ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
February 5, 2015
3:04 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Paul Seaton, Chair
Representative Neal Foster
Representative Louise Stutes
Representative David Talerico
Representative Geran Tarr
Representative Adam Wool
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Liz Vazquez, Vice Chair
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: ECONOMIC IMPACT OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY
- HEARD
HOUSE BILL NO. 39
"An Act establishing the Advisory Committee on Wellness; and
relating to the administration of state group health insurance
policies."
- MOVED CSHB 39(HSS) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PRESENTATION: FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 39
SHORT TITLE: PUBL EMPL HEALTH INS; WELLNESS COMMITTEE
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) SEATON
01/21/15 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/15
01/21/15 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/21/15 (H) HSS, FIN
01/27/15 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
01/27/15 (H) Heard & Held
01/27/15 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
01/29/15 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
01/29/15 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard
02/03/15 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
02/03/15 (H) Heard & Held
02/03/15 (H) MINUTE(HSS)
02/05/15 (H) HSS AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
RAY MATTHEWS, MD
Associate Professor of Surgery
Morehouse School of Medicine
Grady Memorial Hospital
Atlanta, Georgia
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented a PowerPoint titled, "Economic
Impact of Vitamin D Deficiency.
TERI TIBBET, Advocacy Coordinator
Alaska FASD Partnership
Alaska Mental Health Board
Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
Department of Health and Social Services
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced a panel testifying on the
effects of FASD.
MEGAN CLARKE
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the discussion of FASD.
CLAYTON HOLLAND, Pupil Services Director
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the discussion of FASD.
DEBRA BABCOCK
Special Education Pre-School teacher
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the discussion of FASD.
DEB EVENSON
Teacher Specialist
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the discussion of FASD.
NICK POLEY
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the discussion of FASD.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:04:46 PM
CHAIR PAUL SEATON called the House Health and Social Services
Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:04 p.m.
Representatives Seaton, Stutes, Tarr, Wool, and Talerico were
present at the call to order. Representative Foster arrived as
the meeting was in progress.
^PRESENTATION: Economic Impact of Vitamin D Deficiency
PRESENTATION: Economic Impact of Vitamin D Deficiency
3:05:20 PM
CHAIR SEATON announced that the first order of business would be
a presentation on the economic impact of Vitamin D deficiency.
He reflected on earlier investigations on the levels of Vitamin
D and the consequences from lower levels, as well as the
"upstream utilization" of Vitamin D for prevention of illnesses
and diseases. He noted that Dr. Matthews would explain some of
the Vitamin D practices that he had instituted in the surgical
ICU (intensive care unit) and its results for wellness, cost,
and speed of recovery for patients in the hospital setting. He
explained that evidence based medicine, looking at data and
making the best judgment based on that data, was often confused
with a methodology of looking at the scientific studies. These
studies reviewed the types of studies, the gradations, and the
numbers of people in order to generate a consensus opinion for
guideline clinical studies. He mentioned the cystic fibrosis
studies for Vitamin D levels of at least 30 ng/ml, with
escalating dosages to surpass that level. He pointed to the
Brazilian Academy of Neurology study for supplemental use of
Vitamin D for patients with multiple sclerosis, and its clinical
guidelines that everyone should be between 40 - 100 ng/ml.
3:09:27 PM
RAY MATTHEWS, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery, Morehouse
School of Medicine, Grady Memorial Hospital, said that he was a
trauma surgeon and that he was interested in anything to reduce
infection rates, mortality rates, and costs. He shared that his
chemistry background in college lead him to a cellular point of
view, whereas most doctors had biology backgrounds that lead to
a tissue point of view. He declared that he was not funded by
anyone. He emphasized that it was important to first understand
that Vitamin D was a hormone, and not a true vitamin. He
clarified this difference, explaining that a vitamin was a
sparkplug for making a reaction happen faster, while a hormone
worked in the blood system to help with the interaction in the
environment. He reported that Vitamin D deficiency was the most
common nutritional deficiency in the world, and a result of a
technological lifestyle. He shared that sunscreen blocked 98
percent of Vitamin D production. He stated that it was not
possible to address health care reform if you did not talk about
the most common nutritional deficiency in the world, which he
likened to the 800 pound gorilla in the living room [that no one
was talking about]. He shared that the military was interested
in Vitamin D research as 20 percent of the recruits "washed out"
with stress fractures, and that studies at Johns Hopkins
University reflected a correlation with Vitamin D deficiency.
