Legislature(1993 - 1994)
02/10/1993 03:00 PM House HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES
STANDING COMMITTEE
February 10, 1993
3:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Rep. Cynthia Toohey, Co-Chair
Rep. Con Bunde, Co-Chair
Rep. Gary Davis, Vice Chair
Rep. Al Vezey
Rep. Pete Kott
Rep. Harley Olberg
Rep. Bettye Davis
Rep. Irene Nicholia
Rep. Tom Brice
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
*HB 67: "An Act relating to eligibility for and payments
of public assistance; and providing for an
effective date."
NO ACTION TAKEN
Overview of Alaska Native Health Board
WITNESS REGISTER
JAN HANSEN, Director
Division of Public Assistance
Department of Health and Social Services
P.O. Box 110640
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0640
Phone: (907) 465-2680
Position statement: Gave presentation on HB 67
CURTIS LOMAS, Program Officer
Division of Public Assistance
Department of Health and Social Services
P.O. Box 110640
Juneau, Alaska 99811
Phone: (907) 465-3382
Position statement: Answered questions on HB 67
EILEEN KOZEVNIKOFF
Tanana Chiefs Conference
122 First Ave.
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701
Phone: (907) 452-8251
Position statement: Opposed HB 67
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HB 67
SHORT TITLE: ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
BILL VERSION:
SPONSOR(S): RULES BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR
TITLE: "An Act relating to eligibility for and payments of
public assistance; and providing for an effective date."
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
01/15/93 86 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)
01/15/93 86 (H) HEALTH, EDUCATION &
SS,JUDICIARY,FINANCE
01/15/93 86 (H) -6 FNS (6-DHSS) 1/15/93
01/15/93 86 (H) GOVERNOR'S TRANSMITTAL LETTER
02/10/93 (H) HES AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 106
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 93-13A, SIDE A
Number 000
CHAIR TOOHEY called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. and
noted members present. She introduced Ann Walker, executive
director of the Alaska Native Health Board, and said
approximately 47 members of the board were attending the
meeting. Chair Toohey said Ms. Walker would give a half-
hour presentation, which would be followed by testimony on
HB 67.
Number 024
ANN WALKER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ALASKA NATIVE HEALTH
BOARD (ANHB), began her presentation, saying the ANHB was a
consortium of Native health organizations around the state,
representing 210 villages in the state. She asked each of
the members of the board present to introduce themselves.
They were:
Rhonda McLeod, North Slope Borough
Clare Lewis, ANHB
Jim Segura, Southcentral Foundation
Terry Baines, Kodiak Area Native Association
Robert J. Clark, Bristol Bay Area Health Corp.
Darleen Beltz, Southcentral Foundation
Katherine A. Johnson, ANHB
Margaret Roberts, Kodiak Area Native Association
Lorraine Jackson, Chair, ANHB and Copper River Native
Association
Lincoln Bea, SEARHC
Burlington Wellington, Metlakatla Indian Community
Emma Bodfish, NSB Health Dept.
Valerie Naquin, Copper River Native Association
Eileen Kozevnikoff, Tanana Chiefs Conference
Hedy Lestenkof, Aleutian/Pribilof Islands Association
Jack Smith, North Slope Borough
Boris R. Merculief, Aleutian/Pribilof Islands Association
Joseph C. Dexter, Norton Sound Health Corp.
Kate Thompson, Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp.
H. Sally Smith, Bristol Bay Area Health Corp.
Tim Kaganak, Bethel Yukon Kuskowkwim Corp.
Willy Richardson, Bethel Yukon Kuskowkwim Corp.
Sharon Walluk, Norton Sound Health Corp.
Susie Erlich, president, Manilaaq Association
Thelma Good, Manilaaq Association board member
Eugene (unintelligible, but sounding like Kotznikof)
Paul Hansen, Manilaaq Association.
