Legislature(2023 - 2024)BUTROVICH 205

02/15/2024 03:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
*+ SB 181 CHILD PLACEMENT; DILIGENT SEARCH TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
*+ SSCR 2 DISAPPROVE EO 125 TELECONFERENCED
Moved SSCR 2 Out of Committee
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
+= SB 115 PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT SCOPE OF PRACTICE TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSSB 115(HSS) Out of Committee
            SB 181-CHILD PLACEMENT; DILIGENT SEARCH                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:31:35 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON announced  the consideration of SENATE  BILL NO. 181                                                               
"An  Act  relating to  placement  of  a  child  in need  of  aid;                                                               
relating to adoption; and providing for an effective date."                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WILSON stated  this is the committee's first  hearing on SB
181. The committee will hear invited and public testimony.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:31:54 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN,  District D, Alaska State  Legislature, Juneau,                                                               
Alaska, speaking as sponsor, introduced SB 181:                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     It  is  an  unfortunate and  heartbreaking  truth  that                                                                    
     sometimes  a child  must be  removed from  the care  of                                                                    
     their parents.  It is  then incumbent  on the  State of                                                                    
     Alaska  to  ensure that  these  kids  receive the  best                                                                    
     possible care  while they are  in the  State's custody.                                                                    
     This  includes  amending  Alaska Law  as  necessary  to                                                                    
     ensure the Department of Family  and Youth Services and                                                                    
     the  Alaska  Court  System have  guidelines  that  will                                                                    
     allow for the best possible outcomes.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Studies show that every time  a child is moved from one                                                                    
     placement to another, there is  an impact on the child.                                                                    
     Kids in the foster care  system on average show greater                                                                    
     issues  with  behavior,  mental health,  and  cognitive                                                                    
     abilities  than their  peers. However,  there can  be a                                                                    
     direct   correlation  drawn   between  the   number  of                                                                    
     placements a  child experiences and  the impact  it has                                                                    
     on  them. I  have invited  subject matter  experts that                                                                    
     are online to speak more about these concerns.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Senate  Bill  181  seeks  to  minimize  the  number  of                                                                    
     placements a child may experience in two ways.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     First, the bill would place  a 30-day timeline and more                                                                    
     specific  requirements  on  the  Office  of  Children's                                                                    
     Services for finding family  members and family friends                                                                    
     who are able to take on  the care of a child earlier in                                                                    
     the process  to help minimize the  number of placements                                                                    
     a child experiences and  help maintain connections with                                                                    
     family  and   community.  I   have  heard   stories  of                                                                    
     relatives that  were unaware for  months or  even years                                                                    
     that a  child was  in foster  care. Ensuring  that more                                                                    
     thorough and  timely searches  are conducted  will help                                                                    
     create better outcomes for kids.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Second, this  bill provides more latitude  to apply the                                                                    
     placement  preferences  placed  on OCS  and  the  Court                                                                    
     System.  SB  181  would allow  the  State  to  consider                                                                    
     placing  a child  with  a foster  family  instead of  a                                                                    
     family member  if the child  is under 6, has  been with                                                                    
     the  family  for  more  than   12  months,  and  it  is                                                                
     determined to be in the  best interest of the child. 20                                                                    
     years  ago,  the  Alaska Legislature  enacted  policies                                                                    
     giving family members preference  when placing a child,                                                                    
     policies   I  support   through  the   provisions  that                                                                    
     strengthen  family  searches. However,  children  under                                                                    
     six are going through  their most significant phases of                                                                    
     brain  development, and  placement changes  can have  a                                                                    
     much larger impact than for older children.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     It  is  difficult to  craft  laws  that will  perfectly                                                                    
     apply to situations that are  guaranteed to vary widely                                                                    
     from  one child  to the  next. This  change in  statute                                                                    
     wouldn't  mandate  where  a child  is  placed.  SB  181                                                                    
     provides more latitude for making  the decision that is                                                                    
     in   the  best   interest  of   the  child.   Also,  by                                                                    
     encouraging  timely and  diligent  family searches  the                                                                    
     number of these difficult  situations that occur can be                                                                    
