Anchorage youth board tells Senate committee barriers to benefits, health care push need for tech, school and peer‑support fixes

The Anchorage Youth Action Board told the Alaska Senate Health and Social Services Committee on March 5 that young people who are homeless or at risk encounter multiple administrative and access barriers to health care and public benefits.

"Our YAB was, is comprised of people who are around 17 to 25, and these are all youth who have experienced or who are currently experiencing homelessness," said Isis Allen, chair of the Anchorage Youth Action Board, during the group's presentation. Allen and other board members described problems and proposed fixes developed from lived experience.

The board highlighted several specific problems and solutions. Allen said public‑benefits applications are hard to navigate for youth who lack a stable address or consistent phone access and urged the state to modernize enrollment and renewal systems with mobile‑friendly platforms and SMS or email notifications. "Allowing flexible verification for people experiencing homelessness" and accepting service‑provider addresses were among the practical changes she recommended.

Presenters also urged funding for 24‑hour resource lines. Jason Hunter said many young callers cannot reach the statewide 211 service during current hours and recommended that the state fund around‑the‑clock access and consider state or local hotlines for domestic violence and runaway youth.

Several presenters pressed for school‑based approaches to connect youth with services: one slide noted that about three‑quarters of young people first turn to trusted adults, such as teachers or counselors, when they need help, and YAB members proposed expanding after‑school programs and placing clear information about benefits and hotlines in schools.

The board raised continuity of care for youth leaving custody as another critical gap. Allen cited research she attributed to KFF and told the committee that cost and coverage interruptions reduce access to care; she urged policies to ensure continuous Medicaid coverage for youth exiting the Office of Children’s Services and juvenile justice, expand medical‑debt relief for low‑income youth and require visible patient‑advocacy contact information at clinics.

Gail Gedalia, another presenter, proposed paid peer positions in state agencies to help youth navigate benefits, saying agencies struggle to recruit and retain staff and that peer guides could improve access. Gedalia and other presenters referenced Division of Public Assistance staffing pressures and backlogs while explaining why more outreach and workforce supports would be needed to implement the board's recommendations.

Committee members and presenters also discussed a separate legislative proposal to expand the range of providers who can deliver basic care (for example, certain pharmacist‑delivered services). Vice Chair Giesel said that legislation is under consideration and that such options could increase access in Anchorage, while acknowledging rural gaps.

Next step: the committee heard a separate bill (SB193) after the presentation. The YAB presentation concluded with committee appreciation for the group's recommendations and an acknowledgment that several proposals — from 24‑hour resource lines to continuity of Medicaid coverage — will require coordination and funding at the agency and legislative levels.

What happens next: the committee moves SB193 forward for separate consideration; the YAB's recommendations were recorded in the committee file for follow‑up.