Nearly three dozen show up to testify on MSRMC certificate of need

PALMER—Close to three dozen people showed up to testify at Mat-Su College Thursday evening for the second public hearing before state officials on a certificate of need proposal for substance abuse patients and behavioral health at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center (MSRMC).

Thirty-five people wound their way around the walls of a large classroom on campus, but the room was filled to standing room only to show support to the Alaska Certificate of Need program. MSRSC and Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage both have privately-funded proposals before the board. Mat-Su Regional is seeking 36 beds while Alaska Regional is after 24. State officials have so far indicated they are considering one proposal or the other, but representatives from both hospitals have made it clear in no uncertain terms that both plans should be allowed to proceed.

The first public hearing on the topic was in Anchorage Aug. 18. MSRMC officials fought for, and convinced the state that a second hearing in the Valley was important and necessary. Certificate of Need Coordinator Alexandra Hicks attended both sessions. Those attending Thursday’s two-hour hearing at Mat-Su College made an impassioned plea for the state to allow both expansions to proceed.

“We’re exhausted,” said MSRMC Business Development Director Jared Kosin to at the session’s start. “We’re kind of done talking. We’ve had this conversation (across various mediums)… we’ve done a lot of talking. All we’re asking are beds that do not exist in the Mat-Su Borough. They exist in Juneau. Juneau is a fraction of our size. They exist in Fairbanks. We’re bigger than Fairbanks. They exist in Anchorage. We’re growing over four times faster.”

Kosin said neither hospital is asking for any financial support for their respective projects.

“We’re telling you to please let us do this,” Kosin said. “We don’t need your help funding. We don’t need your help planning it. We just want you to give us the okay so we can go to work doing it…I would like to say that we are at a breaking point, but we are not. We are broken.”

Kosin said the reason “we are broken” is because MSRMC has watched as the number of substance abuse and mental cases presented at the hospital has skyrocketed to unmanageable levels.

Without exception, everyone who spoke did so in support of the need. Among them were Alaska State Troopers, emergency medical services personnel local police chiefs, the mayors of Palmer and Wasilla.

One of first of those speaking referenced a recently found 1956 US Department of Mental Health Survey Team report “Why the Alaska Mental Health Hospital should be built in the Matanuska Valley”. The comment drew a ironic chuckle from some in the audience.

Throughout the speakers, there was a recurring theme—need. Law enforcement said they are dealing with repeat offenders who aren’t just forgetting to take their medications or having a bad day, they are dealing with psychologically imbalanced individuals in need to serious medical attention.

Jill Monroe fought back tears as she shared the story of the death of her brother from suicide, at age 25, after battling depression for several years. She also shared the story of her son who, at age 24, overdosed from heroin. He was incarcerated and told to go to outpatient treatment.

“Of course there was nothing available,” Monroe said. She told those gathered that her son was found dead at home several days later. “My daughter is also a heroin addict…not only have I seen it, my life has been personally affected by this.”

Monroe’s story was repeated several more times throughout the presentations by the public. Sons, daughters, parents either addicted to opioids and/or alcohol, or just suffering from mental health issues that can’t be addressed short-term by an emergency room visit were repeated time and again. Some shared stories of if they were able to find needed services--having to travel to the Lower 48 to find them.

“Clearly it’s unconscionable that the state is considering either…or,” said Shawn Murphy, an ER nurse at Alaska regional looking at CNB officials sitting at the front of the room. “Approve both plans and do so in haste.”

The effects also take a toll on medical workers. Ralph Castanzo, Alaska Regional chief medical officer said he “…sees the pain, frustration, the hopelessness in the faces of our physicians, our nurses, and the patients because they know the patient is not receiving the care that they need.”

After the final person addressing the hearing, Hicks finished up stating she heard powerful stories and powerful testimonies. She said everything said at the session would be added and considered by the state before making a final decision. Hicks said time remains for the public to make written comments on the certificate and the state will continue to take emails or postdated written letters through Sept. 11.

Those comment should be sent to: Alexandria Hicks, Certificate of Need Program Coordinator at the Department of Health and Social Services, 3601 C Street, Suite 978, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 or via email to: Alexandria.hicks@alaska.gov.