Number 116
MS. WALKER began her discussion of Native health issues and
the ANHB's priorities, which have remained largely unchanged
over the years. She said the board's top priorities are
health promotion and disease prevention. While much money
has gone to the medical model of providing health services
in rural Alaska, the health status of Alaska Natives is not
improving, she said. She illustrated, saying that nine of
the top 10 fatal diseases for Natives in rural Alaska are
preventable. She mentioned suicide, alcoholism, and lung
cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death for
Native women, and Native women have the nation's highest
rate of lung cancer, from smoking. She said she would like
to work with the state to look at developing a policy to
promote health and prevent disease. She said the Department
of Health and Social Services does not have such a policy,
which could help prevent costly chronic diseases.
Number 158
MS. WALKER said Alaska Natives rank among the last in the
nation in health status and lower than other Alaskans, and
she attributed that low ranking to lifestyle choices. Those
who are overweight or obese die from heart attacks, smokers
die from lung cancer, criminals kill, suicides kill
themselves, drinkers drink themselves to oblivion, she said.
If attention is paid to such lifestyle choices in children,
the associated problems can be decreased in adults, she
said.
MS. WALKER next addressed disease prevention, saying that
water, sewage and sanitation are critical to Native health.
There is a need for running water and sewage service for the
57 village clinics in Alaska lacking such services. She
said these clinics serve villages suffering from outbreaks
of infectious diseases such as hepatitis A and B, and from
diseases like fluoride poisoning, which killed a boy in
Hooper Bay last summer.
Number 220
MS. WALKER said there is a need to improve the sanitation
conditions in rural Alaska. She conceded that running water
and sewage service for all villages might cost $1.6 billion.
She asked instead for safe watering points, safe disposal
points, and safe places to put solid waste. She said the
board appreciated the governor's plans to spend $42 million
in FY 94 for rural sanitation. But she said she pins more
hopes on the Rural Sanitation Task Force recommendations,
commitments concerning which she said the governor made to
the Alaska Federation of Natives in October, 1992. She
noted that the AFN's resolutions concerning this issue are
listed in the ANHB's "State Legislative Priorities for
Fiscal Year 1994," (provided to committee members and on
file in the committee room). The recommendations focus on
building the infrastructure necessary for public health and
ensuring that villages develop the resources and
capabilities to understand, maintain and operate the systems
as public utilities. She said that while the Indian Health
Service and Public Health may install water systems, they do
not provide adequate support and training to avoid the
necessity for costly emergency repairs later.
MS. WALKER said another top priority for the ANHB is home
and community-based care for disabled Natives and the
increasing number of elderly Natives, as an alternative to
sending such people to Anchorage or Fairbanks for housing
and treatment in their last years. She said the board has
worked with the Older Alaskans Commission and supports
waivers from the Department of Health and Social Services to
allow the option of providing care for the elderly at home.
She also wanted the state to apply for a waiver for "Project
CHOICE" to provide for a demonstration project to address
the special requirements of an assisted living program in
rural areas, such as chopping wood or emptying honeybuckets.
Number 307
MS. WALKER referred to the ANHB's legislative priorities
report for FY 94, and asked the committee's support. She
mentioned one request that the University of Alaska offer
master's degree programs in social work and public health,
saying they would address the lack of qualified health care
workers in rural Alaska. Such programs would also make it
easier for rural Natives with bachelor's degrees to overcome
their reluctance to leave their homes for the post-graduate
work that would qualify them to provide direct health care
services in rural Alaska, she said. She then invited board
members to present their own concerns.
CHAIR TOOHEY asked Ms. Walker what kinds of health care
problems would require treatment by a person with a master's
degree.
Number 342
MS. WALKER responded, saying mental health or alcoholism
counselors, or managers of alcohol treatment programs, must
be licensed professionals holding master's level degrees.
CHAIR TOOHEY said the state is aware of such problems and is
training village health aides and mental health and alcohol
treatment counselors.
MS. WALKER added that a joint commission on accreditation of
hospitals and Medicaid and Medicare require master's degree-
level service providers in order to qualify for
reimbursement and to qualify as hospital-level services.
She said, however, that community-based behavioral workers
are essential, working mostly on prevention and crisis
intervention.
Number 354
REP. BUNDE thanked Ms. Walker for testifying. He expressed
support for the ANHB for establishing a list of priorities
stretching to the year 2002, especially education and
personal responsibility. But he questioned the request for
resources to provide full dental, vision and AIDS treatment,
which he said would be extremely expensive. He said
providing such full service might tend to obviate the need
for Alaska Natives to take responsibility for maintenance of
their own health.