     minimized or avoided entirely.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     It's important to note that  the statutory change about                                                                    
     placement will  not apply to  kids that fall  under the                                                                    
     Federal Indian  Child Welfare Act.  Placement decisions                                                                    
     will still be made under the federal guidelines.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     In addition,  the bill  clarifies that  foster families                                                                    
     have the right  to request a hearing  over placement of                                                                    
     a child  they have been  caring for in order  to ensure                                                                    
     they,  as  the  people  most  knowledgeable  about  the                                                                    
     children in their  care, have a seat at  the table when                                                                    
     decisions are  made. The bill also  amends the statutes                                                                    
     regarding family  placement to give OCS  and the Courts                                                                    
     more latitude to place children  with family members by                                                                    
     allowing for  decisions that are  in the  best interest                                                                    
     of the child.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     It's also  important to acknowledge  that hard  work of                                                                    
     the  Office  of  Children's   Services  and  the  heavy                                                                    
     headwinds they face every day.  I am looking forward to                                                                    
     the  outcome  of  the salary  survey  promised  by  the                                                                    
     Administration,  and I  hope that  we will  be able  to                                                                    
     find  ways  to help  the  Division  recruit and  retain                                                                    
     enough  people   to  keep  up  with   their  heavy  and                                                                    
     challenging workload.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:36:22 PM                                                                                                                    
LAURA ACHEE, Staff, Senator Jesse Bjorkman, Alaska State                                                                        
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided the following sectional                                                                   
analysis for SB 181:                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
        Senate Bill 181 Child Placement; Diligent Search                                                                      
                  Version H Sectional Analysis                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1: Adds language  to AS 47.10.080(s) to clarify                                                                    
     that  foster parents  may request  a hearing  regarding                                                                    
     the  Department  of   Family  and  Community  Services'                                                                    
     (DFCS) decision to  transfer a child out  of the foster                                                                    
     home.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section  2:   Amends  AS  47.10.088(i)  to   allow  for                                                                    
     determination of  the best interest  of the  child when                                                                    
     making  decisions regarding  permanent  placement of  a                                                                    
     child.   For   exceptions    to   family   notification                                                                    
     requirements, the  section changes the criteria  from a                                                                    
     person being ineligible for a  foster care license to a                                                                    
     placement not being in the  best interest of the child.                                                                    
     This    section    also   adds    language    regarding                                                                    
     determination  of best  interest,  including whether  a                                                                    
     child is under  six years old and has been  in the care                                                                    
     of  the  foster  family  for at  least  12  consecutive                                                                    
     months.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Section  3:  Adds  language  to  AS  47.10.142(i)  that                                                                    
     conforms to the changes in Section 4.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section  4:  Adds a  new  section,  AS 47.10.145,  that                                                                    
     requires  the   Department  search  for   adult  family                                                                    
     members and family friends suitable  for placement of a                                                                    
     child within  30 days of  the State removing  the child                                                                    
     from the  home, describes  what constitutes  a diligent                                                                    
     statutorily  required  search,   and  requires  ongoing                                                                    
     searches until  excused to  do so by  the court  or the                                                                    
     child is in a permanent placement.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Section 5:  Adds language  to AS  47.14.100(e) allowing                                                                    
     for consideration of placement  with a foster family of                                                                    
     children who are  under six years old and  have been in                                                                    
     the  care  of  that  foster  family  for  at  least  12                                                                    
     consecutive  months when  an  adult  family member  has                                                                    
     also  expressed  interest.   Also  amends  language  to                                                                    
     conform to the change in Section 4.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Section 6:  Amends AS  47.14.100(m) to  remove language                                                                    
     prohibiting  placement  with  a family  member  if  the                                                                    
     family  member does  not meet  the  requirements for  a                                                                    
     foster  care   license.  Adds  language   that  denying                                                                    