He relayed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had
now recognized that Vitamin D was a true hormone. He reported
that only 10 percent of Vitamin D came from food, with the other
90 percent coming from the sun on skin. He stated that there
was also a Vitamin D deficiency in animals, as they were also
kept indoors. He shared that there were receptors for Vitamin D
on every cell and tissue in the body, and that Vitamin D
controlled 3,000 of the 30,000 genes in the human body. He
pointed out that this was the most powerful chemical in the
human body as it controlled 10 percent of DNA. He shared that
control of this hormone could cut infection rates and length of
stay in hospitals, as Vitamin D stimulated the immune system by
increasing the t-cells and helping those cells to fight off
infection. He declared that Vitamin D deficiency did not allow
the immune system to actively function.
3:15:24 PM
DR. MATTHEWS referenced slides 13 - 16, "Risk Factors for
Vitamin D-Deficiency" and listed the necessity for dark skinned
people to stay in the sun 3 - 10 times longer than Caucasians
for the necessary Vitamin D, as melanin blocked 98 percent of
its production. He pointed out that Vitamin D was stored in the
fat cells of obese people, rather than in the blood system where
it was needed. He stated that the skin of a 70 year old person
could only produce 25 percent of the Vitamin D production of a
21 year old person. He reported that breast milk only provided
25 international units (IU) of Vitamin D, and that steroids,
transplant, and seizure medications all reduced Vitamin D
levels. He shared that living in a nursing home, a prison, or
indoors all day would lead to low Vitamin D levels. He stated
that vegetarians, those with inflammatory bowel disease and
other inflammatory diseases, and malabsorption syndromes would
have low Vitamin D levels. He reported that anyone living north
of Latitude 32, a line between Atlanta and Scottsdale, Arizona,
would be Vitamin D deficient, about 75 percent of the
population. He stated that almost all pregnant women were
Vitamin D deficient, and this deficiency could increase the risk
for schizophrenia, diabetes, and other long term health care
problems. He declared that athletes playing in indoor sports
were Vitamin D deficient. He shared that sunscreen blocked 98
percent of Vitamin D production, and that, in the majority of
the United States, Vitamin D production from the sun was only
possible from late March through early October, as the sun
needed to be at a 90 degree angle, and even then, only from 9 am
to 3 pm. He compared Vitamin D production in humans to the
growing cycle for plants and crops. He said that skin grafts,
liver failure, or kidney problems also lead to Vitamin D
deficiency. He pointed out that, as most Americans were lactose
intolerant, they did not process the Vitamin D in milk. He
noted that few people worked outdoors, hence low Vitamin D
levels. He shared that Muslim women, as they were covered most
of the time, had Vitamin D levels in the single digits. He
stressed that Vitamin D levels dropped 50 percent within 24
hours of acute illness or trauma. He shared that, as a surgeon,
he would give high supplemental amounts of Vitamin D to his
patients. He pointed out that this would up regulate the immune
system, and would down regulate the chronic inflammatory
response. Moving on to slide 17, "Vitamin D Deficiency," he
shared that Vitamin D decreased interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor
necrosis factor (TNF), and C-reactive protein (CRP), as these
were associated with heart attacks, strokes, and arthritis. He
stated that Vitamin D deficiency was associated with more than
100 types of chronic diseases. He noted that depression,
multiple sclerosis, colds and flu, tuberculosis, and
schizophrenia were all associated with Vitamin D deficiency, as
well as a decrease in cognitive mental functioning. He offered
an anecdote about his mother and the results from an increase in
her Vitamin D levels. He referred to a Mayo Clinic study that
reflected a lower intake of narcotics for pain when Vitamin D
levels were increased, and opined about the cost savings to this
$350 billion outlay. He declared that 80 percent of the
population of the United States were Vitamin D deficient. He
called Vitamin D "God's Miracle Vitamin" because it was safe,
cheap, and effective.
3:22:03 PM
DR. MATTHEWS moved on to slide 21, "Matthews, Danner, and Ahmed
Vitamin D Deficiency Scale," which depicted that people were
dying in the hospital when Vitamin D levels fell below 13 ng/ml;
however, if the level went above 26 ng/ml, there were not any
deaths. He pointed out that, as Vitamin D dropped by 50 percent
upon admission to the hospital, it was necessary to maintain
Vitamin D levels above 50 ng/ml to not only allow for any
decrease, but to also maintain stronger bones, better
stimulation of the immune system, and maximum muscle
contraction. He emphasized that health care reform could not be
discussed without discussion for Vitamin D deficiency, reporting
that the average adult needed between 2,000 to 5,000 IU daily.