Number 366
MS. WALKER said that in recent months the ANHB has developed
a strategic plan and a common goal for the Native health
care delivery system by 2002. She said that while the state
supplies some funding, the Indian Health Service also
provides some dental and AIDS prevention services. She said
that with the increasing numbers of HIV-positive Alaska
Natives, the Native health care system must begin to
consider how to treat fully developed cases of AIDS
independent of state funding, though she said the state has
a constitutional obligation to fund AIDS prevention
programs.
Number 390
REP. BUNDE agreed with the need for and benefits of AIDS
prevention, as opposed to AIDS treatment. He also supported
efforts to educate youth about tobacco as a preventative
measure. He disagreed, however, with the recommendation
that the need to teach Natives how to deliver health care to
Natives justified new master's level university programs, as
in his experience many Natives have difficulty completing
four-year degrees. He said education dollars might be
better allocated more toward undergraduate education for
Natives, with consideration given later to master's level
programs.
REP. IRENE NICHOLIA expressed disagreement with Rep. Bunde,
saying it was important that Alaska Natives earn master's
degrees and advance in the field of public health. She
asked whether Ms. Walker agreed with the need for more than
the current 40 mental behavioral health aides.
Number 418
MS. WALKER did agree and said the Native health associations
often recruit from the rest of the nation for such jobs,
when they should train Alaskans to treat their own people.
She repeated her view that the state needs a master's degree
program. She said the ANHB supports the idea of behavioral
health aides and has worked with Susan Soule of the
Department of Health and Social Services' Division of Mental
Health focussing on preventing disease in young children.
She stated there are 50 such aides now.
Number 430
REP. NICHOLIA said villages need such aides because
residents otherwise have no access to mental health
services, or limited access from annual or semi-annual
visits from Anchorage or Fairbanks professionals.
CHAIR TOOHEY agreed with the need for behavioral aides, and
mentioned that there is money for training behavioral aides.
Number 453
CATHY JOHNSON, OF THE SOUTHCENTRAL FOUNDATION AND THE ANHB,
referred to a November 28, 1992, issue of the New York
Times' national edition which discussed the village of
Kotlik and its problems with water and sewer, such as the
need in 1990 to fly 49 people to Bethel with viral
meningitis. She repeated the need for water and sewage
service for village clinics, stating that village health
aides cannot even wash their hands.
HB 67 - ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
CHAIR TOOHEY called a brief at-ease at 3:37 p.m. and
reconvened the meeting at 3:43 p.m. She brought HB 67 to
the table and announced that the hearings would be
teleconferenced, listen-only, to Sitka, Bethel, Ketchikan
and Anchorage. She introduced Jan Hansen and Curt Lomas of
the Department of Health and Social Services, Division of
Public Assistance. Chair Toohey said the committee would
hear testimony but would take no action on the bill in the
meeting.
Number 500
JAN HANSEN, DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE,
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, began her
presentation on HB 67. She reminded the committee of her
previous presentation on the department's public assistance
programs (January 25, 1993). She stressed that the fiscal
impact of HB 67 is already reflected in the governor's
budget, and the fiscal notes accompanying the bill merely
break down that impact according to each element of HB 67.
MS. HANSEN said HB 67 is the department's response to issues
of welfare dependence and the increasing cost of Alaska's
public assistance program. She said the intent of the bill
is both to achieve immediate savings and to curb the rate of
increase in case load. Savings in the Aid to Families with
Dependent Children (AFDC) would be achieved through five
separate steps. The first is reducing the AFDC program
benefit levels to the January 1991 level. The second is
suspending the planned cost of living allowance adjustment
(COLA) for AFDC scheduled to take effect at the start of
FY94. The third is cutting the payment standard for a two
parent, one-child household under the AFDC Unemployed Parent
(UP) program to match that for a one-parent, two-child
household. The fourth is making a cost-neutral adjustment
to payments made to households which include an adult who is
not responsible for the welfare of a child. An example
would be a grandparent who shared a home with a needy family
but is not financially responsible for the child, and who is
therefore not included in calculations of need and benefit
level under the AFDC program.
