04/24/2024 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

                      SB 235-CNA TRAINING                                                                                   
1:37:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN announced  the consideration  of SENATE  BILL NO.                                                               
235  "An  Act relating  to  certified  nurse aide  training;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:37:46 PM                                                                                                                    
JANE  CONWAY,   Staff,  Senator   Cathy  Giessel,   Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided an  overview of SB 235. She                                                               
said the bill maps out specific  skills CNAs would be trained for                                                               
to  better  help care  for  the  fast-growing senior  population,                                                               
particularly  those affected  by  dementia  and Alzheimer's.  She                                                               
noted  Alaska has  the highest-growing  senior population  of any                                                               
state, ten  years in  a row.  She said 34  percent of  seniors in                                                               
residential  care   facilities,  49   percent  of   nursing  home                                                               
residents and  36 percent of  individuals using home  health care                                                               
services have  some form of dementia.  By including comprehensive                                                               
training  on  the signs  and  symptoms  of  dementia as  well  as                                                               
person-centered  care  in CNA  training  programs,  SB 235  would                                                               
enhance  the quality  of health  care for  seniors and  others in                                                               
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:39:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN opened public testimony on SB 235.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:39:39 PM                                                                                                                    
CINDY   HARRIS,  Board   Member,  Alzheimer   Association  Alaska                                                               
Chapter, Soldotna,  Alaska, testified in  support of SB  235. She                                                               
said  she cared  deeply  about ensuring  Alaska  has a  dementia-                                                               
capable  workforce. She  said including  [dementia training]  for                                                               
CNAs is  crucial because caring  for people living  with dementia                                                               
takes a different type of care.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:40:51 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN closed public testimony on SB 235.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:41:06 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:41:08 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON moved  to  report SB  235,  work order  33-                                                               
LS1169\S,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:41:27 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN  found no objection  and SB 235 was  reported from                                                               
the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.