Giving Trees Accepting Donations! |
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Giving trees are now up in Anchorage and Fairbanks! We are accepting donations of new socks, hats, gloves and mittens for our clients this holiday season. Items can be dropped off through December 23 at the following locations: |
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In Anchorage:
4020 Folker Street
1432 Ingra Street
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In Fairbanks:
1423 Peger Road
926 Aspen Street
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If you' d like to donate money and have us do the shopping, make a donation through our website, and choose "Holiday 2020" as the purpose of the donation. Donations will be used to purchase gifts for clients in our residential programs and for outreach to homeless youth and adults. |
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Meet our Staff: Dr. Curt Wengel |
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Dr. Wengel is a Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, joining the AKBH family from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Come learn more about Dr. Wengel and the psychiatric services he will be able to provide to children, adolescents and their families across Alaska. The provider referral process will be discussed, along with designated time for provider Q&A. We hope to see you bright and early in the New Year! All virtual attendees will be entered to win a produce basket from Alaska Seeds of Change.
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Ramping Up Intensive Services:
Home for Good and PATH
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For the past six months, Alaska Behavioral Health has been a provider partner in the pilot of an innovative project to house and serve some of our community's hardest-to-house residents. We were pleased to participate recently in the official launch of the Home for Good project. Home for Good uses a new funding model: philanthropy partners cover the costs for the first year, and the Municipality of Anchorage pays only when the data shows the expected savings from lower utilization of expensive emergency services. The program is coordinated by the United Way of Anchorage.
This is just one program working with Alaskans with more intensive needs. AKBH is also providing services through Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH). PATH provides assistance to individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and have serious mental illnesses. Staff in both Anchorage and Fairbanks partner with shelters, food kitchens and other providers to identify and connect with unsheltered individuals who may benefit from mental health services. Staff contacted more than 20 un-housed individuals in November, establishing relationships and beginning the process of connecting them to services.
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AKBH Clinicians in Print!
Guide to Traumatic Stress in Children
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Sicely Kluge and April McElhenny, former AKBH Child & Family clinicians, participated for a year on a military families workgroup of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCSTN). Their goal: to develop a guide to understanding child traumatic stress geared specifically for military families. Their clinical supervisor Kristin Mortenson noted that “Sicely and April’s clinical expertise and personal perspective as military families informed the tone and content of the factsheet.” Both have since left Alaska for their families' next assignments, but we're proud of the work they did while they were here.
Alaska Behavioral Health has been a member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network since 2005, and is a Category III community treatment and service center.
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The Cohen Clinic's drive through Veterans Day event was a success!! More than 100 cars came through, receiving free lunch and other goodies. But more importantly, staff had time to spend a few minutes at each car, having really good meaningful conversations about mental health and how we can help. The Cohen clinic serves post-9/11 veterans and their families regardless of discharge status, families of active duty military, and active duty military with a Tricare referral. Call the clinic at 907-762-8668.
Services Statewide: The Cohen Clinic is currently focused on providing telehealth services statewide out of the Anchorage office. The Cohen Veterans Network is considering opening a physical location in Fairbanks during 2021, so keep those Fairbanks area referrals coming!
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New Resource Information Sharing Portal! With services running entirely virtually, Cohen Clinic staff have gotten creative with ways to share information among organizations that support military and veteran families. A new resource portal will allow organizations to add information and be notified whenever other new resources are added. For registration information, contact June Ruda at jruda@akbh.org. |
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Thank you to recent sponsors! |
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Blue Market AK chose Alaska Seeds of Change as its 3rd quarter Giving Back partner - donating a percentage of sales to the program. Thank you!
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AT&T has been a generous supporter of our transition age youth programs for the last 3 years. This year, AT&T funding is helping to keep the POWER Center supplied with food, clothing, and staff, so that we can safely stay open 5 days a week to serve homeless and at risk youth.
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CARES Act funding through The Alaska Community Foundation has helped cover increased staffing and PPE to operate safely during the pandemic, and funding to support our staff's childcare needs so they can continue to come to work to serve clients. We've been able to rent large group space so that our youngest clients can meet in person while maintaining physical distance. Plus, ACF and other partners have helped fund an expanded drop-in center so that we can safely serve more transition age youth! Look for more details soon.
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Save the Date: February 10th
A virtual celebration of our Transition Age Youth programs
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We're still working out the details, but one thing we do know: it will be fun! Our youth staff are bringing their creative juices to planning a virtual event with all the energy, opportunities to learn and chances to engage that have become a trademark of our annual "birthday" event for Alaska Seeds of Change and the POWER Center! Mark your calendars for February 10, 2021, 5:30 - 7:30 -- and stay tuned for the details! |
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Other ways to support
Alaska Behavioral Health
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