Title 18, Health, Safety, Housing, Human Rights, and Public Defender

(a) The withdrawal of blood for a test under AS 18.15.300 - 18.15.320 shall be performed in a medically approved manner. Only a physician or physician assistant licensed under AS 08.64, registered or advanced practice registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, or certified emerg…

Article 6. Public Health Authority and Powers. (a) The cost of performing a blood test under AS 18.15.300 shall be paid by the department. (b) If a defendant for whom a blood test has been ordered under AS 18.15.300 is convicted of an offense for which the defendant was charged, …

[Repealed or reserved.]

(a) The department may use the powers and provisions set out in AS 18.15.355 — 18.15.395 to prevent, control, or ameliorate conditions of public health importance or accomplish other essential public health services and functions. (b) In performing its duties under AS 18.15.355 —…

(a) The department is authorized to collect, analyze, and maintain databases of information related to (1) risk factors identified for conditions of public health importance; (2) morbidity and mortality rates for conditions of public health importance; (3) community indicators re…

The department may acquire and use identifiable health information collected under AS 18.15.355 — 18.15.395 only if the (1) acquisition and use of the information relates directly to a public health purpose; (2) acquisition and use of the information is reasonably likely to contr…

(a) The department shall acquire, use, disclose, and store identifiable health information collected under AS 18.15.355 — 18.15.395 in a confidential manner that safeguards the security of the information, and maintain the information in a physically and technologically secure en…

The department shall maintain a list of reportable diseases or other conditions of public health importance that must be reported to the department. The list may include birth defects, cancers, injuries, and diseases or other conditions caused by exposure to microorganisms; patho…

(a) The department may investigate conditions of public health importance in the state through methods of epidemiological investigation. The department may also ascertain the existence of cases of illness or other conditions of public health importance, investigate potential sour…

(a) A health care practitioner or public health agent who examines or treats an individual who has or may have been exposed to a contagious disease shall instruct the individual about the measures for preventing transmission of the disease and the need for treatment. (b) The depa…

(a) The department may isolate or quarantine an individual or group of individuals if isolation or quarantine is the least restrictive alternative necessary to prevent the spread of a contagious or possibly contagious disease to others in accordance with regulations adopted by th…

If the governor declares a condition of disaster emergency under AS 26.23.020(c) due to an outbreak of disease or a credible threat of an imminent outbreak of disease, the department, in coordination with the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, may (1) close, direct, an…

An individual who is the respondent in proceedings under AS 18.15.375(e) or 18.15.385 has the right to be represented by counsel in the proceedings. If the individual cannot afford an attorney, the court shall direct the Public Defender Agency to provide an attorney. The court ma…

The department shall annually report to the legislature the activities conducted by the department under AS 18.15.355 — 18.15.395, including information pertaining to the number of individuals quarantined, the purpose for the quarantine, and the length of the quarantine.

Article 7. Blood Testing of Prisoners and Others for Bloodborne Pathogens. In AS 18.15.355 — 18.15.395, unless the context otherwise requires, (1) “Alaska Native organization” means an organization recognized by the United States Indian Health Service to provide health-related se…

(a) When requested by a public safety officer who may have received a significant exposure from an adult or juvenile offender or a prisoner, the employing agency shall follow the testing procedures of AS 18.15.400 — 18.15.450 if (1) a physician licensed under AS 08 determines tha…

(a) When a public safety officer has made a request under AS 18.15.400, except as provided in (b) or (c) of this section or in AS 18.15.420, before collecting and testing the blood of an adult or juvenile offender or a prisoner, the employing agency shall first obtain the consent…

(a) When a public safety officer has made a request under AS 18.15.400, the employing agency shall file a petition in the superior court for a court order requiring the adult or juvenile offender or prisoner to provide a blood sample for testing for bloodborne pathogens. The empl…

(a) Bloodborne pathogens test results of an adult or juvenile offender or a prisoner are confidential and may not be disclosed except as provided in AS 18.15.400 — 18.15.450 and as needed for the treatment or medical care of an adult or juvenile offender or a prisoner specific to…

The department, the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Corrections, and each municipality shall assist public safety officers and employing agencies in complying with the requirements of AS 18.15.400 — 18.15.450.

