Description
The Alaska Psychiatric Institute (API) held its Governing Body meeting on September 22, 2026 (hybrid format). The session covered governance and advisory‑board engagement, grievance‑process revisions, operational updates (census, capacity challenges, long‑term patient trends), staffing reports, performance metrics, and a decision to discontinue the Netsmart electronic health‑record system in favor of pursuing a Rural Health Transformation Grant for a new platform. Key discussion points included:
• 72 patients in‑census, three beds available; increasing forensic‑to‑civil conversions and longer average lengths of stay.
• Capacity concerns – potential inability to admit new patients within 1‑2 years if trends continue.
• Grievance policy overhaul – need for an impartial review body separate from the state‑employee‑run Governing Body.
• Funding volatility – reliance on general‑fund appropriations and upcoming grant opportunities.
• Staffing challenges across nursing, medical, and quality‑improvement teams; upcoming hires to address gaps.
• KPI dashboard improvements and benchmarking against other state psychiatric hospitals.
• Decision to terminate the Netsmart EHR contract and explore alternative systems via a grant application.
Attached files
Contact
Tracy Dompeling(Commissioner)
(907) 202‑7104