Sec. 44.29.020. - Duties of department. - Alaska Statutes

(a) The Department of Health and Social Services shall administer the state programs of public health and social services, including

(1) maternal and child health services;

(2) preventive medical services;

(3) public health nursing services;

(4) nutrition services;

(5) health education;

(6) laboratories;

(7) mental health treatment and diagnosis;

(8) management of state institutions, except for adult penal institutions;

(9) medical facilities;

(10) adult public assistance;

(11) Alaska temporary assistance program;

(12) child welfare services;

(13) general relief;

(14) a comprehensive smoking education, tobacco use prevention, and tobacco control program; to the maximum extent possible, the department shall administer the program required under this paragraph by grant or contract with one or more organizations in the state; the department's program must include

(A) a community-based tobacco use prevention and cessation component addressing the needs of youth and adults that includes use of cessation aids such as a nicotine patch or a nicotine gum tobacco substitute;

(B) youth-based efforts that involve youth in the design and implementation of tobacco control efforts;

(C) anti-tobacco counter-marketing targeting both youth and adult populations designed to communicate messages to help prevent youth initiation of tobacco use, promote cessation among tobacco users, and educate the public about the lethal effects of exposure to secondhand smoke;

(D) tobacco use surveys of youth and adult populations concerning knowledge, awareness, attitude, and use of tobacco products; and

(E) an enforcement component;

(15) the Alaska Pioneers' Home and the Alaska Veterans' Home;

(16) [Repealed Sec. 25 ch 59 SLA 2004].

(17) licensure and regulation of child care facilities.

(b) The Department of Health and Social Services shall comply with AS 15.07.055 to serve as a voter registration agency to the extent required by state and federal law, including 42 U.S.C. 1973gg (National Voter Registration Act of 1993).