SB 46-BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH  3:32:36 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 46 "An Act establishing the month of March as Brain Injury Awareness Month." He stated this was the first hearing and the intention was to hear the introduction, take invited and public testimony, and hold the bill for future consideration. He invited Senator Löki Tobin and Mackenzie Pope to introduce the bill. 3:32:58 PM SENATOR LÖKI TOBIN, District I, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 46, introduced the legislation speaking to the sponsor statement. Senate Bill 46 would designate each March as Brain Injury Awareness Month in Alaska. This will help focus public attention on the prevalence of brain injuries and highlight ways to prevent these injuries. Both traumatic and acquired brain injuries can happen to anyone. These injuries can bring a lifetime of secondary health conditions, including persistent concussion symptoms, post-traumatic stress injury, physical impairment, and developmental delays. It's estimated that 3.2 to 5 million Americans live with long-term disabilities due to brain injuries, and Alaska has one of the highest rates of traumatic brain injuries in the nation. The Brain Injury Association of America reports that every 9 seconds, someone in the U.S. sustains a brain injury. The Department of Defense reports that over 430,000 service members have sustained traumatic brain injuries since 2000. Thousands of lives are impacted every day by brain injuries even though most traumatic brain injuries are preventable, especially by wearing a seatbelt when in a vehicle and wearing a helmet when skiing, biking, and snow-machining. Permanently designating each March as Brain Injury Awareness Month in Alaska will increase public awareness about the dangers of brain injuries and, potentially, help prevent future brain injuries among Alaskans. We ask for your support. 3:36:14 PM MACKENZIE POPE, Staff, Senator Löki Tobin, Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska, presented the sectional analysis for SB 46. Section 1 Amends the uncodified law of the State of Alaska to add a new section recognizing the importance of brain injury awareness in the State of Alaska. Section 2 Amends AS 44.12 by adding a new section to article 2 establishing the month of March as Brain Injury Awareness Month in Alaska. This allows schools, community groups, and other public and private agencies and individuals to observe Brain Injury Awareness Month with appropriate activities that increase the public's awareness of the prevention and treatment of brain injuries. CHAIR KAWASAKI turned to invited testimony. 3:37:28 PM SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI joined the committee. 3:37:32 PM ANNA ZIERFUSS, Acting Chair, Brain Injury Council of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, provided invited testimony in support of SB 46. She paraphrased her prepared testimony. I am here to testify in support of this bill, which would primarily make the month of March Brain Injury Awareness Month. This would lend stability to the outreach throughout the state and further the message that this is important in Alaska. The statistics about brain injury in Alaska paint a grim picture. From 2016 to 2018, Alaska had one of the highest number of deaths from traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the nation. The Alaska Native and American Indian populations had a higher proportion of the brain injuries from assault, ATV, and snow machine accidents, and the lowest rate of access to care. Overall, Alaska has one of the highest rates nationwide for any type of brain injury. This is seen in children whose learning is permanently affected; in teens who are injured in sports and are never properly diagnosed; in adults who are affected by homelessness and domestic violence; and in seniors who are misdiagnosed because of age-related disabilities. All segments of the population are touched, whether as a survivor, caregiver, family, or friend. An individual who gets a brain injury is twice as likely to suffer another TBI or get addicted to alcohol or drugs. Eighty-seven percent of adults in the justice system have had a TBI; 50 percent of the homeless suffered a TBI before becoming homeless; death by suicide is four times more likely in individuals who sustain a TBI. MS. ZIERFUSS conveyed her personal story of being among the 20- 30 percent of individuals who sustained a mild to moderate brain injury from concussion and did not fully recover. Six years ago she sustained a moderate concussion after slipping on black ice and hitting her head. She lived in a haze of pain and fog for two years before she found a doctor at an urgent care center who had experience in brain injuries from his time in Afghanistan and working with veterans. She gave him carte blanche to experiment on her with medications, nutraceuticals, and therapies. In year five her doctor tried a new medication. It masked her pain and haze and gave her more mental energy to get through the day. She still has severe limitations and the two things that were integral to her soul - time with her son and singing, were taken from her. MS. ZIERFUSS urged the committee to pass SB 46, which would bring awareness to this issue and be the first step in bringing more services to Alaska for survivors and their families. 3:43:52 PM ANNETTE ALFONSI, community activist on brain injury issues, Anchorage, Alaska, provided invited testimony in support of SB 46. She relayed her story about persistent concussion symptoms. She was looking at graduate school before she was in a rollover accident in 2012. She sustained a concussion the symptoms of which became persistent. She was given medication that is contraindicated for brain injury recovery and subsequently told that she was not in a category that people care to help. She described helping to plan annual educational events only to be told that she could not attend because she was a patient. She said this contributes to a "don't ask don't tell" mentality of disability. She now plans events with people who want multidisciplinary standards of excellence around neurological wellness in Alaska, and everybody is invited. She described the website she launched this year that has on-demand credits for attorneys and occupational therapists. She also described being the volunteer Alaska partner for the international project for unmasking brain injury. Alaska stories and associated art about brain injury can be viewed at the website unmaskingbraininjury.org. Alaskans with brain injury are not alone. MS. ALFONSI spoke about inappropriate and fiscally inefficient training programs to become a certified brain injury specialist, the need to offer a shorter work week to people with a brain injury, and the importance of timely treatment. She emphasized that there is a place for everyone in the community, even those with brain injury symptoms. She expressed hope that long-term brain injury symptoms will become a thing of the past in the 21st Century. MS. ALFONSI urged the committee to pass SB 46. 3:48:57 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI opened public testimony on SB 46. 3:49:18 PM MARIE WILSON, affiliate, Access Alaska, Wasilla, Alaska, testified in support of SB 46. She relayed her story of getting a brain injury nine years ago after being hit from behind by a drunk driver who was speeding. She is grateful for the opportunity to share her story and know people are listening. 3:51:30 PM LISA MALONEY, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in support of SB 46. She is looking at the benefits that can come from greater recognition and awareness of brain injury. She realizes that she is surrounded by people who have been affected by traumatic brain injury and didn't get treatment timely. 3:54:45 PM PAMELA SAMASH, member Right to Life Interior Alaska, Nenana, Alaska, testified in support of SB 46. She initially thought the bill included Alzheimer's but now realizes that TBI can lead to that disease. She hopes this awareness will lead to more recognition of and help for special needs children in the state. CHAIR KAWASAKI asked the sponsor if she had any closing remarks. 3:57:13 PM SENATOR TOBIN said she'd like Mr. Mason to review the fiscal note. 3:57:31 PM MIKE MASON, Staff, Senator Löki Tobin, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, read the following fiscal note analysis for SB 46 that was submitted by the Office of Management and Budget. This bill establishes March as Brain Injury Awareness Month. The administration does not anticipate any programmatic effects to departments as a result of this legislation; therefore, a zero fiscal note for all agencies is submitted. SENATOR MERRICK stated that she was a proud co-sponsor of SB 46. She asked if there was a reason for selecting March and if other issues were highlighted for awareness in March. SENATOR TOBIN answered that the Department of Defense (DoF) recognizes March as Brain Injury Awareness Month, so this ensures that the awareness is co-branded in Alaska and on the military bases in the state. She noted that March also has noteworthy birthdays, the start of the Iditarod, and the recognition of Women's History Month. MR. MASON reminded the committee that resolutions were introduced for several years proclaiming March as Brain Injury Awareness Month. But it's such an important issue it was brought forward as a bill, first last year by former Representative Tuck and Senator Tobin this year. 3:59:37 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI closed public testimony on SB 46 and held the bill in committee.