Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 106
02/01/2011 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Overview(s): Department of Health and Social Services | |
| Alaska Statewide Independent Living Council | |
| Governor's Council on Disabilities & Special Education | |
| Governor's Statewide Suicide Prevention Council | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
JOINT MEETING
HOUSE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
SENATE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
February 1, 2011
3:01 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
HOUSE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Representative Wes Keller, Chair
Representative Alan Dick, Vice Chair
Representative Bob Herron
Representative Paul Seaton
Representative Sharon Cissna
Representative Bob Miller
Representative Charisse Millett
SENATE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Senator Bettye Davis, Chair
Senator Dennis Egan
Senator Johnny Ellis
Senator Kevin Meyer
Senator Fred Dyson
MEMBERS ABSENT
HOUSE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
All members present
SENATE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
OVERVIEW(S): DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
- HEARD
ALASKA STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL
- HEARD
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON DISABILITIES & SPECIAL EDUCATION
- HEARD
GOVERNOR'S STATEWIDE SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNCIL
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
ALISON ELGEE, Assistant Commissioner
Central Office
Finance and Management Services
Department of Health and Social Services
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented a PowerPoint overview of the
Department of Health and Social Services.
BARBARA HENJUM, Director
Division of Juvenile Justice
Department of Health and Social Services
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the Department of
Health and Social Services overview.
DUANE MAYES, Director
Central Office
Division of Senior and Disabilities Services
Department of Health and Social Services
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the Department of
Health and Social Services overview.
ANDI NATIONS, Executive Director
Statewide Independent Living Council of Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented a PowerPoint, "An Overview of The
Alaskan Independent Living Network" and answered questions about
the council.
COURTNEY WESTBERG, Advocate/Consumer
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified and answered questions during the
Alaska Statewide Independent Living Council presentation.
JOYANNA GEISLER, Executive Director
Kenai Peninsula CIL
Homer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified and answered questions during the
Alaska Statewide Independent Living Council presentation.
ELIZABETH LEE, Advocate/Consumer
Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation
Bethel, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified and answered questions during the
Alaska Statewide Independent Living Council presentation.
MILLIE RYAN, Executive Director
Governor's Council on Disabilities & Special Education
Division of Senior and Disabilities Services
Department of Health and Social Services
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented a PowerPoint and answered
questions on Disabilities and Special Education.
KATE BURKHART, Executive Director
Statewide Suicide Prevention Council
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified and answered questions during a
presentation on the Statewide Suicide Prevention Council (SSPC).
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:01:52 PM
CHAIR WES KELLER called the joint meeting of the House and
Senate Health and Social Services Standing Committees to order
at 3:01 p.m. Representatives Keller, Millett, Miller, and Dick,
and Senators Davis, Ellis, Egan and Meyer were present at the
call to order. Representatives Herron, Seaton, and Cissna, and
Senator Dyson arrived as the meeting was in progress.
[Chair Keller passed the gavel to Chair Davis.]
^OVERVIEW(S): DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
OVERVIEW(S): DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
3:03:08 PM
CHAIR DAVIS announced that the first order of business would be
the continuation from the meeting of January 27, 2011, of the
Overview by the Department of Health and Social Services.
3:04:49 PM
ALISON ELGEE, Assistant Commissioner, Central Office, Finance
and Management Services, Department of Health and Social
Services, continued with the PowerPoint, "2011 Alaska Department
of Health and Social Services Overview," [Included in members'
packets] and spoke about "Health Care Services," slide 7. She
reported that the Division of Health Care Services employed 134
staff, and managed the majority of the Medicaid program. She
pointed out that the division provided the rate reviews and the
systems maintenance for all the Medicaid facilities, and it
managed the contract for the third party payer which processed
all the Medicaid claim payments. She listed some of its
challenges: maintaining sufficient provider enrollment to meet
the program needs with reasonable rates, and setting the
provider payment rates to encourage provider participation
without compensating for services at rates higher than
necessary. She declared that Health Care Services was working
to develop a strong tribal health system. She directed
attention to the big effort for completion of the Medicaid
management information system. She established that federal
compliance and program requirements were stricter than ever.
She introduced Kimberli Poppe-Smart, Director of the Division of
Health Care Services.
3:08:11 PM
MS. ELGEE, referring to slide 8, "Juvenile Justice", reported
that the division had 479 staff, with 8 youth detention
facilities and 16 juvenile probation offices. She emphasized
the constant struggle with recruitment, and noted a concern for
retention for senior management positions. She shared the
success for keeping more juvenile offenders out of the
institutions. She reported on efforts to understand and reduce
recidivism, with an emphasis on strengthening families.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked about the difficulties with
recruitment.
