01/26/2009 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB35 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 35 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
January 26, 2009
1:34:47 PM
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Bettye Davis, Chair
Senator Joe Paskvan, Vice Chair
Senator Johnny Ellis
Senator Joe Thomas
Senator Fred Dyson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 35
"An Act extending the termination date of the Statewide Suicide
Prevention Council; and providing for an effective date."
HEARD AND HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 35
SHORT TITLE: EXTEND SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNCIL
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) DAVIS
01/21/09 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/09
01/21/09 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/21/09 (S) HSS, FIN
WITNESS REGISTER
TOM OBERMEYER, Staff
to Senator Bettye Davis
State Capitol
Juneau AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced SB 35.
PAT DAVIDSON, Auditor
Legislative Audit Division
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 35.
DIANE CASTO, Manager
Prevention and Early Intervention
Division of Behavioral Health
Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS)
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 35.
MELISSA STONE, Director
Division of Behavioral Health
Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS)
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 35.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:34:47 PM
CHAIR BETTYE DAVIS called the Senate Health and Social Services
Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:34 p.m. Present at the
call to order were Senators Dyson, Paskvan, Ellis and Davis.
SENATOR THOMAS joined the committee.
SB 35-EXTEND SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNCIL
1:36:24 PM
CHAIR DAVIS announced consideration of SB 35.
1:36:33 PM
TOM OBERMEYER, Staff to Senator Davis, introduced SB 35 . This
bill is to extend the termination date of the Statewide Suicide
Prevention Council to June 30, 2013 and establish an effective
date. He read from the sponsor statement:
SB 35 extends the termination date of the Statewide
Suicide Prevention Council to June 30, 2013. Suicide
is a very serious public health concern in Alaska,
particularly among young males and the native
population. Extension of the Statewide Suicide
Prevention Council is important in curtailing this
avoidable loss of life. The mission of the Statewide
Suicide Prevention Council is to advise the governor
and the legislature on issues relating to suicide. In
collaboration with communities, faith-based
organizations and public-private entities, the Council
works to improve the health and wellness of Alaskans
by reducing suicide and its effect on individuals and
communities.
MR. OBERMEYER went on to say that Alaska has the highest age-
adjusted suicide rate of all states at 21.1 per 100,000
population. Alaska has twice that rate among the native
population and the unabated rate of suicide for the past number
of years has been pretty constant. The main reason for the
extension of this council is to reduce this continuing problem.
1:38:38 PM
CHAIR DAVIS asked for questions or comments from the committee
concerning the extension.
1:38:48 PM
SENATOR ELLIS asked if the extension date in the bill comports
with the recommendation of the audit report.
1:38:58 PM
MR. OBERMEYER said he believes it does.
1:39:38 PM
PAT DAVIDSON, Auditor, Legislative Audit Division, Juneau, AK,
responded that the extension is supported by the recommendation.
The statute called for up to an eight-year extension for boards,
commissions and councils. Legislative Audit recommended four
years because the Council is having difficulty establishing a
voting quorum. Four years ago they recommended that the
governor's office make more timely appointments but they still
see problems there. This year their recommendation is to look at
the composite of the Council; make the legislative members non-
voting members; perhaps loosen some of the requirements for
membership to the council, which are very narrowly construed.
Additionally, they recommended that when making grants to
communities for suicide prevention issues, the Division of
Behavioral Health align the grants going out to the suicide
prevention plan developed by the Council. Since that time, there
has been a change in the trend in grant-making toward more
comprehensive grants; but they still want to see grants align
with the goals and functions of the Council.
SENATOR ELLIS asked Ms. Davidson if the Department of Health and
Social Services (DHSS) Behavioral Health would be willing to
assist them in examining the composition of the Council and the
requirements for membership.
MS. DAVIDSON said they certainly would.
1:44:04 PM
CHAIR DAVIS said she would be willing to hold the bill pending
discussion with the executive branch and bring back the
recommendations at the next meeting.
1:45:03 PM
DIANE CASTO, Manager, Prevention and Early Intervention,
Division of Behavioral Health, Department of Health and Social
Services, agreed with the committee's comments and with the
recommendations of the audit report. She advised that the
division has had some brief conversations with the council
members about these changes. The Council will be having their
thth
quarterly meeting February 4 and 5 and they will take this up
at that time.
1:47:17 PM
MELISSA STONE, Director, Behavioral Health Division, Department
of Health and Social Services (DHSS), said the division agrees
with the comments and the background that was provided . She
pointed out that the Statewide Suicide Council was established
in fiscal year 02 as a state planning and coordinating agency
for issues related to suicide and suicide prevention. It was in
July 2008 that the oversight of the Council was moved within
Department of Health and Social Services under the office of the
commissioner to Behavioral Health. Since that time they have
worked closely with the Council to improve alignment and
coordination of activities. They have worked in partnership with
the Council relative to statewide planning, outreach, research
and the evaluation process, and support the extension and the
two recommendations made by Legislative Audit. She noted that
all 15 member seats will be filled within two weeks, which will
help with the stability and work of the Council.
1:49:30 PM
SENATOR ELLIS asked if DHSS has talked to the Governor's Office
of Boards and Commissions about the difficulties they've had in
filling positions on the Council.
1:49:58 PM
MS. STONE said there has been discussion and some ideas have
been considered.
SENATOR ELLIS said it would probably help the committee if those
two aspects of the executive branch were in alignment regarding
their recommendations to the committee.
1:50:30 PM
SENATOR PASKVAN asked if there was any difficulty with the
disclosure requirements in filling positions on the Council.
MS. STONE said she did not believe disclosure was a problem, but
the narrow definitions of the some of the seats did make it
difficult.
1:51:20 PM
CHAIR DAVIS asked for a motion to put the bill before them
officially.
1:51:42 PM
SENATOR PASKVAN moved to adopt SB 35, Version A, as the
committee's working copy.
1:52:22 PM
SENATOR DAVIS asked for further testimony. Hearing none, she
closed discussion on SB 35 and said she would bring it back in a
couple of weeks.
CHAIR DAVIS said this is a good time to discuss what the members
want out of this meeting and hope to accomplish during the 90
day session. She reiterated that they will have no Friday
meetings until it is necessary due to the volume of bills.
1:54:34 PM
As there were no comments, the Chair introduced her new staffer,
Lynda Zaugg, and announced that the Taylor Foundation would
offer a brief, unofficial overview of the Taylor Plan after the
meeting adjourned.
1:55:42 PM.
CHAIR DAVIS adjourned the meeting at 1:55:42 p.m.
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