     placement due  to the best  interest of a child  with a                                                                    
     family member may not  include consideration of poverty                                                                    
     of the family member or inadequate or crowded housing.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section  7: Provides  for a  January 1,  2025 effective                                                                    
     date.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:39:03 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON announced invited testimony for SB 181.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:39:26 PM                                                                                                                    
JENNIFER  RODRIGUEZ, Executive  Director, Youth  Law Center,  San                                                               
Francisco, California,  stated that the Youth  Law Center focused                                                               
on  advocating for  the rights  of  children in  foster care  and                                                               
juvenile justice systems. The Youth  Law Center collaborated with                                                               
developmental  experts  nationwide  to  translate  research  into                                                               
policy  and  practice.  Drs.  Charles   Zeanah  and  Mary  Dozier                                                               
requested  she  testify  on their  behalf.  She  highlighted  the                                                               
importance of  science in informing  policy decisions.  The Youth                                                               
Law Center was  actively engaged in aligning  foster care systems                                                               
with    research   findings,    particularly   emphasizing    the                                                               
significance  of  attachment  and  relationships  for  children's                                                               
development. The  Youth Law Center  worked with leadership  in 12                                                               
states  and about  80 jurisdictions.  She  stressed the  critical                                                               
necessity of immediately searching  for relatives, ideally before                                                               
removal, to assist  in the success of  children. The organization                                                               
advocated for policy  changes to meet the  developmental needs of                                                               
infants  and  young  children in  foster  care,  recognizing  the                                                               
importance of stability and attachment for their well-being.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  RODRIGUEZ   stated  that  research  had   demonstrated  that                                                               
delaying  the  search  for relatives  could  inflict  significant                                                               
trauma on  children, particularly  when they were  separated from                                                               
long-term caregivers.  Introducing relatives  later in  a child's                                                               
life,  especially when  children are  under the  age of  six when                                                               
they  enter   foster  care,   stands  to   exacerbate  emotional,                                                               
behavioral,  and biological  issues later.  Delays in  the search                                                               
and  approval process,  often due  to  inefficiencies within  the                                                               
child  welfare system,  prolonged the  trauma for  children. Even                                                               
short delays  of a day or  a week could have  profound effects on                                                               
young  children.  She  mentioned that  some  children  experience                                                               
delays  of a  year or  more,  resulting in  unnecessary loss  and                                                               
trauma  with  lifelong  consequences   for  the  children,  their                                                               
families,  and  communities.  The   system  needs  to  prioritize                                                               
immediate identification of relatives.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS.  RODRIGUEZ  emphasized  two  additional  perspectives  beyond                                                               
scientific evidence. First, drawing  from her personal experience                                                               
as both a  lawyer and a former foster child,  she highlighted the                                                               
profound impact  of lacking familial  connections. Growing  up in                                                               
foster  care  without  familial support  or  cultural  ties,  she                                                               
experienced  a  loss of  identity  and  language. This  sense  of                                                               
disconnection  led to  the  predictable  struggles that  research                                                               
indicates  children  experience.   These  struggles  resulted  in                                                               
restrictive  placements in  foster  care,  juvenile justice,  and                                                               
mental  health  facilities. She  mentioned  that  the failure  to                                                               
conduct  an adequate  search  for relatives  during  her time  in                                                               
foster  care resulted  in years  of  instability and  disruption.                                                               
Despite system failures, she overcame  these challenges and built                                                               
a successful  life. However,  many youths  are not  as fortunate.                                                               
She emphasized how  the system's failure to  prioritize early and                                                               
robust efforts  to connect children with  relatives significantly                                                               
alters their life trajectories, affecting  not only them but also                                                               
future generations.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:45:44 PM                                                                                                                    
BOBBI  OUTTEN,  Director,   Southcentral  Foundation,  Anchorage,                                                               
Alaska, provided  a brief history  of her work with  children and                                                               
defined  trauma as  any form  of impairment  to a  child's psyche                                                               
that  is  a direct  result  of  a difficult  event.  Long-lasting                                                               
effects of childhood trauma include  brain impairment, changes to                                                               
genetics, and complications  forming attachments. Advancements in                                                               