Number 567
CHAIR TOOHEY asked whether a grandparent's small income
would, in such a case, be included in the calculation of the
child's needs.
MS. HANSEN said the division would treat such income in such
a way as to provide the best advantage for the child. She
said that if the grandparent earned just $200 a month, then
the department would consider both the grandparent's income
and needs and include the grandparent in the household as an
included adult, and calculate the household needs of a
three-person household, which is $950, which is $750 less
the grandparent's $200 income. But if the grandparent
earned $800 a month, he could chose not to be included, and
let the department consider just the parent and child in
setting the needs.
Number 582
REP. BUNDE asked whether a child would still qualify for
AFDC if a grandparent earning $50,000 per year shared the
child's household.
Number 585
CURTIS LOMAS, PROGRAM OFFICER FOR THE DIVISION OF PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, said
the division determines a child's eligibility depending on
where a child lives. If the child were living with the
grandparents and not his parents, and the child had no
financial resources, then the grandparents could qualify for
AFDC. However, AFDC would require parents in such a case to
pay child support, based on their income.
Number 602
REP. BUNDE asked a clarifying question, which was answered.
MS. HANSEN said such cases are a very small part of the
caseload and the bill changes the payment standard for such
households so that payments are made only on behalf of the
children. The payment standards for such households are out
of compliance with federal standards, she said, and need to
be adjusted. The federal standards require that the
incremental increase in payments for an additional child in
such households be the same as the incremental increase for
another child in other households.
MS. HANSEN resumed her presentation on the division's plans
to save money in the AFDC program, and said the fifth step
would be suspending the automatic statutory cost of living
adjustment upwards in AFDC benefits scheduled to take effect
during the federal FY 94, which she estimated would be about
3 percent. She said the federal government's increase in
Social Security would, under current statutes, automatically
increase the state's AFDC payment standard. She said the
state would suspend the amount of COLA the state pays, but
would allow the needs standard to increase. That would have
the effect of creating a gap between the needs standard and
the benefit payment. Creating that gap would help create
incentive for welfare recipients to work, by allowing them
to keep slightly more of their income, up to the level of
the need standard, before that extra income would decrease
their benefit level, assuming their income remained below
the needs standard.
Number 655
CHAIR TOOHEY asked the size of the gap.
MS. HANSEN answered it would create a gap of $60 for a
parent and two children, and $53 for a parent and one child.
Number 662
REP. BRICE asked whether the division proposed suspending
the COLA for both AFDC and Adult Public Assistance (APA).
MS. HANSEN answered yes, but said she was first addressing
changes in the AFDC program and she would later address APA.
Number 667
REP. BUNDE asked whether families would receive larger
benefits if they were larger than three members.
MR. LOMAS answered that they would.
MS. HANSEN expanded on that answer, saying that the increase
in benefits from a two to a three-member household would be
an increase to $60 from $53. She emphasized, however, that
the incremental increase would be consistent.
MS. HANSEN moved on to discuss how HB 67 would attempt to
save money in the APA program through changes similar to
those in the AFDC program. The first was reducing the APA
benefit level back to the January 1990 level, a reduction of
about 3.7 percent. The second is suspending the COLA for
APA benefits scheduled for January 1, 1994.
TAPE 93-13A, SIDE B
Number 000
(There was a partial loss of recording at tape changeover.)
MS. HANSEN continued with the third change, which deals with
the state's treatment of those in the process of applying
for federal disabled benefits. Under the current system,
while an applicant waits the average four to eight months
between application and enrollment into the disabled
benefits program, the state will pay him $280 per month.
When approved for the federal benefits, he receives a
retroactive benefit check. Under HB 67, the state would
receive the check, deduct the $280 per month state payments,
and forward the remainder to the individual. Further, the
person would then receive a retroactive state benefit check
for the amount over the monthly $280 supplement and the
state needs standard of $374 per month. Under HB 67, the
state would be compensated for its interim assistance from
the recipient's retroactive federal benefit check. The
recipient would then be eligible for federal supplemental
social security income benefit and his state APA supplement.