MS. ELGEE replied that workforce retention and recruitment was
often location specific, and was especially acute in the health
professions.
BARBARA HENJUM, Director, Division of Juvenile Justice,
Department of Health and Social Services, replied that there
were different issues in statewide recruitment. She pointed to
the successes with using video recruitment.
3:12:47 PM
MS. ELGEE directed attention to slide 9, "Public Assistance."
She reported that the Division of Public Assistance had 535 full
time staff, primarily eligibility technicians for public
assistance programs, with 15 full service field offices, serving
more than 174,000 clients. She listed the eligibility programs
to include: Medicaid, senior benefit program, heating
assistance, food stamps, and temporary assistance. She stated
that the divisional challenge was to meet the increasing
caseloads with the existing resources. She spoke about the
change in the business process to a methodology called "Lean",
and she touted its success. She projected changes for the
eligibility work when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act was implemented.
3:16:17 PM
CHAIR DAVIS asked if there was any federal money to pay for a
new system to implement the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act.
MS. ELGEE expressed hope for a 90 percent federal payment for
that portion of the system which was directly attributable to
Medicaid eligibility.
3:17:20 PM
MS. ELGEE addressed the next slide, "Senior & Disability
Services," (slide 10) and stated that the division managed four
Medicaid waiver programs, which served 4800 people. She listed
the four waiver programs: children with complex medical
conditions, adults with physical disabilities, older Alaskans,
and developmental disabilities. She spoke about the Adult
Protective Services program. She pointed out the various other
programs which were administered through the Division of Senior
and Disabilities Services. She stated that the biggest
challenge was for meeting the corrective action plan by the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
3:19:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA offered her belief that the Division of
Senior and Disabilities Services had endured a number of crises
over the years. She reflected on the lack of a long term plan.
3:22:23 PM
DUANE MAYES, Director, Central Office, Division of Senior and
Disabilities Services, Department of Health and Social Services,
replied that the Commission on Aging was actively developing a
five year plan. He lauded the new leadership for moving the
department in the right direction.
3:23:59 PM
ACTING COMMISSIONER STREUR reflected that the Division of Senior
and Disabilities Services had earlier been in a crisis to
provide service without the resources, but that recently the CMS
director had stated that the division was now a model waiver
program. He spoke of the need for not only a plan, but for a
"doing."
3:25:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA expressed her concern for the seniors in
her community. She emphasized the need for seniors to feel
safe, healthy, and confident. She asked to be notified of the
planning results.
3:26:21 PM
CHAIR DAVIS asked about if there were any recommended changes to
the waivers which were up for reauthorization.
ACTING COMMISSIONER STREUR replied that he would address this
later.
^ALASKA STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL
ALASKA STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL
3:29:19 PM
CHAIR DAVIS announced that the next order of business would be a
presentation by the Alaska Statewide Independent Living Council.
3:30:28 PM
ANDI NATIONS, Executive Director, Statewide Independent Living
Council of Alaska, presented a PowerPoint entitled "An Overview
of The Alaskan Independent Living Network" [Included in members'
packets] and introduced the other members of the council.
3:31:27 PM
COURTNEY WESTBERG, Advocate/Consumer, directed attention to
slide 1, "Independent Living Philosophy," and stated:
All Alaskans, regardless of disability, should have
control over their life choices and their
independence. They should be able to decide what they
need and determine what is best for themselves.
She offered her belief that "disability is a natural part of the
life experience." She shared her experiences as a provider to
people with disabilities. She stated that the independent
living movement was a local grass roots movement to give
individuals the right and responsibilities to make the choices
they deemed best for themselves.
3:33:23 PM
JOYANNA GEISLER, Executive Director, Kenai Peninsula CIL,
pointed to slide 2, "Vital Components of the Independent Living
Philosophy." She stated:
If we live long enough, we will each of us experience
a disability in our lives. So, while our services are
for people, specifically for people and families with
disabilities, we know that the entire community in
which we provide services can also benefit from our
services.
She described a successful systems advocacy venture with a local
cab company for expanding its fleet to include lift equipped
minivans.
3:35:20 PM
ELIZABETH LEE, Advocate/Consumer, Yukon Kuskokwim Health
Corporation, referenced slide 3, "Alaskan Independent Living
Partners," and listed the many partners working with the
council. She described slide 4, "Alaska Statewide Independent
Living Council (SILC)," and explained that SILC was established
as a non-profit by the Rehabilitation Act of 1992. She read the
SILC mission: "To ensure that Alaskans with disabilities live
independently and are fully integrated into the mainstream of
society."
3:36:26 PM
MS WESTBERG moved on to slide 5, "Alaska SILC Composition and
Responsibilities," and explained that the members were appointed
by the Governor. She established that the main goals and
responsibilities of the board members were: "to develop,
implement, and evaluate the State Plan for Independent Living...
as well as to expand and improve the IL network across the whole
state of Alaska."