He directed attention to slide 24, "Vitamin D Deficiency," and
shared that the State of Alaska spent $1.6 billion each year on
health care. He calculated that normalization of Vitamin D
level to about 40 ng/ml would cut this health care cost by 33
percent, a $533 million savings. He spoke about relative
Vitamin D levels to various groups, including African American
females at 9.58 ng/ml, African American males at 11 ng/ml, and
Caucasian males and females between 17 and 18. He pointed out
that African American females had the highest mortality rate in
the ICU, 14.6 percent, even though they received the same
treatments and antibiotics. He reminded the committee that
Vitamin D stimulated the t-cells, which fought off infections,
but without sufficient Vitamin D, the t-cells did not function.
He added that the mortality rate for African American females
moved to the same mortality rate as other groups once the
Vitamin D levels were increased to that of the other groups. He
emphasized that the lower the Vitamin D level, the higher the
ICU costs.
3:27:19 PM
DR. MATTHEWS moved on to slide 25, which graphed the higher
overall ICU costs relative to lower Vitamin D levels. He
pointed out that the total hospital costs were less expensive
for patients with normal Vitamin D levels, and those costs
became more expensive as the Vitamin D levels decreased. He
declared that supplemental Vitamin D for hospital patients
decreased mortality rates, cut the hospital costs, and shortened
hospital stay. He showed slides of high school athletes and
reported that the military had shown interest in optimizing
Vitamin D status in soldiers as these athletes were strong,
smart, and healthy. He reported that supplemental Vitamin D
minimized stress fractures, a problem for soldiers during
training.
3:31:53 PM
DR. MATTHEWS, slides 31 - 32, "Academic Performance," declared
that Vitamin D also improved academic performance. He described
a program in the elementary schools where the soda machines were
removed, and students were offered milk, water, or juice with
multi-vitamins. He reported that the absenteeism rate dropped
1,000 percent in four years, the academic problems declined, and
the school moved to a Level 4 rating from a Level 1 rating. He
addressed slides 33 - 35 and shared some academic and sports
success stories from the increase of Vitamin D for high school
athletes. He shared that, as Vitamin D helped speed up the
healing process after surgery and wounds, it saved money for the
health care system. He said that he used Vitamin D to decrease
swelling and as an anti-inflammatory during surgeries.
3:39:12 PM
DR. MATTHEWS shared numerous slides listing various life
threatening injuries with details of each recovery and the use
of Vitamin D supplement in support of that recovery. He
reiterated that these recoveries saved a lot of money.
3:41:59 PM
DR. MATTHEWS offered some biographical slides, including some of
his father, noting that those members of his family who worked
outdoors lived longer due to a higher level of Vitamin D. He
shared some crises that he had been involved in, saying that his
family declared he was "like Forrest Gump, seems like every time
something happens, you always around." He directed attention to
Dr. Willem Kolff, Dr. James Hardy, Dr. Clay Simpson, Jr., and
Dr. Arthur Guyton, doctors with whom he had trained.
3:45:44 PM
DR. MATTHEWS spoke about slide 85, a patient of his with an
accelerated heart rate of 200 beats per minute on the day of her
scheduled marriage. He allowed her wedding to be performed
while she was in the hospital. He noted that she was now a
nurse practitioner, and she took care of his retired military
brothers. He spoke about some of his early articles associated
with Vitamin D deficiency, and the related increase to cost and
mortality. He voiced his pride for the State of Alaska and
Representative Paul Seaton in bringing the issue of Vitamin D to
the forefront, reiterating the cost savings for health care if
Vitamin D levels were increased.
3:47:55 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FOSTER offered an example of a 170 pound male
taking 5,000 IU of Vitamin D every day and asked if it was
possible to project his Vitamin D levels.
DR. MATTHEWS replied that it depended on many physical factors
and that each person was different, although he opined that the
needed range was 2 - 5000 IU each day.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked for the time frame to increase the
Vitamin D level for a person who was Vitamin D deficient, if
taking 5000 IU each day.
DR. MATTHEWS replied that 5000 IU was a maintenance dose, and he
recommended an aggressive regime of 50,000 IUs for 7 - 8
consecutive days before dropping it to 5000 IU. He offered that
only taking 5000 IU each day would take three to six months to
raise the Vitamin D level.
REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked about the mechanism of action for
hormones and whether Vitamin D was similar to a thyroid hormone
when there was the aforementioned dramatic drop during the
initial stress and trauma.
