04/28/2025 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

                      SB 103-CNA TRAINING                                                                                   
1:51:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration  of  SENATE  BILL  NO.  103  "An  Act  relating  to                                                               
certified  nurse aide  training; and  providing for  an effective                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:51:34 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON as  sponsor provided  a brief  recap of  SB
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[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska's  population  is  aging.  Our  Certified  Nurse                                                                    
     Assistants play  a critical role  in offering  not only                                                                    
     physical  care, but  also  in  emotional and  cognitive                                                                    
     support.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Two  particular needs  that this  bill  focuses on  are                                                                    
     making sure  that our  CNA's are  trained in  signs and                                                                    
     symptoms  of   dementia  and  Alzheimer's,   which  can                                                                    
     improve  the  quality  of  life  of  those  individuals                                                                    
     effected by these conditions.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     The  second need  is for  person  centered care,  which                                                                    
     would  give   CNA's  the  tools  needed   to  implement                                                                    
     individualized  protocol for  the individual  patient's                                                                    
     needs. It  involves treating patients with  respect and                                                                    
     empathy,  while   empowering  them  to   make  informed                                                                    
     decisions about their own health.                                                                                          
     The goal  with Senate  Bill 103 is  to bring  these two                                                                    
     practices to Alaska to support our aging population.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:52:44 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN opened public testimony on SB 103.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:53:07 PM                                                                                                                    
CINDY  HARRIS,  Board  Member, Alzheimer  Association  of  Alaska                                                               
Chapter,  Soldotna,  Alaska,  testified  in  support  of  SB  103                                                               
expressed  strong  commitment   to  supporting  individuals  with                                                               
dementia  and their  caregivers, calling  the proposed  change an                                                               
important  step  forward  and  urging the  Board  of  Nursing  to                                                               
address it through regulation at its next meeting.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:54:12 PM                                                                                                                    
DEBRA  ADAMS,  Board  Member, Alzheimer  Association  of  Alaska,                                                               
Cordova, Alaska, testified  in support of SB 103  and stated that                                                               
she  is a  strong advocate  for dementia  research and  care. She                                                               
emphasized  the importance  of  including  dementia symptoms  and                                                               
care practices  in CNA  training programs and  noted that  SB 103                                                               
offers  the  Board  of  Nursing   an  opportunity  to  add  these                                                               
requirements through regulation at its May meeting.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:55:33 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN closed public testimony on SB 103.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:56:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN held SB 103 in committee.