3:37:10 PM
MS. GEISLER described slide 6, "Alaskan Centers for Independent
Living," and shared that these centers were the organizations
which provided service to the people and families with
disabilities. She listed the centers: Access Alaska in
Southcentral, Southwest, the Aleutians, and the Interior
regions; Southeast Alaska Independent Living Center (SAIL) in
the Southeast region; Independent Living Center (ILC) in Kenai
Peninsula, Kodiak Island and Valdez/Cordova areas; and, Arctic
Assess in Nome and the Northwest Arctic Borough. She moved on
to slide 7, which depicted a map of the "Regional Service
Areas."
3:38:49 PM
MS. GEISLER indicated slide 8, "Each Center for Independent
Living," and said that each center was a unique, non-profit
organization. She shared that the majority of board members and
staff have disabilities. She announced that "any body of any
age with any disability" was eligible for these services.
3:41:07 PM
MS. NATIONS referred to slide 9, "Each Center for Independent
Living Offers Five Core Services," and announced that Alaska had
added a fifth core service. She shared that information and
referral were the first service an individual would receive when
they entered an independent living center. She spoke about the
support groups, and the peer counseling. She expressed the need
for individual and systems advocacy. She declared that
independent living skills were vital to living on your own. She
declared that deinstitutionalization was the core of independent
living, as people could stay in their own home and their own
community.
3:44:41 PM
MS. GEISLER reported that all of the centers offered technology,
slide 10, "Assistive Technology," which included canes, walkers,
and wheelchairs. She gave some examples of various
technologies. She moved on to slide 11, "Centers for
Independent Living," and spoke about the listed services, which
included housing, transportation, health care, and financial
assistance.
3:49:57 PM
MS. NATIONS offered slide 12, "Independent Living Partners,"
stated that the "centers for independent living are much more
than providing direct service, they are providing connections,"
and pointed to the list of agencies, which included the Alaska
Deaf Council, AgeNet, and the Alaska Mobility Coalition.
^GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON DISABILITIES & SPECIAL EDUCATION
GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON DISABILITIES & SPECIAL EDUCATION
3:52:02 PM
CHAIR DAVIS announced that the next order of business would be a
presentation by the Governor's Council on Disabilities & Special
Education.
3:54:10 PM
MILLIE RYAN, Executive Director, Governor's Council on
Disabilities & Special Education, Division of Senior and
Disabilities Services, Department of Health and Social Services,
presented a PowerPoint, "Overview Governor's Council on
Disabilities & Special Education [Included in members' packets].
She presented slide 1, "Council Mission," and stated that the
mission was "to create change that improves the lives of people
with disabilities." She shared that the council was not a
direct service provider, but it gathered service providers to
meet the needs. She pointed out that the council worked with
the service providers to find better ways to do business, and it
advocated for needed changes.
3:55:16 PM
MS. RYAN referenced slide 2, "Council Members," and stated that
the council had 27 members, who were appointed by the governor.
She noted that 60 percent of the members were individuals with
disabilities or family members of individuals with disabilities.
She shared that the remainder of the members were
representatives from state agencies.
3:56:14 PM
MS. RYAN directed attention to slide 3, "Council
Responsibilities," and described its five roles: State Council
on Developmental Disabilities, State Advisory Panel on Special
Education, State Interagency Council on Infants and Toddlers
with Disabilities, Governing Board of the Special Education
Service Agency (SESA), and the Beneficiary Board of the Alaska
Mental Health Trust Authority. She noted that Alaska was the
only state to integrate all of these into one council, which,
she opined, was very efficient.
3:58:53 PM
MS. RYAN identified slide 4, "Tools Used to Achieve Mission,"
and described the activities of the council, which included
gathering community and stakeholder input, conducting research
and data gathering, and providing testimony about how
legislation will impact people with disabilities. She reviewed
slide 5, slide 6, and slide 7, "Example of Council in Action,"
and gave an example of how the council operated, which included
listening to public testimony, convening an ad hoc committee,
researching work done in other states, and putting the
recommendations into an initiative.
4:02:36 PM
MS. RYAN observed that slide 8, "Number of AARC Web Site Page
Views by Fiscal Year," reflected the rapid increase for web site
viewings in the last two years.
4:03:17 PM
MS. RYAN furnished slide 9, "Number of Board Certified Behavior
Analysts (BCBAs) Practicing in Alaska," which depicted the
projected increase in BCBAs because the legislature had invested
in training.
