03/20/2025 03:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

           SB  90-MINOR MENTAL HEALTH: AGE OF CONSENT                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:33:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR  announced the consideration  of SENATE BILL  NO. 90                                                               
"An  Act relating  to the  examination and  treatment of  minors;                                                               
relating to  consent for behavioral  and mental  health treatment                                                               
for  minors 16  years  of  age or  older;  and  providing for  an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR stated no amendments were received for SB 90.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:33:49 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GIESSEL,  District  E,  speaking as  sponsor  of  SB  90                                                               
thanked the committee  for hearing the bill  again and introduced                                                               
her staff.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:34:02 PM                                                                                                                    
PAIGE BROWN,  Staff, Senator  Giessel, Alaska  State Legislature,                                                               
Juneau, Alaska,  offered a recap  of SB  90. She stated  that the                                                               
legislation  would  lower  the  age of  consent  for  mental  and                                                               
behavioral health  services from  18 to 16,  allowing up  to five                                                               
sessions  of  up  to  90  minutes  each.  After  those  sessions,                                                               
services  must stop  unless continuing  without parental  consent                                                               
would harm the minor's well-being.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:34:41 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR resumed public testimony on SB 90.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:35:23 PM                                                                                                                    
TAMAR   BEN-YOSEF,    Executive   Director,    Alaska   Pediatric                                                               
Partnership, Anchorage,  Alaska, testified  in support of  SB 90.                                                               
She said  the bill is  intended to  improve access to  mental and                                                               
behavioral health  services for  Alaska's youth,  particularly in                                                               
rural areas where resources are  already scarce. Demand for these                                                               
services continues to rise, and  delayed treatment leads to worse                                                               
outcomes and  greater strain on an  overburdened system. National                                                               
pediatric  ethics  guidance  supports allowing  adolescents  with                                                               
decision-making capacity to consent  to needed care, underscoring                                                               
the importance of reducing unnecessary barriers.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:36:05 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR CLAMAN arrived at the meeting.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:40:00 PM                                                                                                                    
INEZ  HUNTER, representing  self,  Bethel,  Alaska, testified  in                                                               
support of SB 90. She  stated that 16-year-olds are mature enough                                                               
to  seek mental  health support  on  their own  and argued  that,                                                               
since  16-year-olds  can  already make  other  decisions  without                                                               
parental consent at that age,  they should likewise be allowed to                                                               
see a therapist independently.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:41:56 PM                                                                                                                    
LANCE JOHNSON, Chief Operating  Officer, Alaska Behavioral Health                                                               
Association, Talkeetna,  Alaska, testified  in support of  SB 90.                                                               
He  explained that  many adolescents  who seek  behavioral health                                                               
support  cannot receive  it because  parents  are unavailable  or                                                               
unwilling to  consent. He described the  distressing consequences                                                               
of  being unable  to treat  youths  in need.  He emphasized  that                                                               
older  adolescents  are  capable   of  making  their  own  health                                                               
decisions and that rising  suicide-related emergency visits among                                                               
youth make expanded access to care essential.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:44:51 PM                                                                                                                    
ISAAC  SMOLDON, Communications  Director, My  House, North  Pole,                                                               
Alaska,  testified in  support of  SB 90.  He explained  that the                                                               
drop-in center  serves homeless and  at-risk youth ages 14  to 25                                                               
and  strongly supports  the language  in SB  90 that  would allow                                                               
unaccompanied homeless minors and youth  in foster care to access                                                               
mental health  treatment without parental consent.  He noted that                                                               
this  aligns with  existing statutes  permitting  these youth  to                                                               
obtain other essential medical and  dental services. On behalf of                                                               
their clients, he  endorsed the amendment as  necessary to ensure                                                               
access to critical mental and behavioral health care.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:46:09 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR closed public testimony on SB 90.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:46:21 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR solicited the will of the committee.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:46:23 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GIESSEL  moved to report  SB 90, work  order 34-LS0275\A,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:46:37 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR found  no objection and SB 90 was  reported from the                                                               
Senate Health and Social Services Standing Committee.