October 29, 2004
Friday

Anchorage, Alaska - Governor Frank H. Murkowski announced a proposed initiative to "Bring the Kids Home" during a speech on Thursday before the Alaska Federation of Natives.

Governor Frank H. Murkowski received a warm welcome at the Alaska Federation of Natives' annual convention in Anchorage, when he announced his initiative to "Bring Our Kids Home" from Outside therapeutic centers, and to provide cash assistance to help 125 Bush villages meet the high costs of fuel.

The new initiative to return children from behavioral health care in out-of-state residential facilities to in-state or community-based care facilities will be part of the Fiscal 2006 budget request made to the Legislature, Governor Murkowski said. It is expected to cost $5 million but result in better service for the children, bringing them closer to home to keep their families more involved in their care. It will also allow the state to reinvest funds with in-state facilities and allow for more effective transitions and discharges.

"We've only heard talk about this for the last decade, but the sad fact remained that the state had failed to develop local treatment services," said Murkowski. "As a result, our young people had to leave their villages and their families to seek services Outside. That's unacceptable."

Over the last six years, the children's mental health system has become increasingly reliant on institutional care ­ in-patient hospital and Residential Psychiatric Treatment Center (RPTC) care, especially out-of-state RPTC care, for treatment of severely emotionally disturbed youth.

There are almost 500 Alaskan children receiving care in RPTC facilities outside of Alaska at any point in time and 650 served out of state over the last year - half of whom are Alaska Native.

Financial resources for children's mental health, primarily Medicaid expenditures, have proportionately shifted even more dramatically toward institutional care.

Bring Our Kids Home Initiative: Governor Murkowski announces his administration's "Bring Our Kids Home" initiative, to bring young Alaskans home from therapeutic treatment at out of state facilities... (MP3 -42 seconds) Partners in Bringing Kids Home: Governor Murkowski says cooperation with Native partners is already helping the state return Alaska Native children to in-state facilities... (MP3 -30 seconds) We Can Get It Done: Governor Murkowski says that his "Bring Our Kids Home" initiative demonstrates his administration's ability to respond to the needs of Alaska Natives, as advocated by the AFN... (MP3 -31 seconds)

"The 'Bring the Kids Home' initiative will ensure our children receive the care they deserve - here in Alaska - so they can remain near their families and communities," said Health and Social Services Commissioner Joel Gilbertson.

The Department of Health and Social Services, the Mental Health Trust Authority, the Mental Health Board, the Denali Commission are collaborating with other stakeholders to develop strategies to support Bring the Kids Home and provide funding for the effort.

The Mental Health Trust Authority has proposed funding nearly $2.1 million for the development or enhancement of group homes and other supportive services. Those funds will bring the entire proposal to just over $5 million.

There are three major goals for the "Bring the Kids Home" initiative:

• To build and sustain community-based and residential capacity to serve youth with various levels of need in Alaska.
• To develop an integrated and seamless service system in Alaska to allow youth to be served in the most culturally competent, least restrictive setting closest to home that is determined to be safe and appropriate.
• To significantly reduce the number of youth in out-of-state-care and ensure that future use of out-of-state facilities is kept to a minimum.

Governor Murkowski will deliver the request to the Legislature in his FY06 Budget on Dec. 15.

What is the issue?

• Over the last six years the children's mental health system has become increasingly reliant on institutional care - in-patient hospital and Residential Psychiatric Treatment Center (RPTC) care, especially out-of-state RPTC care, for treatment of severely emotionally disturbed youth.
• During this time, acute care admissions increased by one-third and total days of inpatient care increased by 90%. Residential Psychiatric Treatment Center care has increased even more dramatically. The number of youth treated in out-of-state RPTC care grew by nearly 700% and in-state RPTC care grew by 145% from FY98-FY03.
• In any year, nearly 500 Alaskan children are sent to out-of-state Residential Psychiatric Treatment Centers. Last year, that number grew to 650. Financial resources for children's mental health, primarily Medicaid expenditures, have proportionately shifted even more dramatically toward institutional care. Medicaid expenditures for in-state RPTC care increased 400% from $3 to $12 million from FY98-FY03. Medicaid expenditures for out-of-state RPTC care increased more than ten-fold (from $3 million to $31 million) during that same period.

What is the Bring the Kids Home Initiative?

• "Bring the Kids Home" will return children being served in out-of-state facilities with severe emotional disturbances back to in-state residential or community-based care.
• The program reinvests funding now going to out-of-state care to in-state services and develops the capacity to serve children closer to home.
• With financial support, this initiative will focus on successfully building upon the existing infrastructure to treat youth in their community, region and state.
  

Major Long-Term Goals of Bring the Kids Home

• To develop an integrated and seamless service system in Alaska that will allow youth to be served in the most culturally competent, least restrictive setting, closest to home, as determined to be safe and appropriate.
• To significantly reduce the number of youth in out-of-state-care and ensure that future use of out-of-state facilities is kept to a minimum.
  
  

Source of News, Initiative, Audio Files, & Photograph:

Office of the Governor
Web Site

 

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