4:04:59 PM
MS. RYAN reported on slide 10, "Complex Behaviors Hub," and
stated that Alaska had 11 individuals currently living in out-
of-state institutions for developmental disabilities. She
shared that the Council had recommended establishing a complex
behaviors hub which would provide comprehensive diagnostic and
testing capacity, individualized triage services, technical
assistance to providers, and case-specific consultation and
training services.
4:06:51 PM
MS. RYAN confirmed that the Council was the governing board for
the Special Education Service Agency (SESA), as noted on slide
11 and slide 12, "Special Education Service Agency." She shared
the two policy recommendations from the Council: remove the
sunset provisions from the SESA statute, and change the funding
formula for SESA.
4:08:22 PM
MS. RYAN moved on to slide 13, "2010 Harris Poll Findings," and
detailed the national poll which had compared people with and
without disabilities. She directed attention to the differences
for employment, socializing, and access to health care. She
stated that this would influence the Council's new state plan.
4:09:17 PM
MS. RYAN reflected on slide 14, "Upcoming Challenges," and
emphasized the challenge for developing actions and policies
that would improve the lives of thousands of Alaskans with
disabilities. She stressed that Alaskans with disabilities
needed to be properly equipped with tools, skills and
opportunities to successfully live the same everyday lives as
other Alaskans.
4:09:42 PM
SENATOR MEYER asked who a constituent would call for help if
they had needs which were not being met.
MS. RYAN replied that the Council, the Stone Soup Group, or the
Disability Law Center of Alaska could be contacted.
4:10:41 PM
MS. RYAN, in response to Representative Herron, explained that
the career exploration day was an opportunity for youth with
disabilities to shadow workers in careers which interested them.
She expressed her desire for this to be a state-wide
opportunity.
4:11:42 PM
MS. RYAN, in response to Representative Herron, pointed to the
lack of available services in rural Alaska, and noted the
establishment of an ad hoc committee. She shared that the
committee plan was focused on technology, training, and
transitions from school to adult life.
^GOVERNOR'S STATEWIDE SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNCIL
GOVERNOR'S STATEWIDE SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNCIL
4:13:13 PM
CHAIR DAVIS announced that the final order of business would be
a presentation by the Statewide Suicide Prevention Council.
4:14:07 PM
KATE BURKHART, Executive Director, Statewide Suicide Prevention
Council, gave a brief history of the SSPC, and an update on its
most recent conference. She reported that the SSPC was
established in 2001, in response to a need for solutions and for
support to communities experiencing a high rate of suicide. She
listed the 12 voting members and the 4 non-voting members. She
pointed out that SPCC was an advisory council to the legislature
and the governor:
To advise with respect to actions to improve health
and wellness for Alaskans around the state by reducing
suicide; to broaden awareness of suicide and the risk
factors that lead up to it; to enhance suicide
prevention services and programs throughout the state;
to develop healthy communities through comprehensive,
collaborative; community-based and faith based
approaches; to develop and implement a statewide
suicide prevention plan; and to strengthen existing
and build new partnerships between public and private
entities to advance suicide prevention efforts in the
state.
She reported that the council had met in Dillingham, Anchorage,
Fairbanks, Kotzebue, Juneau, and Toksook Bay. She reported that
the Statewide Suicide Prevention Summit, which included
partnerships with many private and public agencies, was the
first time that the state and tribal suicide prevention systems
had come together, with a priority of listening to diverse
groups of people.
4:22:48 PM
MS. BURKHART declared that "people engaged in suicide prevention
feel alone." She reported that the SSPC prioritized
connections, in order to better improve communications among
groups and resources. She elaborated on the rapid formation of
a Ketchikan based suicide prevention group with the support and
mentoring from other groups. She noted that Alaska Children's
Services in Anchorage had partnered with the Alaska State
Troopers to ensure that the Troopers received special prevention
and intervention training. She shared that the Alaska National
Guard had worked with Southeast Alaska communities to teach
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), another
prevention and intervention model.
4:25:42 PM
MS. BURKHART pointed out that a big achievement for the council
was the increased openness and willingness to talk about suicide
in Alaska. She observed that this was the first SSPC
presentation to the Alaska State Legislature. She declared that
there was now a greater level of comfort for sharing ideas.
4:27:40 PM
MS. BURKHART stated that SSPC had transitioned to a new
strategic focus: prioritizing the coordination of efforts for
connections and partnerships; focusing on maintenance of open
dialogue through media and awareness; offering training of the
necessary skills and tools to identify and intervene
appropriately; and improving prevention programming. She
emphasized that the statewide suicide prevention plan also
needed to be updated. She affirmed the importance of the SSPC
central message that "every person's life has value."
4:32:37 PM
[CHAIR DAVIS returned the gavel to Chair Keller.]
4:34:03 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Health and Social Services Standing Committee meeting was
adjourned at 4:34 p.m.
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