"Assistance for any other aspect of an individual's life will be less successful if he or she is without safe and affordable housing, so housing comes first." The Anchorage Mayor's Homelessness Task Force has been meeting twice a month for the last year. Their website has a wealth of information and links documenting the planning process, and providing access to numerous backup documents. Most importantly, however, you can now download the Municipality of Anchorage Ten Year Plan on Homelessness, completed just last month. Compare it to a copy of the executive summary of the 1992 Final Report of the Anchorage Comprehensive Homeless Program Strategy Group.

Since 1993 the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation has conducted a state-wide homelessness survey twice a year. The latest survey was just released last fall. Among other results, this study found that homeless families with children represent the most vulnerable households among the homeless population surveyed. Almost half of these households do not have a shelter arrangement. Go to the AHFC main download page, and click on "Homeless Service Providers Survey." There you will find the latest survey as well as all the previous surveys back to 1993.

Finally, compare Alaska homelessness issues with the national scene. Take a look at the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness produced by the National Alliance to End Homelessness. See also the United States Conference of Mayors report, USA Hunger and Homelessness Survey 2004.

According to Alaska's Department of Health and Social Services, "Medicaid, an entitlement program created by the federal government, is the primary public program for financing basic health and long-term care services for low-income Alaskans. It is funded fifty percent by federal funds and fifty percent by state general funds. The program focuses on coverage for low-income children, pregnant women, families, the elderly, blind and the permanently disabled."

At a recent presentation to the Commonwealth North Healthcare Study Group, Joel Gilbertson, Commissioner of Health and Social Services, noted that nearly one in four Alaskans is covered by Medicaid, and that one of every two babies in Alaska is covered by Medicaid. Nevertheless, it is very likely that the President will suggest reductions in Medicaid spending which could result in millions of low income people across the United States being denied Medicaid coverage, and tens of thousands suffering the same fate in Alaska.

Families USA has produced a two-page fact sheet on the importance of Medicaid in Alaska, and they host an excellent website with lots of resources documenting the struggle to maintain adequate funding for this critical program. The Kaiser Family Foundation also has an excellent website devoted to Medicaid issues.

The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) is an international project of the Arctic Council and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC). The mission of ACIA is "to evaluate and synthesize knowledge on climate variability, climate change, and increased ultraviolet radiation and their consequences." The final report is now available on the ACIA website.

ACIA researchers identified the following key findings: 1. The Arctic climate is now warming rapidly and much larger changes are projected. 2. Arctic warming and its consequences have worldwide implications. 3. Arctic vegetation zones are projected to shift, bringing wide-ranging impacts. 4. Animal species' diversity, ranges, and distribution will change. 5. Many coastal communities and facilities face increasing exposure to storms. 6. Reduced sea ice is very likely to increase marine transport and access to resources. 7. Thawing ground will disrupt transportation, buildings, and other infrastructure. 8. Indigenous communities are facing major economic and cultural impacts. 9. Elevated ultraviolet radiation levels will affect people, plants, and animals. 10. Multiple influences interact to cause impacts to people and ecosystems.

Additional information on this subject is available on the Alaska Conservation Foundation website devoted to transcripts of presentations at the Spring 2003 forum, Early Warning From Alaska: Global Warming's Front Line. See also the US National Assessment of the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change Educational Resources Regional Paper: Alaska. This document was produced by the U. S. Global Change Research Program, an interagency research program established by an act of Congress.

email: ldweiss@acpp.info

phone: (907) 240-4141

web: http://www.acpp.info