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Rep. Rokeberg's Bills Give Boost to New API
HB 76, HB 77 Call For Extra $12 Million, New Forensic Wing

(JUNEAU) -- Rep. Norman Rokeberg (R-Anchorage) today introduced bills to appropriate additional funds to find or build a replacement for the aging Alaska Psychiatric Institute (API), and to require that any new facility must include a forensic psychiatry wing.

"API has served Alaskans well, but everyone agrees it must be replaced with a newer facility," Rokeberg said. "This legislation is aimed at making sure that the new API not only provides the best level of direct services to patients, but also brings spin-off benefits for a much wider range of Alaskans."

House Bill 77 would appropriate $12 million more to the approximately $34 million already earmarked to build or renovate a replacement for API. It would also appropriate $200,000 to the Municipality of Anchorage to study the feasibility of creating a new medical "campus" bringing the University of Alaska-Anchorage's Health Sciences Building and the offices of the Municipality's Department of Health and Human Services together near the new API building.

"The new API will be a significant new center for mental health care services in Alaska, and it only makes sense for API, Anchorage and the State to cooperate on a project of this scale," Rokeberg said. "If we can cooperate, we extend its benefits to more members of the health-care community."

House Bill 76 would require that any replacement for API must include a forensic psychiatric wing, to boost the level of services available to Alaskans from around the state under the jurisdiction of Department of Corrections.

"API is not a place to warehouse the mentally ill, but a place to treat patients in hopes of returning them to happy, productive lives," Rokeberg said. "Having a forensic psychiatric wing in the new facility will go a long way toward helping API accomplish this mission."

House Bills 76 and 77 were both referred to the Health, Education and Social Services Committee.

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Attachments:

• Sponsor Statement for HB 76 & HB 77
• Print Friendly Version
  Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - 2 page(s) - 66 K

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