(ANCHORAGE) - Senator Fred Dyson (R - Eagle River) and Representative Peggy Wilson (R - Wrangell) will chair a joint meeting of the Legislature's Health, Education and Social Services Committees on Monday, December 13, 2004.

Officials with the state Office of Children's Services will give lawmakers an update on their efforts to identify and solve problems within the agency regarding its ability to respond to and manage cases of child abuse.

OCS officials will also tell committee members how they can help strengthen Alaska's safety net for children in peril during the upcoming legislative session.

The meeting will also include a presentation from a group of students at Goldenview Middle School about their award-winning public policy project on health care. The students crafted a policy improvement plan that provides better care for Alzheimer's patients and helps public agencies operate in a more fiscally responsible manner.

The student project is part of the Project Citizen program, a program that encourages 12-14 year olds to participate in public policy at the local level. The students presented their report at a recent convention of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Who: Joint HESS Committee meeting
When: Monday, December 13, 2004 @ 10:00am
Where: Anchorage LIO, 716 W 4th Avenue, room 220
Why: Office of Children's Services update/Presentation from Goldenview Middle School students.

For more information contact House Majority Press Secretary Renee Limoge at (907) 269.0164 or Senate Majority Press Secretary Jeff Turner at (907) 269.0257.

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