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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 23, 2004
Contact: Kerre Fisher, (907) 269-2042 or Sherry Hill, (907) 465-1618

State Receives Grant for Background Check Program

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(Juneau) — The Alaska Department of Health & Social Services (DHSS) has been awarded a
$5.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, for a new Nursing Home Quality Initiative pilot program, DHHS officials announced yesterday (Wednesday). This project will be managed under the new Background Check Unit within the Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, Certification and Licensing Section.

Alaska is one of only seven states to be accepted for the two-year pilot program which will help determine the impact of national background checks for any new worker with direct patient care duties on abuse and neglect in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

According to Joel Gilbertson, DHSS Commissioner, the goals of Alaska’s program are:

  • Improve monitoring and enforcement of life, health and safety regulations for all DHSS long term care programs
  • Extend background checks and fitness determinations to all staff serving vulnerable populations
  • Develop and implement measurements and reports across all DHSS long term care programs
  • Develop and implement electronic data for submission and reporting background investigation requests
  • Improve the overall safety and security of vulnerable individuals in state licensed and certified long term care programs

A portion of Alaska’s grant will also be used to develop an abuse prevention training program in partnership with the University of Alaska. Not all awardee states received training program funds; Alaska’s training program was selected based on the comprehensive nature of the proposal.

Additional online information about the pilot program:

DPH Certification and Licensing Section, Background Check Unit

http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dph/CL/bgcheck/default.htm

US DHHS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2004pres/20041222.html

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For more information, please contact

Sherry Hill
Special Assistant to the Commissioner
Juneau Office: (907) 465-1618
Anchorage: (907) 269-7800
Cell: (907) 321-2838
Email: sherry_hill@health.state.ak.us

Jeff Kasper
Project Director
Juneau Office: (907) 465-8194
Email: jeff_kasper@health.state.ak.us