON LASLEY, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Family &
Community Services, Juneau, Alaska, said the departments knew
that Executive Order 121 was a large bill and that the need for
small amendments would surface. SB 59 contains those changes. It
ensures that the new Department of Health (DOH) and the
Department of Family and Community Services (DFCS) share
important information, including confidential, protected health
information necessary to administer programs within each
department to serve Alaskans. It provides in statute the clarity
of work that the Department of Health and Social Services
supplied. The two departments interact daily. For example,
eligibility information for an individual can pertain to DOH for
public assistance and to DFCS for children's services. Also, SB
59 would make the commissioner of DFCS an adviser to the
trustees of the Alaska Mental Health Trust. The departments knew
of the substantive change and that a clean-up bill would be
necessary. The Mental Health Trust supports the change.
Clarifying statutes related to licensing duties assigned to the
former Department of Health and Social Services are reassigned
due to a citation error. Licensing related to runaway shelters
is assigned to DOH, and foster homes licensing is assigned to
DFCS. Finally, an amendment defines the "department" to include
DFCS in AS 18.65.340.
4:29:48 PM
MS. CARPENTER presented the following sectional analysis for SB
59:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Section 1 Amends AS 12.62.400(a) to assign
responsibility for criminal history
checks for the licensing of runaway
shelters to the Department of Health
rather than the Department of Family
and Community Services. This is done to
correct a mistake from EO 121 that
assigned the licensing of runaway
shelters to Department of Family and
Community Services even though a
division of Department of Health
performs this work. Sections 4-9 also
implement this correction.
Section 2 Amends AS 44.25.260 to add the Department of
Family and Community Services
Commissioner to the Alaska Mental
Health Trust Authority board of
advisors.
Section 3 Amends AS 47.05 by adding a new section:
(1) requiring the Department of Health
and Department of Family and Community
Services share identifiable health
information between and within
departments as necessary to enable the
efficient and effective administration
and operation of both departments;
(2) establishing that information acquired, used,
disclosed, and stored under this
section be stored in a confidential and
secure environment;
(3) establishes the definition of "identifiable health
information" with the existing
definition in AS 18.15.395.
Sections 4-9 Amends statute to identify that the
Department of Health holds responsibility
for the licensure of programs and
drafting regulations related to runaway
minors.
Sections 10 Amends AS 47.32.032 to provide clarifying
language in licensing statute to identify
that the Department of Family and
Community Services is responsible for
foster home licensing. This corrects a
mistake from EO 121 that assigned the
licensing of foster homes to Department of
Health even though a division of
Department of Family and Community
Services performs this work.
Sections 11-15 Amends AS 47.32 to provide clarifying
language in licensing statute about the
respective departments having
responsibility for actions related to the
entities they license.
Section 16 Establishes an immediate effective date.
4:34:25 PM
CHAIR WILSON said he had a question regarding Section 2. He
asked how often advisors attend Alaska Mental Health Trust board
meetings and what weight their input carries.
4:34:56 PM
STEVE WILLIAMS, CEO, Alaska Mental Health Trust, Anchorage ,
Alaska, answered that advisors attend once or twice a year.
Commissioners and staff generally attend the board meetings.
Various departments and trustees discuss the needs of
beneficiaries, how partnerships can be improved, and the work of
the trust. The dialogue is often very good.
4:35:31 PM
CHAIR WILSON asked if advisors are invited to each meeting or
just as needed.
4:35:40 PM
MR. WILLIAMS replied that advisors typically are not invited to
each meeting. The board meets four times a year and advisors
attend once or twice a year.
CHAIR WILSON said he wanted to ensure more administrative
influence was not added to a public board.
4:36:12 PM
CHAIR WILSON opened public testimony on SB 59.
4:36:24 PM
CHAIR WILSON closed public testimony on SB 59.
4:36:52 PM
CHAIR WILSON held SB 59 in committee.