DR. MATTHEWS explained that this drop occurred when the body was
under attack from fractures and infections, and the mobilization
of t-cells for healing consumed Vitamin D. He reminded that
there were Vitamin D receptors for every cell and tissue in the
body.
3:51:14 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked if it was standard practice for
individuals to be screened for Vitamin D deficiency when
admitted to a hospital, and if not, how often was there a
screening.
DR. MATTHEWS replied that the average Vitamin D level for his
patients in ICU was 14 ng/mL, and that 98.8 percent of his
patients in ICU were Vitamin D deficient. He declared that most
of his patients needed super normal levels just to return to a
normal level, and that once the level reached 50 -60 ng/mL, the
infection rates were better able to be controlled.
REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked about the need to screen each patient,
as he now had a large patient profile.
DR. MATTHEWS replied that he still checked the level of each
person, and was able to estimate the needs based on that level.
In response, he said that it was standard practice for his
institution. He said the research for Vitamin D over the last
10 years was just "the tip of the iceberg." He shared that he
had not yet published all of his information and mentioned that
he was meeting again with the FDA, as they had just recognized
that they were not up to speed. He listed some of the federal
agencies he was meeting with including the Departments of
Veterans' Affairs and Health and Human Services.
3:54:32 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WOOL asked if, given all the factors, everyone in
Alaska was Vitamin D deficient.
DR. MATTHEWS concurred, and pointed out that 80 percent of
Americans were Vitamin D deficient, including people in Atlanta.
3:55:45 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked if research implied that there was any
indication for a physiological change.
DR. MATTHEWS opined that there was not an evolutionary change,
noting that different tissues reacted to different levels of
Vitamin D. He commented that Vitamin D would first take care of
the bone density and muscles, then it would work on thyroid, and
then finally on the immune response systems.
3:57:30 PM
CHAIR SEATON stated that when these published studies moved into
practical application in the clinical environment, they were no
longer published as a peer reviewed study because it had become
an adopted policy. He asked about the way knowledge of
successful procedures and mechanisms was spread to hospitals, in
advance of release by the FDA.
DR. MATTHEWS said that his abstracts and protocols would be
published before the end of this year, which would allow for
dissemination. He reported that the he was meeting soon with
the policy makers at the FDA, and that he would request a
collaboration with the State of Alaska for dissemination of
information regarding Vitamin D use.
CHAIR SEATON asked if Alaska hospitals could contact him
regarding procedures, prior to publication release and approval
cycles.
DR. MATTHEWS agreed to discuss this.
REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked if the FDA recommendation for Vitamin
D levels needed to be adjusted.
DR. MATTHEWS replied that the FDA had acknowledged that most
Americans were Vitamin D deficient and were planning to
recommend an increase to the level of Vitamin D in foods. He
opined that, although this had been challenged by a
pharmaceutical company, there would be policy changes for the
levels of Vitamin D.
4:02:15 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WOOL asked which foods contained Vitamin D.
DR. MATTHEWS replied that milk only had 100 IU of Vitamin D, and
it would be necessary to drink 20 - 40 glasses of milk each day
He reported that salmon had about 400 IU, and he mentioned
halibut, mushrooms, and mackerel as other sources of Vitamin D.
He pointed out that only 10 percent of Vitamin D need was
supplied by diet.
CHAIR SEATON stated that the presentation for actual use and
effects of Vitamin D in clinical practice was helpful to the
committee for understanding its use not only for prevention of
disease, but for its rapid healing response to injury.
4:05:02 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 4:05 p.m. to 4:09 p.m.
HB 39-PUBL EMPL HEALTH INS; WELLNESS COMMITTEE
4:09:20 PM
CHAIR SEATON announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 39, "An Act establishing the Advisory Committee
on Wellness; and relating to the administration of state group
health insurance policies." He reminded the committee that the
proposed bill had been amended to include an annual report to
the legislature and that public testimony was still open.
[Public testimony was closed.]
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO moved to adopt the proposed committee
substitute (CS) labeled 29-LS0227\W, Wayne, 2/4/15, as the
working draft. There being no objection, it was so ordered.
4:11:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO moved to report CSHB 39, Version 29-
LS0227\W, Wayne, 2/4/15, out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying [zero] fiscal notes. There
being no objection, CSHB 39 (HSS) was moved from the House
Health and Social Services Standing Committee.
