Solicitation for Public Input – Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health, Regulatory Revisions.
Notice of Public Scoping Under Administrative Order 360 for possible Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health Regulation Changes (Title 7).
Background. In response to Administrative Order 360, the Department of Health (DOH) is soliciting written and oral comments from affected industries, community organizations, and the general public regarding regulations and materials incorporated by reference related to behavioral health services under:
- 7 AAC 50.005 - 7 AAC 50.790, Community Care Licensing
- 7 AAC 70, Behavioral Health Services
- 7 AAC 110, Medicaid Coverage; Professional Services to include:
- 7 AAC 110.550 – 7 AAC 110.555, Psychologist Services
- 7 AAC 110.565, Clinical Social Worker Services
- 7 AAC 110.575, Marital and Family Therapy Services
- 7 AAC 110.585, Professional Counseling Services
- 7 AAC 135, Medicaid Coverage; Behavioral Health Services, to include:
- 7 AAC 135.030, Community Behavioral Health Service Provider
- 7 AAC 135.030, Mental Health Physician Clinic
- 7 AAC 135.350, Autism Services
- 7 AAC 136, Alaska Substance Use Disorder and Behavioral Health Program: 1115 Demonstration Waiver
- 7 AAC 138, 1115 Substance Use Disorder Waiver Services
- 7 AAC 139, Behavioral Health 1115 Waiver Services
- 7 AAC 140.350 – 7 AAC 140.365, Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital Services
- 7 AAC 140.400 – 7 AAC 140.415, Residential Psychiatric Treatment Facility
The Department of Health is undertaking this solicitation process to ask the public for ideas, suggestions, and input before the Department of Health drafts or proposes any specific regulation amendments or repeals for public review.
The Department of Health is particularly interested in specific ideas for regulatory change that may:
- clarify existing regulatory obligations;
- reduce costs for the public, industry, or government;
- improve or streamline procedures, application requirements, and review processes, for example reducing the time required to apply for a license, permit, or benefit;
- reduce administrative burdens;
- streamline permitting procedures;
- improve communication procedures;
- provide greater transparency with respect to standards, decision-making, and rationales for application processing; or
- clarify interagency roles.
Written comments. Written comments must be received by 5:00 p.m., October 31, 2025 Written comments may be sent to by electronic mail to doh.dbh.public.comments@alaska.gov . Written comments may also be mailed to the department addressed to Mr. William Hurr, State of Alaska, Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health, 3601 C Street, Suite 934, Anchorage, AK 99503.
Public meeting. Oral comments may also be submitted during a series of hearings to be held on the following dates and times:
Tuesday, October 7, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Alaska Medicaid Operations: Behavioral Health Services: Alaska Medicaid related to behavioral health services, including provider enrollment and Medicaid claims.
Thursday, October 9, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Alaska Medicaid Programs: Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder: Medicaid State Plan and 1115 Medicaid Waiver behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment services.
Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Autism Services and Treatment Services for Children and Youth: Autism services and behavioral health treatment services for children and youth.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Tribal Health: Behavioral Health Services in Alaska: Tribal comments and recommendations for behavioral health services in Alaska.
Thursday, October 23, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Alaska Behavioral Health Services: Comments and recommendations for all Alaska behavioral health services topics.
Oral comments relevant to this solicitation for public input may be provided online or by telephone. The hearings will be offered as a telephone and internet-accessible Zoom meeting. You may join the Zoom meeting by using the Zoom website link or by calling the Zoom Call-in toll-free telephone number and using the Meeting ID and Passcode, as follows:
Meeting ID: 849 1081 1427; Passcode: 561122.
The hearings will be 90-minutes each and might be extended to accommodate those present within the first 30 minutes of the meeting who did not have an opportunity to comment. Before the start of the hearing, the Department of Health may limit the time allotted for each person providing oral testimony, as reasonably necessary to conclude the hearing in the time provided.
If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Mr. William Hurr by electronic mail at doh.dbh.public.comments@alaska.gov or by phone at (907) 269-6549 not later than three business days before the time of the hearing, to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided.
Please note that input provided in response to this solicitation will be subject to inspection, copying, and distribution as public records under AS 40.25.110 – 40.25.220. Please do not include any confidential information in written or oral comments.
Questions. For questions or more information, contact our Agency Regulatory Liaison, Triptaa Surve at triptaa.surve@alaska.gov .
The Department of Health is not currently proposing any specific regulation change and there are no draft regulations prepared for public comment under the Administrative Procedure Act at this time. If the Department of Health undertakes revisions to these regulations, there will be an additional opportunity to comment on the proposed regulation changes that are released for public review and comment under the Administrative Procedure Act.
The Department of Health (DOH), Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all the DBH/DOH notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) at doh.dbh.public.comments@alaska.gov , giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.
Individuals can also sign up to receive automated notifications of all State of Alaska notices, including public notice for regulation changes, by subscribing to the Alaska Online Public Notices System: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Default.aspx .