Legislature(2011 - 2012)BUTROVICH 205
03/21/2011 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearings for Governor's Appointments | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
March 21, 2011
1:31 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Bettye Davis, Chair
Senator Dennis Egan
Senator Johnny Ellis
Senator Kevin Meyer
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Fred Dyson
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Mental Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees
Russell Webb - Juneau
Mike Barton - Juneau
CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board
Valerie Phelps - Anchorage
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Board of Nursing
Julie Gillette - Wasilla
Erin Pringle - Anchorage
CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
Board of Dental Examiners
Dr. Paul Silveira -Valdez
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Board of Pharmacy
Dirk White - Sitka
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Board of Marital and Family Therapy
Joann Young - Anchorage
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Commissioner, Department of Health and Social Services
William J. Streur - Anchorage
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
RUSSELL WEBB
Governor's Nominee
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Governor's nominee to the Mental Health
Trust Authority Board of Trustees.
MIKE BARTON
Governor's Nominee
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Governor's Nominee to the Mental Health
Trust Authority Board of Trustees.
VALERIE PHELPS
Governor's Nominee
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Governor's Nominee to the State Physical
Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board.
JULIE GILLETTE
Governor's Nominee
Wasilla, AK
POSITION STATEMENT Governor's Nominee to the Board of Nursing
DR. PAUL SILVEIRA
Governor's Nominee
Valdez, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Governor's Nominee to the Board of Dental
Examiners.
DIRK WHITE
Governor's Nominee
Sitka, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Governor's Nominee to the Board of Pharmacy.
JOANN YOUNG
Governor's Nominee
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Governor's Nominee to the Board of Marital
and Family Therapy.
ERIN PRINGLE
Governor's Nominee
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Governor's Nominee to the Board of Nursing.
WILLIAM J. STREUR
Commissioner Designee
Department of Health and Social Services
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Governor's Nominee as Commissioner of Health
and Social Services.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:31:25 PM
CHAIR BETTYE DAVIS called the Senate Health and Social Services
Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:31 p.m. Present at the
call to order were Senators Ellis, Egan, Meyer, and Chair Davis.
^CONFIRMATION HEARINGS FOR GOVERNOR'S APPOINTMENTS
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS FOR GOVERNOR'S APPOINTMENTS
1:32:10 PM
CHAIR DAVIS announced the first order of business would be
confirmation hearings for the governor's appointments to various
boards.
CHAIR DAVIS said the committee would first hear from nominees
present in the audience.
RUSSELL WEBB, governor's nominee to the Mental Health Trust
Authority Board of Trustees, said he has spent 30 years working
for the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) in
Juneau, in positions ranging from social worker to child
protective services provider and probation officer, up to
serving as Director of the Division of Family and Youth
Services, Deputy Commissioner of Health and Social Services, and
2.5 years as a program officer for the Mental Health Trust
Authority Board of Trustees.
He said he is also a family member of mental health trust
recipients, and he has the time and energy to give, and a
commitment to helping mental health trust beneficiaries.
CHAIR DAVIS said it is always good to see the faces of people
who want to fill these positions.
1:35:40 PM
SENATOR ELLIS said we are lucky to have him.
MIKE BARTON, governor's nominee to the Mental Health Trust
Authority Board of Trustees, said he had served as commissioner
of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
(DOTPF) and was the top official for the Forest Service in
Alaska for ten years. He said his interest in the board stemmed
from personal involvement with beneficiaries, and he looked
forward to serving on the board.
CHAIR DAVIS thanked Mr. Barton.
VALERIE PHELPS, governor's nominee to the State Physical Therapy
and Occupational Therapy Board, said she has been a physical
therapist for 30 years.
CHAIR DAVIS thanked her and asked if she was available for
questions.
MS. PHELPS said yes, and it is an honor to contribute.