4:12:29 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 4:12 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
^PRESENTATION: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
PRESENTATION: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
4:15:17 PM
CHAIR SEATON announced that the final order of business would be
a presentation on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
TERI TIBBET, Advocacy Coordinator, Alaska FASD Partnership,
Alaska Mental Health Board, Advisory Board on Alcoholism and
Drug Abuse, Department of Health and Social Services, shared
that FASD stood for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, and she
introduced other advocates for issues related to FASD.
4:16:47 PM
MEGAN CLARKE, said that she had three foster adopted children,
two of whom had a FASD diagnosis, with the third child currently
going through the diagnostic process. She shared her family
history, that the three children had been placed with her and
her husband three years ago, and three weeks after that
placement, aggressive behaviors had surfaced across all
settings, including school, community, and home. She said that
no amount of teaching or logical consequences had helped to curb
these behaviors, and it was not until she had a subsequent
discussion with a friend that she heard about FASD. During the
next year, two of the children went through the FASD diagnostic
process, which gave her a better understanding for this new
reality. She shared that the last year had been filled with
workshops, therapies, Individualized Education Program (IEP)
revisions, and networking with the FASD community. She reported
that the support from the community had allowed her the time to
return to work in the past year as a parent navigator. She
explained that this afforded her the opportunity to connect with
families in situations similar to her own. She shared that she
was very familiar with the needs of this community, and that she
was proud to be a part of this. She declared that there were
vast and obvious holes in the current system, but that the
sustainable solutions were not quite so obvious. She expressed
hope that Alaska would review systems that would qualify FASD as
a developmental disability, in order for access to waiver
services and supportive employment to help for an independent
life style.
4:18:51 PM
CLAYTON HOLLAND, Pupil Services Director, Kenai Peninsula
Borough School District, reported that he worked primarily with
special education, and he discussed the systematic changes being
made in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District during the
past three years. He shared that more than 300 staff had been
trained about FASD and strategies for working with FASD. He
shared discipline data, noting that in 2008, there were more
than 12,000 incidences for student behavior, and that last year,
there were only about 5,400 discipline incidences. He offered
his belief that this was a result of culture changes and
understanding for students with severe disabilities to help
prevent "things from happening in the first place" and the "big
blow-outs." He noted that there were now parent support groups,
and a think tank which implemented strategies, which included
preventive strategies in the community for parents, teachers,
and students, and for maintenance of the high test scores,
attendance and graduation rates. He shared that the district
encompassed an area the size of the State of West Virginia, with
43 schools. He extolled the use of preventative measures,
especially for FASD.
4:22:07 PM
DEBRA BABCOCK, Special Education Pre-School teacher, shared that
she was a parent of six children, three of whom were adopted and
had FASD, and that many of her students were also FASD. She
shared that she had been able to raise the children because she
had the education and had attended many FASD summits. She
stated that she had strong support groups, and she had gathered
help from many agencies. She reported that she took FASD
advocates with her to the schools and mental health meetings.
She said that things changed and became much more difficult when
her kids entered the adult world. She explained that she had
reached out to many agencies, including the Adult Protective
Services [Department of Health and Social Services], which
helped her gain guardianship for her sons. She reported that
she had a variety of success stories for her children: one son
was successful in the U.S. Air Force; one son was in an assisted
living home; and the last son had suffered through the decline
of the Fairbanks mental health and behavioral health systems, as
well as the closing of a Fairbanks assisted living home, which
had forced him to be moved to Wasilla, away from his home and
his family. He had moved to Anchorage and lived on the streets,
been picked up and put in Alaska Psychiatric Institute before
being released to her home, and then a subsequent move back onto
the streets. He had been found deceased in a motel last night.
She declared her support for the services and agencies that
supported the FASD children.
4:26:24 PM
DEB EVENSON, Teacher Specialist, shared that she had been
working in schools around the state for 30 years with students
with behavior problems. In the late 1980s, she came to the
realization that many of these students had pre-natal exposure
to alcohol. She pointed out that it was during her time spent
with the families that she came to better understand the
situation, and declared a need to do something different. She
reported that, about 8 years ago, she had spent a year in Canada
working with adults with FASD, ages 19 - 57. It was this
experience that made her aware of how difficult life was for
adults with FASD. She declared that the systems were still
leading people with these horrific brain based differences "to
the edge of a cliff." She noted that theoretically researchers
had figured out the strategies and techniques needed to help
people living with FASD; however, the systems had not yet
evolved to enable use of this information. She offered her
belief that it was time for the school systems, the mental
health systems, the correctional systems, and the social service
systems to get their experts to come together and figure out a
systematic implementation to make the systems work for
individuals with FASD. She acknowledged that it would be a
challenge, but that Alaska had dealt with challenges. She
stated that the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District had
already begun this, as they were working with the master
teachers to make changes.
