04/01/2014 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

           SCR 14-H&SS REGIONAL BEST PRACTICE MODELS                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:05:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HIGGINS  announced that the  final order of  business would                                                               
be CS FOR  SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO.  14(HSS), Relating to                                                               
health and  social service best  practice models  and identifying                                                               
citizen  networks  to  achieve solutions  to  health  and  social                                                               
problems in the state.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PETE KELLY, Alaska State  Legislature, explained that the                                                               
proposed  resolution   represented  the  effort  from   a  group,                                                               
"Empowering Hope."   He offered  his belief that  the legislature                                                               
was  not able  to address  the necessary  task for  continuity of                                                               
effort  in dealing  with  FASD.   He listed  the  members of  the                                                               
group,  noting  that the  group  would  exist regardless  of  the                                                               
composition of the Alaska State  Legislature.  He stated that the                                                               
mission was  to eradicate  FASD, and he  compared this  effort to                                                               
the societal changes for seat  belts, drunk driving, and smoking.                                                               
He said  the proposed resolution  was not creating  anything new,                                                               
and wanted  to establish  best practices  by taking  advantage of                                                               
existing networks  in urban and  rural Alaska by  encouraging and                                                               
empowering individuals to  work in their communities,  and be the                                                               
go-to people  in every  community.  He  shared an  anecdote about                                                               
suicide  in Kotzebue,  and  the subsequent  group  of young  kids                                                               
organized to implement  a solution for youth suicide.   He lauded                                                               
the results for  decreasing the number of suicides.   He remarked                                                               
on the number  of community groups working  toward resolution for                                                               
similar  problems.   He reported  that  the group  would begin  a                                                               
public relations  campaign, and would study  the effectiveness of                                                               
placing pregnancy  tests in  bars and  restaurants.   He declared                                                               
that this was the "rudimental,  operational plan as we go forward                                                               
to  eradicate FASD."   He  expressed his  hope that  the proposed                                                               
resolution  was  a  bit  meatier  than  previous  programs.    He                                                               
reported that  the mantra of  Empowering Hope was "because  we so                                                               
doggedly  want to  keep  in the  direction  of eradicating  fetal                                                               
alcohol  syndrome."   He shared  that  the word  "leg brace,"  in                                                               
reference to polio, was used  to keep everyone at Empowering Hope                                                               
on the mission track for eradication.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:18:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE NAGEAK shared that he  had been involved with many                                                               
organizations, some moving  in a similar direction  for a similar                                                               
problem.  He suggested a  publication that would identify similar                                                               
organizations  and  resources  currently  working on  this.    He                                                               
declared  a  need  to  continue  to talk  with  people  who  were                                                               
impacted.   He shared  the need  to talk  with people  who looked                                                               
down and  out and  to get involved.   He stated  that this  was a                                                               
learned attitude.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:21:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  REINBOLD  referenced  Recover Alaska,  and  asked                                                               
Senator  Kelly if  he  was  partnering with  them  to change  the                                                               
social  norms.   She said  that changing  these social  norms all                                                               
boiled down "to respecting yourself  and disciplining.  It's free                                                               
if  you just  learn  to  respect yourself  and  learn some  self-                                                               
discipline sometimes."                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  KELLY replied  that,  although there  was  not a  formal                                                               
relationship, they did work together.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR.  RAY   said  that,   while  there   was  not   a  contractual                                                               
partnership, there was a close  working relationship with Recover                                                               
Alaska.   He  pointed out  that Mr.  Jesse was  a member  of both                                                               
groups.   He  noted that  he  had monthly  meetings with  Recover                                                               
Alaska  counterparts  to  discuss  how to  collaborate  and  work                                                               
together as different organizations.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:23:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER declared that  it was still frustrating not                                                               
to be  able to fix  this with law, and  that it was  dependent on                                                               
the drive and the people behind it to establish best practices.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:25:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TARR  expressed  her   support  of  the  proposed                                                               
resolution.    She  pointed out  the  national  recognition  [for                                                               
placement  of pregnancy  tests  in rest  rooms].   She  expressed                                                               
concern that,  as drinking  happens elsewhere,  there was  a need                                                               
for complementary prevention efforts for intervention, as well.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  KELLY explained  that the  proposed  resolution was  the                                                               
rudiments  of  an  operating  plan,   and  that  they  would  not                                                               
eliminate any  possibilities, including the use  of contraception                                                               
as an alternative.  He  noted that contraception was not included                                                               
in  the  current plan,  and  he  offered  that there  were  "some                                                               
reasons to  suggest it  may not  be the best  thing at  the point                                                               
that we're at right now."                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:27:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HIGGINS offered  his belief that it was  necessary to stage                                                               
a  three-day  conference  for every  organization  that  accepted                                                               
state funds, in  order to work together for ideas  and to develop                                                               
a better program.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR. RAY  expressed his  agreement.   He shared  his conversations                                                               
with  Senator  Kelly regarding  the  Empowering  Hope group,  and                                                               
referenced   these   proposed   resolutions  as   "legacy   class                                                               
initiatives"  and  "social  equivalents  to the  pipeline."    He                                                               
expressed his excitement that  the proposed resolution identified                                                               
the  networks, and  would  bring  them together  at  an event  to                                                               
discuss  best  practices  for   FASD,  suicide,  sexual  assault,                                                               
domestic  violence, and  drug and  alcohol abuse.   He  projected                                                               
that  the proposed  resolution  would lead  to  development of  a                                                               
social infrastructure network to carry out the strategies and                                                                   
suggest community based solutions to the governor.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:30:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
[Chair Higgins opened public testimony.]                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR. JESSEE expressed his support for the proposed resolution,                                                                   
declaring that this resolution would ramp up existing statewide                                                                 
efforts by supporting those who were already working on it.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:31:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to report CSSCR 14(HSS), Version 28-                                                                
LS1397\C, out of committee with individual recommendations.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:32:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HIGGINS closed public testimony.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection, CSSCR 14(HSS) was moved from the House                                                                
Health and Social Services Standing Committee.