02/26/2014 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

            SCR 13-FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:36:11 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR STEDMAN  announced that the  first order of  business would                                                               
be SCR 13.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
HEATHER  SHADDUCK,  Staff,  Senator   Pete  Kelly,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, presented SCR  13 on behalf  of the                                                               
sponsor.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR STEDMAN  noted it is the  first hearing on SCR  13. He said                                                               
today  the committee  would hear  from the  sponsor, take  public                                                               
testimony, and set the bill aside.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. SHADDUCK referred to backup materials in members' packets.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:39:30 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. SHADDUCK explained that the  resolution was a product of last                                                               
year's mental  health overview in  the Senate  Finance Committee.                                                               
The  focus  of  that  presentation was  narrowed  down  to  Fetal                                                               
Alcohol  Syndrome Disorder  (FASD) in  the  form of  SCR 13.  She                                                               
pointed out  that FASD is  preventable and this  resolution would                                                               
address prevention.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
She provided  background information  regarding FASD.  Each child                                                               
born  with  FASD  costs  the  state  between  $850,000  and  $4.2                                                               
million. She  noted the numbers  were provided by  the Department                                                               
of  Health  and  Social  Services.  Currently,  there  are  112.9                                                               
children  born  with  FASD  for every  10,000  live  births.  She                                                               
stressed the  high cost of  those children  to the state  and the                                                               
services they may require.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. SHADDUCK related  that 90 percent of women do  not drink when                                                               
they know  they are pregnant. The  focus of the resolution  is on                                                               
the  other 10  percent. It  hopes  to raise  a conversation.  She                                                               
showed  the  cover  of  the   Anchorage  Daily  News  on  Sunday,                                                             
February, 2014.  The topic  is raising  the public  awareness and                                                               
the conversation.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:40:22 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. SHADDUCK said  the resolution hopes to change  the hearts and                                                               
minds  of Alaskans  and  to  eradicate FASD.  It  calls upon  the                                                               
Governor to establish and support  programs designed to eradicate                                                               
the occurrence  of FASD and  increase rapid screening,  the first                                                               
tool in a lengthy diagnosis.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
She said the  final action item in the  resolution encourages the                                                               
Governor  to take  action to  expand residential  substance abuse                                                               
treatment  services for  women who  are pregnant  and to  explore                                                               
partnerships to  prioritize the admission of  pregnant women into                                                               
homes operated by Indian Health Services.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR STEDMAN noted one zero fiscal note from the legislature.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:42:37 PM                                                                                                                    
ARLENE  BRISCOE, Member,  Alaska  Nurses Association,  Anchorage,                                                               
Alaska, testified in  support of SCR 13. She  related that nurses                                                               
daily see the devastation of  alcohol and drug abuse to patients,                                                               
their  families, and  to society.  She described  the unfortunate                                                               
effects of alcohol and drugs on infants and children.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR STEDMAN closed public testimony.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. SHADDUCK noted that many  people have stories about the human                                                               
tragedy of FASD.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:44:27 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR STEDMAN held SCR 13 in committee.