The commissioner may adopt regulations to implement this chapter.

Contractors operating programs under AS 47.90.010 shall, to the maximum extent possible, provide displaced homemakers with assistance in qualifying on state employment registers under regulations of the commissioner.

The staff positions of multipurpose centers established under AS 47.90.010, including supervisory, technical, and administrative positions, shall to the maximum extent possible be filled by displaced homemakers.

The commissioner shall consult and cooperate with the Department of Health and Social Services; the Department of Education and Early Development; the director of the division of vocational rehabilitation; the University of Alaska, community colleges, and other colleges as appropriate; and other persons or agencies that the commissioner considers appropriate in the implementation of this chapter.

In this chapter

(1) 'commissioner' means the commissioner of labor and workforce development;

(2) 'displaced homemaker' means a person who

(A) has worked as a homemaker providing unsalaried services for the family for a period of at least three years;

(B) faces a significant reduction in family income or support through divorce, death, separation, desertion, or disability; and

(C) has encountered difficulty in finding employment.

(a) The commissioner, in consultation with state and local government agencies, community groups, and groups concerned with displaced homemakers, may

(1) contract with eligible private profit and nonprofit corporations for multipurpose service centers for displaced homemakers; contracting under this paragraph is governed by AS 36.30 (State Procurement Code); and

(2) coordinate existing state programs for displaced homemakers.

(b) The commissioner shall adopt regulations prescribing the standards to be met by each multipurpose service center for displaced homemakers in accordance with the policies established in this chapter.

(c) [Repealed, Sec. 67 ch 106 SLA 1986].

(d) To be eligible for an award of a contract under this chapter a private profit or nonprofit corporation must be governed by a board of directors whose membership is broadly representative of the community in which it operates as determined by the commissioner.

(a) A multipurpose service center for displaced homemakers established under AS 47.90.010 may provide the following services:

(1) job counseling services that

(A) are specifically designed for displaced homemakers;

(B) counsel displaced homemakers regarding job opportunities; and

(C) consider and build on the skills and experience of a homemaker and emphasize job readiness as well as skill development;

(2) job training and job placement services that

(A) emphasize short-term training programs that expand upon homemaking skills and volunteer experience and that lead to gainful employment;

(B) develop through cooperation with state and local government agencies and private employers training and placement programs for jobs in the public and private sector;

(C) assist displaced homemakers in gaining admission to existing public and private job-training programs and opportunities including vocational education, reentry into secondary and post-secondary education, and apprenticeship training programs; and

(D) assist in identifying community needs and creating new jobs for displaced homemakers in the public and private sector;

(3) health counseling services including referral to existing health programs with respect to

(A) general principles of preventive health care;

(B) health care consumer education, particularly in the selection of physicians and health care services including health maintenance organizations and health insurance;

(C) mental health care and transitional counseling;

(D) family health care and nutrition;

(E) alcohol and drug abuse, including the abuse of prescription drugs; and

(F) other related health care matters;

(4) financial management services that provide information and assistance relating to insurance, taxes, estate and probate matters, mortgages; loans, and related financial matters;

(5) educational services including

(A) information relating to courses offering credit through secondary or postsecondary education programs and reentry programs, including bilingual programs if appropriate, and information relating to the availability of financial assistance; and

(B) information about other programs of benefit to displaced homemakers;

(6) legal counseling and referral services;

(7) information services with respect to federal and state employment, education, health, public assistance, and unemployment assistance programs that the commissioner determines to be of benefit to displaced homemakers.

(b) A multipurpose center for displaced homemakers may provide assistance in obtaining child care, temporary babysitting expenses, and transportation when it will aid a displaced homemaker to receive services under (a) of this section.