Number 058
MS. HANSEN said the fourth change would be in pro-rating the
eligibility date for APA assistance from the date of
application instead of the first day of the month in which
the application was made. She added, however, that this
change does not have to be made in statute.
MS. HANSEN said the statute reads strangely because it
amends the benefit levels set out in an original statute
passed in 1982. However, repeated COLAs since 1982 have
significantly raised the amount of welfare payments actually
made. Therefore, while in one place it might look like
HB 67 raises the need standard to $792 from $500, it
actually lowers it, she said. Ms. Hansen explained further,
that the $500 needs standard established in 1982 has been
raised through COLAs to $845. But a ratable reduction in HB
67 would actually lower the benefit payment to $792.
Number 108
(Rep. Brice left at 4:03 p.m.)
REP. NICHOLIA said that, as electricity and food already
cost more in rural areas, and as the cost of living is
rising fast in rural areas, she believed HB 67 short-changes
rural residents on AFDC, especially as state workers get
COLAs.
Number 138
REP. BUNDE commented that the $60 gap Ms. Hansen described
earlier was not significant motivation to welfare recipients
to take jobs. He asked whether federal regulations require
more AFDC money for additional children.
Number 174
MS. HANSEN answered that federal law requires the same
increment of increase for each additional child. She also
assented to Chair Bunde's assertion that $60 was not much
incentive, but said creating the gap creates the mechanism
and leaves the door open to increase the gap later, possibly
by increasing the needs standard. She warned, however, that
while increasing the needs standard would increase the gap,
it would also cost the state by expanding the population of
eligible AFDC clients, which was reason enough not to do it.
Number 194
CHAIR TOOHEY asked whether there was not a jobs training
program associated with the AFDC program.
MS. HANSEN answered by mentioning the JOBS program, under
which 930 of the 13,000 families on AFDC in Alaska were
receiving job training and other assistance to help them
find work and get off AFDC.
Number 212
REP. G. DAVIS applauded Ms. Hansen's efforts to trim welfare
expenses. He asked whether the cuts would dramatically
diminish the ability of some welfare recipients to survive.
He mentioned that some welfare recipients have other sources
of income, such as SSI, Social Security, Food Stamps,
Permanent Fund or Native corporation dividends.
MS. HANSEN responded, saying it was a difficult question to
answer. But she said that HB 67 would reduce the amount of
assistance to each family receiving AFDC and APA, and in
some cases eliminate scheduled increases. She said the
state's limited funds and its desire to reduce welfare costs
prompted a strategy of providing benefits to all who
qualify, but by reducing the payment for all, instead of
eliminating some people from the programs entirely. She
added that, while families would see a reduction in
benefits, their Food Stamp benefits would increase to
compensate for about one-third of the loss. Those in
subsidized housing would also see a slight increase in
benefit. The division does not include a family's income
from the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend program in
calculating benefit levels, so as to provide a financial
cushion.
Number 275
REP. B. DAVIS asked how much money HB 67 would save.
MS. HANSEN answered that the changes in the AFDC program
would save $12,651,000, and the changes in the APA program
would save $5,134,000, for a total savings of approximately
$17,800,000 in FY94, assuming the caseload would continue to
increase.
REP. B. DAVIS asked whether the bill would not really shift
welfare costs to other programs such as subsidized housing,
which the state pays in part.
MS. HANSEN acknowledged that HB 67 would shift some costs to
subsidized housing, but said the largest shift would be to
the Food Stamp program, which is paid 100 percent by the
federal government.
Number 320
REP. B. DAVIS said it seemed to her that welfare would be
the last place to take budget cuts, as it helped those in
the direst economic straits. She said she liked the gap
which allows welfare recipients to work and keep a few extra
dollars without penalty, and she expressed the hope that the
gap could be increased. She asked whether anyone was
considering how to help welfare recipients who want work to
find jobs, and suggested putting any savings into such
programs.
Number 358
MS. HANSEN answered that much consideration had been
directed at such problems. She cited the JOBS program, and
the planned increase in participation to 1,340 from 930
families. She also mentioned the direction of more money to
allow Public Assistance staffers to help advise clients on
how to find work. She said HB 67 was the department's
attempt to deal with a full range of socio-economic issues,
and that other efforts, such as the governor's efforts to
stimulate economic development in the state, could also help
address the problems of the unemployed.