biological  embedding technologies  have  enabled differences  in                                                               
genomes  to  be compared.  She  provided  some Adverse  Childhood                                                               
Experiences (ACEs) findings and emphasized there are more:                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
- 1 ACE doubles the chance of perpetrating domestic violence                                                                    
- 4 ACEs correlates with a 5 times greater risk of domestic                                                                     
   violence                                                                                                                     
- 7-8 ACEs increases the risk of adolescent suicide 51 times.                                                                   
- 4 is the average number of ACEs a child experiences. People                                                                   
  with 4 ACEs have:                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
        • 2 times the rate of cancer.                                                                                           
        • 3.6 times the rate of heart disease.                                                                                  
        • 2.2 times increased risk of diabetes.                                                                                 
        • 6.5 times the likelihood of using drugs.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
She stated that  ACEs are applicable to SB 181  and the Office of                                                               
Children's   Services  because   investigations,  removals,   and                                                               
replacements  adversely affect  children and  leads to  life-long                                                               
consequences  if  not  handled  appropriately.  She  opined  that                                                               
without  laws   specific  to  the  removal,   placement  changes,                                                               
kinship,  and  reunification  the interventions  can  shift  from                                                               
positive to adverse.  The resiliency in children  does not negate                                                               
the permanent effect of adverse childhood experiences.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:51:39 PM                                                                                                                    
MS.  OUTTEN said  the  problems with  services  for children  are                                                               
systemic  in that  decisions  are  not trauma-sensitive,  trauma-                                                               
informed, or  trauma-responsive. The  current system  will resist                                                               
change.  However,   change  is  necessary  if   Child  Protective                                                               
Service's  decisions  are to  be  about  children and  not  about                                                               
liabilities,  money, staffing,  and adults.  Change should  begin                                                               
with  developmentally targeted  decisions.  She  opined that  the                                                               
only  place  that maintains  the  same  guidelines for  a  child,                                                               
regardless of age, is the Office of Children's Services.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:53:13 PM                                                                                                                    
MS.  OUTTEN  stated  that  the   department  needs  to  establish                                                               
developmentally  appropriate  guidelines to  minimize  attachment                                                               
disruptions. Disturbed placements lead  to increased rejection in                                                               
a child's life,  creating a cycle of  damaged attachments, future                                                               
mental instability, and health issues.  She spoke to the need for                                                               
diligent and  detailed searches for safe  family members. Current                                                               
language  is ambiguous,  lacking  accountability, definition,  or                                                               
reporting. Language  must define  and require family  searches to                                                               
be conducted  within three  months of a  child coming  into state                                                               
custody. Finding family members is  critical to the well-being of                                                               
a  child because  it allows  the child  to form  attachments with                                                               
family instead  of foster family.  She mentioned  instances where                                                               
family members  were not contacted  for over a year.  When family                                                               
members  are unable  to  care for  the  child, guidelines  should                                                               
follow  attachment research  and  allow  interaction with  family                                                               
members through in-person or virtual meetings.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:55:28 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. OUTTEN spoke  about transitions and the benefits  of having a                                                               
plan  when  removing a  child  from  a  safe home  versus  sudden                                                               
unexpected  removal.  There  are safe,  healthy,  developmentally                                                               
appropriate  best  practices  for  removing  children  from  safe                                                               
homes. Permanency  decisions should always  be trauma-responsive,                                                               
based  on attachment  research, and  developmentally appropriate.                                                               
The  best interest  of the  child should  always include  what is                                                               
safest,  least disruptive,  and  most nurturing.  The state  does                                                               
more  harm  than good  if  every  step  in the  child  protective                                                               
services process  is not  developmentally appropriate  and trauma                                                               
responsive. Every child matters.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:57:36 PM                                                                                                                    
KENDALL  SEAL,  Vice President,  The  Center  for the  Rights  of                                                               
Abused  Children, Phoenix,  Arizona, said  the center  works with                                                               
welfare agencies, stakeholders,  and policymakers nationwide. Its                                                               
mission is to  ensure that every abused or neglected  child has a                                                               
safe and  loving home.  The center  supports finding  families to                                                               
ensure children  are protected and  have stability. It is  in the                                                               
best interest  of the children to  place them with a  safe family                                                               
or  a  foster  family  as  quickly as  possible.  He  stated  the                                                               
organization's belief that placement  and permanency should occur                                                               
with the  child's best interests  in mind. Currently,  Alaska law                                                               
requires  the  state to  search  for  relatives or  close  family                                                               
friends, prioritizing  placement with family.  Unfortunately, the                                                               
parameters regarding  due diligence  are inadequate.  He provided                                                               
statistics regarding the placement of Alaska's youth:                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
- 20 percent of youth in foster care have 3 or more placements                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
- On average youth spend 22 months in foster care                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
- 13  percent of youth  reenter care  one year following  a prior                                                               
incident.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
He   said   instability   fuels   negative   outcomes   such   as                                                               
exploitation, missing  children, and human trafficking.  As a pro                                                               
bono  legal  clinic, the  center  knows  firsthand the  suffering                                                               
children  face when  obedience to  preferential  lists is  valued                                                               
over doing  what is in a  child's best interest. SB  181 promotes                                                               
safety  and  stability and  would  increase  the speed  at  which                                                               
children are placed with relatives.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:01:26 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. SEAL spoke  about the fiscal note for SB  181 and opined that                                                               
it  would   not  delay  the  finding   of  permanent  placements.                                                               
Furthermore, finding  children's families reduces  litigation and                                                               
accelerates the removal of children  from the foster care system.                                                               
The  state  of  Missouri  reported  needing  only  one  full-time                                                               
position  to  handle the  changes  proposed  in SB  181,  despite                                                               
having between 12,000  - 13,000 children in  foster care. Alaska,                                                               
with between  2,500 - 3,000  youth in foster care,  would require                                                               
only 0.2 percent of a  full-time position if the numbers remained                                                               
consistent.  He expressed  his opinion  that the  numbers in  the                                                               
fiscal  note  are  inaccurate. He  suggested  changing  the  time                                                               
requirement in  SB 181, Section  2, from  12 months to  9 months.                                                               
Additionally,  he   proposed  changing   Section  4   to  include                                                               
databases that  the state must  utilize when conducting  a search                                                               
for relatives. He emphasized that  the department should consider                                                               
the databases as  a minimum requirement for  conducting a search,                                                               
not a maximum.  He added that Section 4 could  also incorporate a                                                               
notice period  for relatives  to respond to  a search.  He stated                                                               
his belief that SB 181 is a strong piece of legislation.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:04:21 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  TOBIN asked  what stipulations  the  court would  consider                                                               
when determining a child's best interest.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:04:44 PM                                                                                                                    
NANCY  MEADE,  General  Counsel, Administrative  Offices,  Alaska                                                               
Court  System, Juneau,  Alaska,  replied that  there  is a  well-                                                               
prescribed definition  for "best interest  of a child."  She said                                                               
she would  provide it to  the committee. The definition  is well-                                                               
known and utilized by judges.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:05:30 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  TOBIN asked  how  the department  would  obtain access  to                                                               
databases outside  of the state  to locate family  members living                                                               
outside of Alaska or outside of the United States.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:06:14 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN stated  he is open to  stipulations for database                                                               
searches that make it possible  to identify and contact a child's                                                               
relatives.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR   TOBIN   asked   how  the   department   would   establish                                                               
partnerships to ensure an extensive family search is conducted.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:07:05 PM                                                                                                                    
MS.  ACHEE replied  that a  diligent search  is multifaceted  and                                                               
involves more than searching databases.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:07:37 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN  asked what would  happen if  the only relative  of a                                                               
child lived outside of the U.S.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS.  ACHEE  reiterated that  statute  would  require a  continued                                                               
search until stipulations were met.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:08:44 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  TOBIN  asked  whether  the  creation  of  stipulations  is                                                               
necessary  to  foster  communication between  state  and  federal                                                               
