ACMHS Update
January 2020
Happy Retirement, Jim Briskey!
Jim Briskey is retiring at the end of this month, after 23 years working for ACMHS! For the last 8 years, Jim has been stationed at the Anchorage Correctional Complex, acting as a conduit for information between DOC and ACMHS. It's just one of many jobs he's held serving ACMHS clients.

Expanding Peer Support Services
ACMHS started offering regular peer support groups for adult clients at our Ingra location at the beginning of the year. Now peer support groups are also being offered at the Folker building. Peer support is an evidence-based practice that has been shown to increase engagement in services and quality of life.
Meet Our Staff: April Valentine
April Valentine is the new lead clinical associate for wrap-around services in our Anchorage Child & Family Outpatient clinic. That means she’ll be planning and over-seeing the skill development groups offered by the team and coordinating attendance with caregivers and clinicians.

Kicking off services in Fairbanks schools
ACMHS/FCMHS staff are meeting this week with officials from the Department of Education and Early Development and the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District to kick off a project to expand mental health services for kids who have experienced trauma and are struggling in school.

Clinicians from our Child & Family clinic will spend part of their days providing services in schools - so the group will be scoping out office space at the 4 schools.They'll also go over referrals, data collection and other processes that need to be clear before beginning to provide services.

Project Homeless Connect
ACMHS staff were pleased to be part of Anchorage's Project Homeless Connect on January 22. Staff were able to schedule more than a dozen people for new client intake appointments within two weeks (some as soon as the next day!) Thanks to our clinical and vocational staff who volunteered and did initial pre-screenings, and thank you to all the organizers for a well-run event.
FCMHS staff will participate in the Fairbanks event this week. Staff are also volunteering for the annual Point-in-Time count on January 28th.
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Forgive our Construction Mess!
We're updating our Parkway and Folker clinics! In the long term, this will contribute to improved workflows and a more pleasant experience at ACMHS. But in the meantime, it's a little messy. We appreciate your patience with location changes and other construction side effects.
Ways to Support ACMHS!
Events at Alaska Seeds of Change
704 W 26th Ave, Anchorage

THURSDAYS, 1/30 and 2/13, 3-6 PM
 Fresh herbs and lettuce from Seeds of Change, Evie's Brinery products and carrots, beets, potatoes and meat from Arctic Harvest Deliveries.
Stop in for fresh local food!

YOGA IN THE GREENHOUSE
WEDNESDAYS, FEBRUARY 12 AND 26, 6 - 7 PM
Certified yoga instructor Cyrstal Leturno will lead classes appropriate for all levels. By donation, in support of Alaska Seeds of Change!

NEW GROWTH: A FARM TOUR FUNDRAISER
Friday, February 21, 6 to 9 pm

Arctic Entries & Alaska Seeds of Change!
We are excited to announce that we have been chosen as the non-profit partner for the spring season of Arctic Entries!

Alaska Seeds of Change Greenhouse Manager Ryan Witten took the stage in January to fill the audience in on how we support youth at Seeds. Ticket sales from that show and the March, April and May shows will all benefit the program. We'll be there for each show, recruiting volunteers and sharing info in the lobby. Hope to see you!
It's time to Pick.Click.Give.
Donations to ACMHS through Pick.Click.Give, United Way and direct contributions help ACMHS pay for the services insurance doesn't cover. That might be a few "extras" for a client moving into their own housing for the first time, or filling the gap between what Medicaid pays for a medical appointment and what it actually costs to provide that care.

P lease consider a contribution to ACMHS when you file for your Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend!