[NASW Alaska Chapter Listserve] ALASKA HUMAN SERVICES COALITION LEGISLATIVE ALERT2008 Operating Budget: Status and Public Hearings

Sat Mar 17 03:53:12 GMT 2007

ALASKA HUMAN SERVICES COALITION LEGISLATIVE ALERT
2008 Operating Budget: Status and Public Hearings

* The (H) Finance Subcommittee took the following action regarding our
priority budget items:
> * Maintained funding levels for all our priority items;
> * Added $300,000 for detox services in Anchorage;
> * Did not add $1.1 million to restore the full increments requested for BTKH;
> * Did not add $2.5 million for the ³Keep the Elders Home² initiative;
> * Restored full funding to the Humans Services Community Matching Grant
> program in the amount of $1,485,000.

* The full House Finance Committee is taking up consideration of the 2008
operating budget beginning today, March 15, at 1:30, and will begin taking
public testimony tomorrow, March 16 using the schedule below.

* ACTION:  Testify in person or at your local LIO, call, or email members of
the House Finance Committee to advocate for our priority budget items.

Friday, March 16
1:30 to 4:00PM          Juneau

Saturday, March 17
10:00-11:30AM          Kenai, Valdez, Kodiak, Ketchikan, Seward, MatSu,
Glennallen, Tok
11:45-1:00PM             Sitka, Wrangell, Homer, Petersburg, Dillingham,
Cordova

Lunch 1:00-2:00PM

2:00-3:15PM               Bethel, Kotzebue, Barrow, Nome, Delta Junction,
Offnets

3:30-5:30PM               Fairbanks

Monday, March 19
4:00-6:00PM               Anchorage

This is our opportunity to testify on the budget during House deliberations.
Testify, call or email members of the House Finance Committee this week,
especially if they represent you in the Legislature!

For members of the House Finance Committee click below:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_com_info.asp?comm=HFIN&session=25
<http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_com_info.asp?comm=HFIN&amp;session=2
5> 
For toll free phone numbers click below:
http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/infodocs/800numbers2007.pdf
2008 Operating Budget Priority Budget Items
Revised 3-15-07

  Behavioral Health Grants for Treatment and Prevention Services

* Maintain $3.2 million
   These grants fund current mental health and substance abuse prevention
and treatment services statewide. This increment replaces expiring federal
funds.    

  Bring the Kids Home (BTKH) Outpatient Treatment

* Add $1.1 million 
   The BTKH project is building capacity to care for kids at home through
the development of home and community-based services.  This money will allow
us to treat kids closer to home and with less expensive services.  We can
use the money now to build capacity in communities statewide.

  Bring the Kids Home (BTKH) Community Services and Training

* Maintain $1.7 million
   This funding will train staff, license new services and develop
school-based BTKH services.

  Anchorage Detox Services

* Maintain $300,000
   These funds are needed to strengthen the substance abuse continuum of
care and provide alternatives to the inappropriate use of API.

  Expand Infant Learning Program

* Maintain $300,000
   Infant learning programs provide assessment and early intervention for
children with developmental delays.  Early intervention saves money by
reducing the need for lifelong treatment programs.

  FASD Program   

* Maintain $696,800
   These funds will replace expiring federal funds and will ensure
continuation of the work of the FASD Diagnostic Teams and other educational
efforts.     

  Expand Adult Protective Services

* Maintain $213,900
   These funds will expand our ability to respond to reports of harm to
vulnerable adults. 
  Services for Alzheimer¹s Disease and Related Disorders

* Maintain $125,000
   People with Alzheimer¹s disease as their primary diagnosis are not
eligible for Medicaid.  These funds provide support for them and their
caretaker families.

  Behavioral Health Clinicians for McLaughlin Youth Center and Fairbanks
Youth Facility   

* Maintain $273,100
   These positions will provide crucial mental health and substance abuse
treatment to children in juvenile detention.

  Human Services Community Matching Grant

* Maintain 1,485,000
   These funds support safety net programs such as shelters and food banks
in Anchorage, Mat-Su and Fairbanks.
  Anchorage Crisis Respite

* Maintain $350,000
   These funds will increase beds at the Crisis Recovery Center from 8 to 12
and provided a much needed alternative to API for those in need of crisis
rather than long-term treatment.

  Peer-Operated Services

* Maintain $100,000
   Consumer-operated programs such as drop-in centers, outreach programs and
businesses are a growing part of the behavioral health consumer movement in
Alaska and have been proven effective.  These funds provide a foundation for
state supported, community-based services run by consumers.

  Autism Diagnosis 

* Maintain $500,000
   These funds will provide foundation screening and diagnostic services for
this currently underserved population.

  Keep the Elders Home

* Add $2.5 million 
   These funds will provide a package of home and community-based services
designed to keep the elderly in their homes and out of expensive nursing
home care.  

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