4:30:33 PM
CHAIR SEATON acknowledged that this was a significant issue and
significant challenge for the individuals, the families, the
communities, and the state. He suggested that any underlying
nutritional deficiency would create an additional roadblock, and
these should be addressed. He expressed his appreciation for
the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District program for working
to make the educational system a better fit for these students.
4:32:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR expressed her condolences to Ms. Babcock,
and asked about the possibility of cuts to behavioral health
grants. She asked if any of her family members were receiving
services from these grants, and what the outcome would be should
these services be terminated.
4:33:14 PM
MS. BABCOCK reflected on the demise of the Fairbanks programs,
and that, as some people had no longer qualified, they had to
pay. She shared that her son did receive some grant support,
and that it was necessary for the programs to be reinstated.
MS. CLARKE said that all of her training had come from
behavioral grants, and that these had been integral to the
survival of her family as a unit.
4:34:26 PM
NICK POLEY, shared that he was 37 years old and had been
diagnosed with FASD in his mid-20s. He offered his belief that
his difficult school experience was due to undiagnosed FASD, as
his teachers did not know the caliber necessary for his academic
success. He shared that he was often not able to complete his
class work, and that fellow students did not like him in group
partnerships as he would lower the group grade. He reported
that he was bullied and that he had difficulty remembering
material. He stated that special education services lead to a
slow improvement, and, although he did not graduate from high
school, he was able to complete his general educational
development tests (GED). He shared that one special education
teacher worked with him one on one, and also worked closely with
his family, his other teachers, and him to form a special team.
He declared that he owed his entire education to his special
education teachers. He shared that he had tried college after
high school, but that he had no idea or motivation for any
career. He relayed that, after this, his spotty employment
history began, sharing that too many or two few instructions
brought him difficulty. He reported that some programs
developed by Joe and Anita Parrish, including Southeast Alaska
Guidance Association (SAGA), Serve Alaska Youth Corp, and
AmeriCorps, truly helped him develop some skills, be
responsible, and build a foundation for entrance into adult
employment.
MS. CLARKE, finishing testimony for Mr. Poley, asked that
programs be maintained to educate parents, teachers, and other
service providers with strategies that work for teaching persons
with FASD, especially key were education, awareness, and
information.
4:40:07 PM
DEB EVENSON expressed her recognition for how difficult it was
for Mr. Poley, and she declared her respect for him and his
strength of character. She explained that FASD was a cognitive
diversity, and that society as a whole could gain from the value
that FASD could teach.
4:41:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO expressed his appreciation, and asked if
other school districts were engaging in similar programs.
MR. HOLLAND replied that the Anchorage School District and the
Lower Kuskokwim School District were working with Ms. Evenson,
and that they were making a presentation about moving forward
with the systematic changes by the Kenai Peninsula Borough
School District at the 2015 Annual Alaska Statewide Special
Education Conference.
4:42:56 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked how good of a job was being done for
early diagnosis and early intervention, and if significant gains
could be achieved with more emphasis.
MR. POLEY expressed his agreement, but pointed out that parents
had to approach the diagnostic teams, buy in, and attend, as
well. He reminded the committee of old marketing posters for
drinking while pregnant. He pointed out how efficient the
female digestive tract was, especially during pregnancy. He
shared how important it was for teachers, parents, and children
to understand FASD, what was happening, and what resources were
available.
4:46:47 PM
MS. CLARKE said that there were some very competent
interdisciplinary diagnostic teams, but, as these teams were
wearing many hats in their communities, as peer navigators,
coordinators, and conduits with outside providers, this often
prevented them from seeing as many kids as possible. She
declared the need for more teams. She emphasized that there
should be a standard for kids when entering foster care to go
through the diagnostic process.
4:47:55 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked about the prevalence of FASD in foster
care relative to the rest of population.
MS. EVENSON explained that there was a prevalence of FASD in
foster care, and that more diagnosis, in order to get the
treatment, would resolve a lot of the problems. She pointed out
that most kids ended up in foster care because of neglect,
drugs, and alcohol. She declared that the current system was
trafficking kids with FASD to jail.
4:49:52 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Health and Social Services Standing Committee meeting was
adjourned at 4:49 p.m.