Article 8. General Provisions. In AS 18.15.400 — 18.15.450, (1) “adult or juvenile offender” means a person in custody, arrested, or charged under a criminal complaint or a minor being held or subject to a petition under AS 47.12; (2) “bloodborne pathogens” means pathogenic micro…

In this chapter, “department” means the Department of Health.

(a) An abortion may not be performed in this state unless (1) the abortion is performed by a physician licensed by the State Medical Board under AS 08.64.200; (2) the abortion is performed in a hospital or other facility approved for the purpose by the Department of Health or a h…

(a) A person may not knowingly perform or induce an abortion upon a minor who is known to the person to be pregnant, unmarried, under 18 years of age, and unemancipated unless, before the abortion, at least one of the following applies: (1) either (A) one of the minor's parents, …

(a) A woman who is pregnant, unmarried, under 18 years of age, and unemancipated who wishes to have an abortion without notice to or the consent of a parent, guardian, or custodian may file a complaint in the superior court requesting the issuance of an order authorizing the mino…

For each month in which an abortion is performed on a minor by a physician, the physician shall file a report with the Department of Health indicating the number of abortions performed on a minor for that month, the age of each minor, the number of previous abortions performed on…

(a) Notwithstanding compliance with AS 18.16.010, a person may not knowingly perform a partial-birth abortion unless a partial-birth abortion is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury and no other medical procedu…

(a) Except as provided in (d) of this section, a person may not knowingly perform or induce an abortion without the voluntary and informed consent of (1) a woman on whom an abortion is to be performed or induced; (2) the parent, guardian, or custodian of a pregnant, unemancipated…

In this chapter, (1) “abortion” means the use or prescription of an instrument, medicine, drug, or other substance or device to terminate the pregnancy of a woman known to be pregnant, except that “abortion” does not include the termination of a pregnancy if done with the intent …

[Repealed or reserved.]

[Repealed or reserved.]

[Repealed or reserved.]

(a) To be eligible for a license, each hospital shall have in operation an internal risk management program that shall (1) investigate the frequency and causes of incidents in hospitals that cause injury to patients; (2) develop and implement measures to minimize the risk of inju…

[Repealed or reserved.]

(a) The department shall make annual inspections and investigations of hospital facilities. The department may accept accreditation by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospitals in lieu of an annual inspection by the department for the year in which the accreditation …

(a) Unless specified otherwise by the department a hospital shall retain and preserve records that relate directly to the care and treatment of a patient for a period of seven years following the discharge of the patient. However, the records of a patient under 19 years of age sh…

[Repealed or reserved.]

(a) Except as provided in (d) of this section, a patient 18 years of age or older who is receiving mental health treatment and being provided intimate care at a hospital shall have a right to have care provided by a staff member who is the gender that the patient requests. (b) A …

[Repealed or reserved.]

[Repealed or reserved.]

Article 2. Alaska Hospital and Medical Facilities Survey and Construction Act. In AS 18.20.075 — 18.20.130, (1) “department” means the Department of Health; (2) “hospital” means an institution or establishment, public or private, devoted primarily to providing diagnosis, treatmen…

The purpose of AS 18.20.140 — 18.20.220 is to make an inventory of existing hospitals and medical facilities, community mental health centers, and facilities for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities; to survey the need for construction of hospitals and medical…

The department shall be the sole agency for the administration of the plan as required by the federal act. The department shall develop and administer any programs necessary for compliance with the federal act.

(a) For each of the following groups of facilities, hospitals and medical facilities (Group 1), community mental health centers (Group 2), and facilities for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (Group 3), the department shall (1) make a statewide inventory of…

The state plan must set out the relative need for the projects included in the construction program determined in accordance with the regulations adopted under the federal act, and provide for the construction, maintenance, and operation to the extent financial resources permit, …

The state, a political subdivision of the state, or a public or other nonprofit agency requesting federal funds for a health facility construction project must apply to the department. The application must conform to federal and state requirements.