databases.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. ACHEE replied  that the department would  need to investigate                                                               
how agencies would  work together; it might only  require a phone                                                               
call from one agency to another.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:09:26 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DUNBAR  asked what  the legal  difference is  between the                                                               
"good  cause  standard"  and  the "best  interest  of  the  child                                                               
standard."                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:10:16 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN  stated his belief  that the language  exists in                                                               
Sections 2  and 5 of  SB 181. The  court system is  familiar with                                                               
the definition  of "good cause"  within the context of  the "best                                                               
interest."  The  best  interest finding  is  utilized  in  making                                                               
numerous determinations. SB 181  contains a significant amount of                                                               
permissive language, which empowers  the court system to consider                                                               
all available  information. Page  5, line 21,  of SB  181 permits                                                               
preference of placement to a foster  family if both the court and                                                               
OCS agree, the  child is under 6 years old,  and has resided with                                                               
the foster family  for 12 months. It is not  a mandate but rather                                                               
allows  all parties  involved to  have a  voice in  the decision-                                                               
making process.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:12:31 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  DUNBAR  asked if  the  reference  to the  reordering  of                                                               
preferences  in  a  document  from   Facing  Foster  Care  was  a                                                               
misreading of SB 181.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:12:55 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN replied  yes. He stated he has  explained to the                                                               
organization multiple  times that SB  181 does not put  one group                                                               
above another. SB  181, page 5, lines 20-21, allows  the court to                                                               
consider a foster family as a  placement option when the child is                                                               
under six  years old and  in the family's  care for at  least six                                                               
months.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  DUNBAR  asked if  it  is  a  legitimate concern  that  a                                                               
relative who  wants custody of a  child would not have  access to                                                               
the  same   resources  as   the  state   for  litigation   or  be                                                               
disadvantaged in some way.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:14:25 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  BJORKMAN stated  that wealth  and resources  are omitted                                                               
from  best  interest   findings.  He  opined  that   there  is  a                                                               
significant  amount of  case law  stating that  wealth cannot  be                                                               
considered.  An additional  provision in  SB 181,  on pages  4-5,                                                               
states   that  the   court  can   excuse   family  members   from                                                               
consideration  for  placement.  A  time  limit  is  necessary  to                                                               
account for when a child finds permanency.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:16:45 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON opened public testimony on SB 181.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:16:53 PM                                                                                                                    
MEGHAN MASON, representing self,  Anchorage, Alaska, testified in                                                               
support of  SB 181. She stated  her family was a  licensed foster                                                               
family  since 2017,  loving and  caring for  eight children.  The                                                               
foster care system  lacks the resources to provide  for the needs                                                               
of children,  which leads to  long term trauma and  trust issues.                                                               
She opined  that it is the  responsibility of a foster  family to                                                               
ensure that the child is safe,  loved, and protected so the child                                                               
can heal.  However, the  state then uproots  the child.  She said                                                               
children are not made a priority  and the system needs to change.                                                               
She shared a  personal experience of raising a  foster child from                                                               
birth to 4 years old. Adoption  by the state was approved until a                                                               
biological family member,  whom the child had  never met, decided                                                               
to  take placement.  She spoke  of the  hardships such  decisions                                                               
cause children and  foster families. SB 181  would allow children                                                               
to stay with  foster families, and it would also  do a better job                                                               
of  locating  all  potential  relatives   and  friends  within  a                                                               
reasonable amount of time.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:20:12 PM                                                                                                                    
DESTINEE   MCCLUNG,   representing   self,   Anchorage,   Alaska,                                                               
testified in  support of SB 181.  She said she has  been a foster                                                               
parent for  8 years.  Foster parents  are frontline  workers that                                                               
witness  the  devastation  caused  by the  Office  of  Children's                                                               
Services (OCS). Alaska  has experienced a 31  percent decrease in                                                               
foster  care families.  OCS would  point  out that  there are  16                                                               
