 June 9, 2022
Dear DHSS Employees,
It's been over a month since our last newsletter on the reorganization of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, so we have a fair bit of news to share. We're in the final countdown now to the department split. On July 1, 2022, DHSS will become two new departments – the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Family and Community Services (DFCS)
DHSS leadership has been working with the Public Information Team on logos for the new departments. After many iterations and much discussion, we have finalized logos for the two new departments. Please see them below.
We will be posting these logos soon on the reorganization webpage and will start using them on July 1 after the split is official. If you are creating something and need the logo sooner, please email Publications Specialist Glenn Harvey to obtain a copy. If you have questions or concerns, please email Communications Director Clinton Bennett.
Also below are the new mission statements for the two departments.
Even though there's a lot to do this summer as we prepare for the department split, we hope employees are still taking leave as they are able to. As we've said before, vacation time and breaks are important. Please remember that, enjoy your summer and thanks for all you do!
Marian Sweet, Assistant Commissioner,
Department of Family and Community Services
Sylvan Robb, Assistant Commissioner,
Department of Health
Above is the new logo for the Alaska Department of Health. Please do not use until July 1, 2022. The idea for this logo came from Commissioner Crum and it was created by Publication Specialist Glenn Harvey withing the Public Information Team. Commissioner Crum liked the idea of recognizing Alaska’s unique history of delivering health care via dog team. It shows that with teamwork, hard work and community, we can take care of each other across the vast geographical size of our great state.
 Above is the new logo for the Alaska Department of Family and Community Services. Please do not use until July 1, 2022. This logo was created by Publication Specialist Glenn Harvey within the Public Information Team and chosen by leadership to represent families and communities working together and the broad diversity of Alaskans who live in our state.
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Department of Health (DOH)
Mission: Promoting the health, well-being, and self-sufficiency of Alaskans.
The Department of Health (DOH) will have oversight of health care services, payment, eligibility determinations and payments of public assistance program benefits, and public health. The Divisions of Behavioral Health, Health Care Services, and Senior and Disabilities Services provide regulatory oversight, claims processing, facility licensing, and enforcement of Medicaid and state regulations. DOH will also actively engage with stakeholders to find opportunities for innovation within Medicaid and to improve health outcomes for all Alaskans.
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Department of Family and Community Services (DFCS)
Mission: To provide support, safety, and personal well-being for vulnerable Alaskans.
The Department of Family and Community Services (DFCS) will oversee and improve our child welfare system and 24/7 facilities providing direct services to Alaskans. Alaska Psychiatric Institute (API) and the Alaska Pioneer Homes (AKPH) provide care for patients and elders, and when eligible can bill Medicaid for the services provided – in much the same way that hospitals and clinics work. The Division of Juvenile Justice works to rehabilitate youth offenders while holding them accountable.
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Important Deadline for Payroll and HRM Items: By close of Business June 21, 2022 all requests for the following must be finalized: New Positions (whether permanent, non-permanent, Exempt or Temporary Exempt) all extension requests for non-permanent positions, and all updates to LDPR’s and Default LDPR’s assigned on the Position Maintenance (POSM) table. No changes can occur between June 22, 2022 through July 1, 2022. This is a hard deadline and cannot be modified or it will compromise the success of the conversion records into HRM. Please ensure all staff working on these items are aware of these deadlines. Thank you for your support as we reorganize into two new departments.
Office Space Update: There have been no changes to space allocation from the plans shared previously. For those impacted, we understand people are very interested to know when you will actually be moving. Unfortunately, we do not have firm news to report on when office moves will be happening. We are still in the process of working with contractors and the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to confirm timelines for improvements to the space. Once we have that information, we will be sure to let you know the move timelines.
Email Reminder: Your existing email will transfer with you to your new department so you will continue to have access to all your current and past messages. (For some people that is good news and for others, maybe not the greatest news if you have too many emails.)
Payroll News: There is no need to worry about getting paid after the transfer. The FMS team has been hard at work with our partners at Division of Finance and plans are in place for employees and pay to transfer. There is plenty to worry about heading into the Fourth of July holiday like the weather or running out of ketchup for your hot dogs, but you do not need to be concerned about getting paid!
New Letterhead Templates: The Public Information Team will soon be updating letterhead with the new department names and also updating any address changes. Those updated templates will be available no later than July 1, 2022 on the Office Template Library via the Intranet. If you need them sooner, please email Elizabeth Manning.
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Q) What if something doesn't go as expected during the transition and I need support?
A) Despite our best efforts we know there will be hiccups with the transition from DHSS to the Departments of Health (DOH) and Family and Community Services (DFCS). There are a lot of moving pieces to split something this large and complex.
In July, if there is a global problem that’s impacting a large group we will send an email alerting you and let you know the timeline for resolving it. If you are experiencing trouble that seems related to the department split and localized to just you here are the people to contact for assistance:
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