1:41:04 PM
JULIE GILLETTE, governor's nominee to the Board of Nursing, said
she was in the Air Force for 20 years. She has a general
knowledge of medical administration, and saw the opportunity to
serve the state.
CHAIR DAVIS thanked Ms. Gillette.
1:43:08 PM
DR. PAUL SILVEIRA, governor's nominee to the Board of Dental
Examiners, said he has been a practicing dentist in Alaska since
1992, and he is honored to be considered for the board.
DIRK WHITE, governor's nominee to the Board of Pharmacy, said he
has been a resident of Alaska for 35 years and has been on the
Board of Pharmacy for four years and is up for renewal for
another four year term.
1:44:48 PM
CHAIR DAVIS thanked them both for their willingness to serve.
JOANN YOUNG, governor's nominee to the Board of Marital and
Family Therapy, said she is a practicing registered nurse (RN)
and is currently working as an RN case manager. She said it is a
great honor to be considered for the board.
BETH FRANSTROM, governor's nominee to the Board of Nursing, said
she is asking to be reappointed to the board for another four
year term.
1:46:34 PM
ERIN PRINGLE, governor's nominee to the Board of Nursing, said
she was available for questions.
SENATOR ELLIS asked what the current big issues are before the
Board of Nursing.
MS. PRINGLE said the scope of practice for nurses is one big
issue, in terms of what procedures are appropriate to be done by
RNs, CNAs, and nurse assistants.
SENATOR ELLIS asked if the prime consideration is professional
standards, consumer protection, or patient protection.
MS. PRINGLE said they have to consider all of those things. The
primary concern is the protection of the public. They must
consider the safety of patients, and look at standards of care;
they look at national organizations to see the established
standards of practice.
SENATOR ELLIS said thank you for your service.
1:49:16 PM
WILLIAM J. STREUR, Commissioner Designee, Department of Health
and Social Services (DHSS), said he has spent 35 years in the
health care system, and has been a deputy commissioner since
2007. He became Acting Commissioner in December of 2010 and
Commissioner Designee in January of 2011. He stated he brings a
breadth of knowledge to the state as far as private sector
knowledge, having worked with four states, primarily with
Medicaid issues.
When he was appointed Acting Commissioner he went around the
state and talked to various medical associations and community
groups. After speaking with all of them, he believes there is a
chance to do some good things in a very difficult and turbulent
time in health care. He said he stands ready to face the
challenge.
1:52:22 PM
SENATOR MEYER asked what the number one health issue is in
Alaska today.
COMMISSIONER STREUER said the biggest concern is access to the
right service at the right time and right place for the right
people. There is a Medicare crisis in the state of Alaska;
Medicare recipients have called him saying they can't find
service. Their doctor has retired, they are very sick, and they
don't know who to see. Alaska has spent $70 million on Medicaid
transportation.
Alaska's medical information technology is outdated; it pays
claims but state agencies don't know what they are paying for,
because there is no documentation. Electronic health records are
extremely important for the state. It is impossible to focus on
any one thing. Domestic violence and sexual assault also need to
be addressed.
SENATOR ELLIS thanked Commissioner Streuer for being respectful
of the committee's role in the process, and asked if he would
speak about the need for a psychiatric residency program. Money
for this is proposed in the budget.
COMMISSIONER STREUER said the state has a significant
psychiatric shortage, and issues at Alaska Psychiatric Institute
(API) and within the court system all point to a significant
shortage of psychiatric professionals. A psychiatric residency
program is one way to address this. He tends to support it;
however, the problem is that the crisis is now, and a
psychiatric residency program takes four years to complete. It
is a significant investment but there would also be a
significant future benefit for the state.
1:57:13 PM
CHAIR DAVIS thanked Commissioner Streuer for taking the time to
come. She said all of us will do what we can to help you make
this a better state for health care. She noted the confirmation
list would be signed by committee members and given to the
[Senate Secretary's] Office.
1:58:21 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Davis adjourned the meeting at 1:58 p.m.
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