Number 388
REP. NICHOLIA asked what effect HB 67 would have on
children, and whether it would foster dependence in
children.
Number 389
MS. HANSEN answered that AFDC is a program aimed at helping
children by providing assistance to their parents. She said
the program must guard against fostering dependence, and
that social service workers do believe that there is a
connection between the size of welfare benefits and a
person's willingness to receive benefits, though she could
not quantify the relationship.
Number 418
REP. BUNDE said he would like to see the JOBS program
expanded to include more than 930 of the 13,000 Alaskan
families receiving welfare. He asked how many of those
involved in the JOBS program lived in urban areas, compared
to rural areas.
Number 420
MS. HANSEN responded that the program is available
statewide, and that Native organizations get direct, though
small, grants to operate the JOBS program. She said the
division's offices in urban areas do provide outreach
services to rural areas, but admitted that those people
living on the road system or in more accessible areas tend
to get more benefit from the JOBS program, and that
directing funds to the JOBS program in urban areas tends to
get the best return on investment.
Number 426
REP. BUNDE asked whether Alaska welfare officials had
considered copying a New Jersey program to limit the amount
of additional benefits paid to families who have additional
children while on welfare.
MS. HANSEN answered that New Jersey had found that program
to have minimum impact, and that it essentially did not
work.
REP. BUNDE said he had heard that some young girls get
pregnant, intending to spend the $50 monthly prenatal
nutrition benefit from the state for entertainment. He
asked Ms. Hansen to look into the problem.
MS. HANSEN answered that there were may programs in the
state budget that could do a lot to reduce teen pregnancy,
or encourage responsible parenting by teens. While she
supports such programs, the need to address high welfare
costs remains, she said.
Number 500
REP. NICHOLIA asked if there were ways to increase the
incentive and ability to work among welfare recipients other
than increasing the gap between needs standards and benefit
levels. She also asked if the $17 million in savings HB 67
would afford would come fully from state expenditures, or
include some federal savings.
Number 525
MS. HANSEN responded that there were ways to increase
incentive, though many of them were not in state control,
and would require changes in federal statutes, such as
allowing clients to keep more of their earnings. She said
the department was working to change that federal law.
While the state has asked to receive waivers from the
federal law, the value of such waivers must first be
determined through a demonstration project. Such
demonstration projects can be costly, and may only cover
half of the client population at a time, she said. Ms.
Hansen answered Rep. Nicholia's second question, saying that
the $17 million in savings from HB 67 included savings in
both state and federal expenses.
Number 530
CHAIR TOOHEY asked whether the state would have to return
the federal savings to the federal government.
MS. HANSEN answered that the money would never actually come
to the state, as the federal government sends its matching
funds based on the amount of AFDC the state pays.
Number 538
EILEEN KOZEVNIKOFF, OF THE TANANA CHIEFS CONFERENCE AND THE
ANHB, testified against HB 67, saying that welfare programs
need more funding not less. She said welfare recipients are
already at poverty level and the JOBS program does not work
in Bush Alaska; the only employment in some villages is
fire-fighting, and a subsistence lifestyle is the only other
alternative. She said Native corporation dividends do not
often top $100 a year. She said there are not enough
caseworkers in Fairbanks and it takes up to six weeks to
process welfare applications and the applications are lost.
She asked for more funding.
Number 562
CHAIR TOOHEY invited Ms. Hansen for an overview of Indian
Health Service or federal funding available for jobs
training for Natives.
MS. HANSEN said that the Native corporations get direct,
though small, grants to operate their own JOBS programs for
a few Natives. She said Tanana Chiefs Conference is one
such contractor.
MS. KOZEVNIKOFF protested that such programs may help
Natives in Fairbanks, but not in the villages.
CHAIR TOOHEY asked how many jobs are available in the
villages, and how many of them were not filled by village
residents.
MS. KOZEVNIKOFF said that the only jobs in most villages
were positions in the schools, and a single health aide job.
CHAIR TOOHEY, hearing no further questions, and having no
further business before the committee, ADJOURNED the meeting
at 4:35 p.m.
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