The state Department of Health and Social Services is now two separate agencies: the Department of Health and the Department of Family and Community Services. Here's what that means for Alaska. (via AlaskaBeacon)
The new Department of Health will take over responsibility for Medicaid. It includes the divisions of Public Health, Public Assistance, Behavioral Health, Health Care Services, and Senior and Disabilities Services.
The Department of Family and Community Services will take over the state’s child welfare system and 24/7 facilities providing direct services to Alaskans. It houses the Division of Juvenile Justice, Alaska Psychiatric Institute, Alaska Pioneer Homes and the Office of Children’s Services. Crum said that despite the name changes, those who use state services will find most things the same – “same emails, same addresses, same physical locations.”
“Leading up to today, we haven’t had any concerns. I haven’t heard of any disruptions from the field,” Kosin said. to split the department in December 2020. He proposed an executive order but withdrew it in 2021 after state legislators identified problems., and it became final in March after the Alaska Legislature failed to object. Lawmakers set budgets for the new departments, and on Friday, the start of the state’s fiscal year, those budgets became active.
Johnson wants to see the work the tribes have been doing move forward and she hopes the new commissioner continues to keep the compact a priority. Dunleavy appointed Kim Kovol as acting commissioner for the Department of Family and Community Services on Wednesday. Prior to the appointment, Kovol was a special assistant to the governor focused on social services.
Jeff Kasper, the association’s business manager, said some employees felt that the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t the right time to shake up the state’s public health administration.“I think initially, we were kind of suspicious of things that Gov. Dunleavy does, because some of his actions seem to be directed toward unions, negatively,” Kasper said.“We haven’t received a whole lot of complaints so far from our members,” Kasper said.
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