Coordinated Health and Complex Care Resources

The Coordinated Health and Complex Care Resources Unit has released a white paper detailing strategic and organizational goals for its role in Alaska’s continuum of complex care.

• 2025 Complex Care Initiatives Joint Update
• 2023 Complex Care Initiatives Joint Update

Continuum of Complex Care Vocabulary and Acronym Glossary

Like any other complex system in healthcare and government, the Coordinated Health and Complex Care Unit utilizes specialized terminology and acronyms. Below is a glossary of the most commonly used terms and acronyms utilized by the Coordinated Health and Complex Care Unit. This glossary may be updated in the future to reflect the dynamic vocabulary of complex care in our state.

Acute Care: Refers to medical care provided for emergent, severe medical conditions that require immediate attention and treatment. Mental and behavioral health services are medical care and can require acute care attention.

API: Alaska Psychiatric Institute.

ALH: Refers to Assisted Living Homes. These are residential settings where individuals can receive supports to promote successful, long-term participation in the community. The following state statutes and regulations apply to Assisted Living Homes.

• AS 47.33 Assisted Living Homes
• AS 47.32 Centralized Licensing and Related Administrative Procedures
• AS 47.05 Administration of Welfare, Social Services, and Institutions
• 7 AAC 75 Assisted Living Homes
• 7 AAC 10 Licensing, Certification, and Approvals

CBC: Refers to the Complex Behavior Collaborative, a program that helps providers meet the needs of Medicaid and non-Medicaid clients with complex needs who are often aggressive, assaultive, and difficult to support.

CCC: The Complex Care Committee. A committee facilitated by the Coordinated Health and Complex Care Unit that meets periodically to address larger-scope ways that gaps in the continuum of care for Alaskans with complex mental, behavioral, and medical needs can be addressed.

CHCCU: Acronym used to refer to the Coordinated Health and Complex Care Unit.

CMS: Refers to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

CRT: Refers to the DFCS Case Response Team, a focused, internal DFCS/DOH panel organized by the Coordinated Health and Complex Care Unit that addresses identified gaps in the continuum of complex care in individual cases under the statutory authority of DFCS and DOH.

DFCS: Acronym for the State of Alaska Department of Family and Community Services.

DFCS Custodial​: Anyone that is either in the custody of or receiving direct services from one of the DFCS divisions.​​

DOH: Acronym for the State of Alaska Department of Health.

Famhab: This term refers to Family Habilitation homes.

OCS: Acronym for the State of Alaska Office of Children’s Services, a division of the Department of Family and Community Services.

SOA: Acronym for the State of Alaska.

Sub-Acute Care: Refers to settings that provide specialized care for people who need intensive, specialized care at a level lower than that provided by an inpatient hospital.

“The Waiver” or “Waiver”: (include types of waivers): This term refers to the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Medicaid waiver programs. There are three waiver types: the Alaskans Living Independently (ALI) Waiver, the Alaska Adults with Physical and Developmental Disabilities Waiver, the Alaska Children with Complex Medical Conditions Waiver, the Alaska Individualized Supports Waiver, and the AK People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) Waiver. For more information on Alaska’s HCBS waivers, please visit Medicaid.gov.