# Alaska Stat. § 44.29.020: Duties of department > Alaska · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.020 ## Section - **Citation:** Alaska Stat. § 44.29.020 - **Heading:** Duties of department - **Jurisdiction:** Alaska - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** AK Code / Title 44 / Chapter 44.29 / Section 44.29.020 ## Text (a) The Department of Health shall administer state programs, including (1) maternal and child health services; (2) preventive medical services; (3) public health nursing services; (4) nutrition services; (5) health education; (6) laboratories; (7) mental health treatment and diagnosis, except for mental health treatment and diagnosis under AS 47.30.660 — 47.30.915; (8) medical facilities; (9) adult public assistance; (10) the Alaska temporary assistance program; (11) general relief; (12) a comprehensive smoking education, tobacco use prevention, and tobacco control program; to the maximum extent possible, the department shall administer the program required under this paragraph by grant to or contract with one or more organizations in the state; the department's program must include (A) a community-based tobacco use prevention and cessation component addressing the needs of youth and adults that includes use of cessation aids such as a nicotine patch or a nicotine gum tobacco substitute; (B) youth-based efforts that involve youth in the design and implementation of tobacco control efforts; (C) anti-tobacco counter-marketing targeting both youth and adult populations designed to communicate messages to help prevent youth initiation of tobacco use, promote cessation among tobacco users, and educate the public about the lethal effects of exposure to secondhand smoke; (D) tobacco use surveys of youth and adult populations concerning knowledge, awareness, attitude, and use of tobacco products; and (E) an enforcement component; (13) licensure and regulation of child care facilities; (14) a comprehensive marijuana use education and treatment program; to the extent possible, the department shall administer the program required under this paragraph by grant to or contract with one or more organizations in the state; the department's program must include (A) a community-based marijuana misuse prevention component; the community-based component must provide for a youth services grant program to (i) reduce initiation and promote cessation of marijuana use by youth, reduce youth access to marijuana products, and reduce exposure of youth to impaired driving dangers related to marijuana use; (ii) provide recreational, educational, and character-building programs for youth outside school hours; and (iii) address marijuana use prevention through outcome-based curricula, adult and peer mentoring, and opportunities for positive, prosocial leisure and recreational activities; (B) marijuana public education designed to communicate messages to help prevent youth initiation of marijuana use, educate the public about the effects of marijuana use, and educate the public about marijuana laws; (C) surveys of (i) youth and adult populations concerning knowledge, awareness, attitude, and use of marijuana products; (ii) the need for trained professionals working in organizations described in this paragraph; (D) the development of plans to address the need for trained professionals and to assist in implementing a training program for those professionals; (E) monitoring of population health status related to the consequences of marijuana use; and (F) substance abuse screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment. (b) The Department of Health shall comply with AS 15.07.055 to serve as a voter registration agency to the extent required by state and federal law, including 42 U.S.C. 1973gg (National Voter Registration Act of 1993). (c) The Department of Health shall cooperate with the Department of Public Safety in enforcement of the prohibition on the possession, offer, display, marketing, advertising, or sale of illicit synthetic drugs under AS 17.21 . AS 15.07.055 to serve as a voter registration agency to the extent required by state and federal law, including 42 U.S.C. 1973gg (National Voter Registration Act of 1993). (c) The Department of Health shall cooperate with the Department of Public Safety in enforcement of the prohibition on the possession, offer, display, marketing, advertising, or sale of illicit synthetic drugs under AS 17.21 . (d) The Department of Health shall establish standards that comply with federal law for the registration, use, and inspection of dental radiological equipment, including standards for record keeping relating to the control panels and the use of the equipment. In this subsection, “dental radiological equipment” means equipment for use in the practice of dentistry, consisting of a control panel and associated tube heads, if the equipment emits electronic product radiation, as defined in AS 18.60.545 , or uses radionuclides, as defined in AS 18.60.545 . ## Nearby sections - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.010 Commissioner of health.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.010.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.020 Duties of department.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.020.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.022 Fees for department services.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.022.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.024 Fees for services of contractors or grantees.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.024.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.092 Citation for certain offenses concerning tobacco, products containing nicotine, or electronic smoking products.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.092.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.094 Procedure and form of citation.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.094.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.100 Advisory board on alcoholism and drug abuse.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.100.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.110 Composition.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.110.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.115 Qualifications of board members.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.115.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.120 Term of office.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.120.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.130 Compensation, per diem, and expenses.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.130.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.135 Officers and staff.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.135.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.140 Duties.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.140.md) - [Alaska Stat. § 44.29.200 Definition.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.200.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_AK_T44_C44.29_S44.29.020. 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