percent  fewer  children  in  the system  than  five  years  ago.                                                               
However, OCS  screens 16  percent fewer  reports than  five years                                                               
ago. Foster parents are closing  their licenses because they feel                                                               
they  are  being forced  to  contribute  to the  child's  trauma.                                                               
Current laws  do not  take into  consideration the  detriment and                                                               
trauma  that  removal  from   long-term  placements  creates  for                                                               
children and  foster families. Attachment  is the  first building                                                               
block  to  healthy, happy,  well-adjusted  adults.  SB 181  would                                                               
increase OCS's accountability and  speed permanent placement. The                                                               
state  needs  to change  its  laws  to  prioritize the  needs  of                                                               
children over the needs of adults.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:22:33 PM                                                                                                                    
EMILY BOLANDER,  representing self, Fairbanks,  Alaska, testified                                                               
in support of  SB 181. She stated seven children  have resided in                                                               
her home over the past 1.5 years,  all of whom were under the age                                                               
of six. The needs of the  children were widely varied and serving                                                               
them was a  privilege. Children are born deserving  of safety and                                                               
stability.  SB  181  supports   timely  connections  with  family                                                               
whenever possible.  Connections to  biological family  are proven                                                               
to increase  unification outcomes,  which is  the goal  of foster                                                               
care. OCS  should prioritize timely and  appropriate searches for                                                               
safe  family  placements for  children  in  crisis. SB  181  also                                                               
addresses placement  of children in  a licensed foster  home when                                                               
family  members are  unavailable.  Children  form attachments  to                                                               
foster  families.   Foster  families  also  form   safe,  healthy                                                               
relationships  with members  of  the  child's biological  family.                                                               
Children experience  trauma when  they form attachments  to their                                                               
homes  and  are  then  removed   for  other  permanency  options.                                                               
Compounded trauma is  difficult to treat and  stays with children                                                               
into  adulthood. The  court should  at  least consider  permanent                                                               
placement  an option  in situations  where  children have  formed                                                               
attachments to their safe, stable, foster care families.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:25:23 PM                                                                                                                    
ANDREA DOESHART,  representing self, Kenai, Alaska,  testified in                                                               
support of  SB 181. She stated  her family was a  licensed foster                                                               
care  family from  2018  to September  of  2023. She  voluntarily                                                               
closed her  license. The time  periods that children  stayed with                                                               
her ranged from  a long weekend to 3.5 years.  She stated that in                                                               
the summer of  2022 she sat on a therapist's  floor with a puppet                                                               
on  her  hand trying  to  explain  to her  three-year-old  foster                                                               
daughter that she must leave the  only home she knew since birth.                                                               
Words  like "legal"  or "biological"  do not  mean anything  to a                                                               
three-year-old,  but  "mama"  does.  She stated  that  after  the                                                               
puppet show,  she was required  to pull  a crying child  from her                                                               
body, force  her into the arms  of someone else, and  walk out of                                                               
the   building.  She   stated  she   betrayed  the   parent-child                                                               
relationship  that she  had  built  for three  years  and had  to                                                               
participate in  shattering the only  reality the child  knew. She                                                               
has  not been  allowed  to see  her since.  She  stated that  the                                                               
experience  was  gut  wrenching  and she,  her  spouse,  and  her                                                               
biological  children still  grieve. She  stated the  "good cause"                                                               
clause  is narrowly  written and  does not  include psychological                                                               
and developmental well-being.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:28:46 PM                                                                                                                    
DANIELLE   WAKEFIELD,  representing   self,  Anchorage,   Alaska,                                                               
testified in support of SB 181.  She said she has been a licensed                                                               
foster parent for five years.  Children in the foster care system                                                               
face  profound instability  and  uncertainty. In  her  home is  a                                                               
four-year-old girl  she has cared  for since birth.  Although the                                                               
federal  guideline  for  custody  is 15  months,  the  court  has                                                               
extended custody three times and  is comfortable extending it for                                                               
a fourth  time because permanent  placements do not  occur within                                                               
that timeframe. She  stated her home is not  considered an option                                                               
for permanent  placement and she  has no voice or  legal standing                                                               
to advocate for  the girl she has raised. She  opined that to OCS                                                               
