ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
          HOUSE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES                                                                         
                       STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                                     
                         March 11, 2003                                                                                         
                           3:35 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Peggy Wilson, Chair                                                                                              
Representative Carl Gatto, Vice Chair                                                                                           
Representative Cheryll Heinze                                                                                                   
Representative Paul Seaton                                                                                                      
Representative Kelly Wolf                                                                                                       
Representative Sharon Cissna                                                                                                    
Representative Mary Kapsner                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
All members present                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HEARING  ON REORGANIZATION  OF DEPARTMENT  OF  HEALTH AND  SOCIAL                                                               
SERVICES                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
[For the regular  meeting minutes, see the 3:00  p.m. minutes for                                                               
this date.]                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
TAPES                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
03-24, SIDE(S) A                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  PEGGY  WILSON called  the  meeting  of the  House  Health,                                                             
Education and  Social Services Standing  Committee back  to order                                                               
at  3:35  p.m.     Present  at  the  call  back   to  order  were                                                               
Representatives Wilson, Gatto, Heinze,  Seaton, Wolf, Cissna, and                                                               
Kapsner.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
KARLEEN JACKSON,  Deputy Commissioner,  Department of  Health and                                                               
Social Services, began  the overview by discussing  the goals and                                                               
highlights  of the  reorganization of  the department  including:                                                               
the five  programs moving  to the Department  of Health  & Social                                                               
Services, the two  new offices created, and the  key functions of                                                               
each new  office.   Ms. Jackson also  explained key  functions of                                                               
the Division of  Family and Youth Services,  discussed changes to                                                               
the  Division  of  Health Care  Services,  and  addressed  issues                                                               
related  to  the Division  of  Alaska  Longevity Programs.    Ms.                                                               
Jackson  also  addressed  the  division   of  duties  for  deputy                                                               
commissioners,  key  functions  of  the Division  of  Senior  and                                                               
Disability Services, key functions  of the Division of Behavioral                                                               
Health, effects on boards from  divisions' merging, the status of                                                               
the  Alaska Psychiatric  Institute, faith-based  initiatives, and                                                               
the current status of reorganization.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
BOB LABBE,  Deputy Commissioner, Department of  Health and Social                                                               
Services,  assisted  Ms. Jackson  in  providing  the overview  by                                                               
answering  specific questions,  as well  as providing  additional                                                               
commentary.   Specifically,  Mr. Labbe  discussed the  effects of                                                               
taking  away  the  Longevity  Bonus on  the  Division  of  Alaska                                                               
Longevity Programs,  issues pertaining to the  Division of Health                                                               
and   Social  Services'   role  in   Homeland  Security,   issues                                                               
pertaining  to   the  Division   of  Behavioral   Health,  issues                                                               
pertaining  to Fetal  Alcohol  Syndrome, and  the  source of  the                                                               
reorganization.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
ELMER   LINDSTROM,   Special  Assistant,   Legislative   Liaison,                                                               
Department of  Health and Social  Services, assisted  Ms. Jackson                                                               
and  Mr. Labbe  in explaining  the  function of  the Division  of                                                               
Alaska Longevity Programs, and Personal Improvement Plans.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
ANNOUNCEMENTS                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There were no announcements.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
The committee took no action.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no  further business before the  committee, the House                                                               
Health, Education and Social  Services Standing Committee meeting                                                               
was adjourned at 4:55 p.m.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
NOTE:   The meeting was  recorded and handwritten log  notes were                                                               
taken.  A  copy of the tape(s)  and log notes may  be obtained by                                                               
contacting the  House Records  Office at  State Capitol,  Room 3,                                                               
Juneau,  Alaska  99801  (mailing address),  (907)  465-2214,  and                                                               
after  adjournment  of the  second  session  of the  Twenty-Third                                                               
Alaska  State Legislature  this  information may  be obtained  by                                                               
contacting the Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.