SB 57 Summary

• Allows the Department of Health and Department of Family and Community Services to share identifiable health information between departments to administer programs, with information safeguarded in physically, administratively, and technologically secure environments.

• Permits legally responsible persons to provide personal care services under the 1915(k) Medicaid state plan option for medical assistance recipients.

• Establishes a new "host care home" license under AS 47.32.033 to provide 24-hour care for up to two individuals (age 18+) enrolled in Medicaid home and community-based waiver services, with authority to license care for three individuals under unusual circumstances.

• Requires the Department of Health to establish daily rate payments for host home care services, care standards, operating standards, and procedures for transitioning individuals from foster care to host care homes.

• Creates a streamlined transition process allowing foster parents with existing foster home licenses to transition to host care home licenses to maintain placements for individuals aging out of foster care who are enrolled in home and community-based waivers.