she  is  nothing  more  than  a  babysitter.  She  is  forced  to                                                               
participate  in unnecessary  adverse  childhood experiences.  The                                                               
limbo  that foster  care  children experience  due  to delays  in                                                               
court hearings leads to emotional  and psychological distress. It                                                               
is unacceptable for children to  remain in foster care for years.                                                               
She urged support  for SB 181 so foster children  can receive the                                                               
care, stability, and permanency they deserve.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:30:51 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DUNBAR asked  if the 15-month federal  guideline was part                                                               
of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA).                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS.  WAKEFIELD replied  that the  federal guidelines  require the                                                               
department to  file a  termination petition at  15 months  if the                                                               
child's parent has not made substantial progress.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DUNBAR said  his understanding is SB 181  does not impact                                                               
ICWA. He  asked for confirmation  that the 15-month  guideline is                                                               
separate from ICWA.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:31:38 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. WAKEFIELD replied  she is uncertain whether it is  a state or                                                               
federal  guideline, but  children are  not to  remain in  custody                                                               
more than 24 months. The guideline is not part of ICWA.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:32:03 PM                                                                                                                    
KRISTEN HADDOX, representing self,  North Pole, Alaska, testified                                                               
in support  of SB  181. She  stated she  lives with  her husband,                                                               
four  biological children,  and  three foster  children. She  has                                                               
been a licensed  ICWA foster home for seven years  and a relative                                                               
placement. She has cared for  14 children and adopted a six-year-                                                               
old child  after five years and  three months of caring  for him.                                                               
She stated that  as a relative placement, she did  not see OCS as                                                               
an intrusion.  Frequently, family  members spend years  trying to                                                               
advocate for  a child, but the  child is hidden from  them by the                                                               
parent. OCS  needs to  find a  healthy family  as a  child enters                                                               
care   because  birth   parents  do   not  provide   the  contact                                                               
information of family members and  close friends. The state needs                                                               
to  raise the  bar on  relative expectations.  When a  child goes                                                               
through  a  traumatic experience,  the  state  should expect  the                                                               
presence  of  a  family  member, even  if  solely  for  emotional                                                               
support.  SB  181  asks for  expressed  interest,  not  immediate                                                               
placement. A relative failing to act  because they do not want to                                                               
deal with  OCS is silly.  Ignoring a child's best  interest makes                                                               
everyone  involved feel  like  the bad  guy.  Foster parents  and                                                               
employees become  part of  the system because  they want  to help                                                               
children but  leave because  of the  secondary trauma  the system                                                               
causes. Children's  brains remember trauma. She  had children who                                                               
stopped  feeling   gravity  due  to  anxiety.   Their  lives  are                                                               
unstable, not  knowing where  they will live  from week  to week.                                                               
Small  children do  not understand  why they  cannot stay  with a                                                               
family and  the stress  causes regression.  She stated  that when                                                               
she  adopted a  foster child,  she adopted  the child's  extended                                                               
family into her home. Biological  family against foster family is                                                               
a false narrative.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:35:16 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON held SB 181 in committee.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:35:33 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON closed public testimony on SB 181.                                                                                 

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
SB 181 Ver H.PDF SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 181
SB 181 Sectional Analysis Version H.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 181
SB 181 Sponsor Statement Ver H.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 181
SB 181 FN DFCS.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 181
SB 181 Months to Permanent Placement With Kinship.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 181
SB 181 Placement Narratives.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 181
SB 181 The Effect of Placement Instability.pdf SFIN 4/3/2024 9:00:00 AM
SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 181
SB 181 Letters of Support Rcvd by 020924_Redacted.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 181
SB 181 LOS Hazen_Redacted.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 181
SB 181 Martin LOS_Redacted.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 181
SB181 FFCA Concerns.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 181
SSCR 2 v A (EO 125).pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SSCR 2
SSCR 2 Webb in Favor of EO125_Redacted.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SSCR 2
SSCR 2 DoH FN (EO 125).pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SSCR 2
SSCR 2 re EO 125 Vinton Support.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SSCR 2
SB 115 Ak Academy of Physican Assistants Support.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 115
SB 115 Johnson Opposition.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 115
SB 115 Am No. 1 as amended 2.15.24.pdf SHSS 2/15/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 115