The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services will be split into two separate departments in July. Gov. Mike Dunleavy proposed a similar change last year that he withdrew after nonprofit and tribal leaders, as well as legislators, raised concerns.
March 22, 2022
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services will be split into two separate departments in July. Gov. Mike Dunleavy proposed a similar change last year that he withdrew after nonprofit and tribal leaders, as well as legislators,Under the change, there will be a Department of Health that would continue to do most of the work of the current Department of Health and Social Services, like overseeing the Medicaid program. Medicaid is one of the largest pieces of the state budget.
Adam Crum, the commissioner of the currently combined department, said the administration reached out to nonprofit and tribal organizations earlier in the process this year than last. Crum said the large number of services he oversees has meant that he and his staff have moved from one crisis to another. And having two, more focused, departments will make that less likely. “The biggest difference this year was, we worked together and we worked together with stakeholder groups, front-line workers, division leaders, and the administration, as opposed to it sort of plunking down on the desk,” he said. “We knew it needed to happen, but I think folks needed to warm up to the idea.
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