SCR 2-SUPPORT CRISIS CARE & MEDICAID REFORM  4:27:23 PM CHAIR DUNBAR announced the consideration of SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 2 Supporting an all-payer crisis continuum of care and Medicaid reform; and urging the Governor to direct the Department of Health and the division of insurance to develop recommendations for an all-payer model for crisis care. 4:28:19 PM ANGELA KIMBALL, Chief Advocacy Officer, Inseparable, Alexandria, Virginia, testified by invitation on SCR 2. She stated that the legislation requests that the governor direct the Department of Health and the Division of Insurance to collaborate with legislators, stakeholders, and public and private payers to develop recommendations for a peer-model approach to mental health emergency services. This approach would streamline billing, reduce inefficiencies, and support flexible solutions for Alaska communities. Currently, most emergency services, whether covered by commercial insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid, are supported by all payers, making these services sustainable. SCR 2 aims to extend the same model to mental health emergencies. Over the years, Alaska has built a comprehensive continuum of mental health crisis services, including crisis call lines, mobile crisis teams, 23-hour crisis stabilization centers, and short-term crisis residential centers. These services save lives, help individuals begin recovery, keep communities safer, and reduce expensive demands on emergency departments and hospitals. SCR 2 provides a practical path to sustain and strengthen this continuum, and support for the resolution is encouraged. 4:31:09 PM LANCE JOHNSON, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Alaska Behavioral Health Association, Talkeetna, Alaska, testified by invitation on SCR 2. He clarified numbers for SJR 15. He stated that Alaska has made progress in developing a crisis continuum of care, including mobile crisis teams and multi-partner response systems, which are effective in keeping people safe. However, Medicaid reimbursement rates are low, with only a 9 percent increase over two years, making these services financially unsustainable. He said insurance companies, which must comply with federal parity under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, are not consistently covering behavioral health crisis services, including transportation for mental health emergencies, while medical emergencies are covered. He said to sustain Alaska's crisis care system, insurance companies must share costs and be held accountable for adhering to parity rules. Passing SCR 2 is a start, but further legislation is needed to align insurance coverage with federal standards and ensure continued access to crisis and substance use services. 4:36:25 PM TAMAR BEN-YOSEF, Executive Director, All Alaska Pediatric Partnership, Anchorage, Alaska, testified by invitation on SCR 2. She noted that Alaska has made progress under the 1115 Medicaid waiver, including support for mobile crisis teams. However, low reimbursement rates create gaps in access and are unsustainable for providers. She said children, especially in foster care, often remain in adult behavioral health wards due to a lack of crisis care options. While Alaska's fee-for-service Medicaid is exempt from federal parity rules, the state could add parity protections. Passing this resolution is critical, as the private sector alone cannot fill these gaps and adequate Medicaid support is essential to achieve the governor's vision of a safe, affordable, and family-friendly Alaska. 4:38:57 PM At ease. 4:39:27 PM CHAIR DUNBAR reconvened the meeting and held SCR 2 in committee.