video screen shot of teen siblings taking selfie
In recognition of our 50th anniversary this year, we invited former staff and clients to share stories of recovery and the role Alaska Behavioral Health has played in their lives. We are enormously grateful for Leah and her family's willingness to share their story. It perfectly demonstrates why we do the work we do, why we founded the Alaska

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wild scenery
Kendra's Story Fairbanks client Kendra knew moving to Alaska from Missouri was going to be tough, but she didn’t know exactly how tough. She has struggled with severe depression for many years, layered with trauma she experienced in her teens and early twenties.  So she’s always had to work hard to maintain her mental health. Why

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man in red shirt at desk
Peer Support Specialist Kevin H. was a member of Alaska Behavioral Health's very first peer support specialist training, and has worked at the company ever since, with a few different teams. He spends his days checking in with clients by phone, or helping them figure out transportation, housing and other life needs. He brings his personal

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a tray of green seedlings
This fall we said goodbye to Chase*, in the best possible way. After completing his apprenticeship with Alaska Seeds of Change, Chase moved on to full-time employment in a commercial hydroponic farm in Anchorage.   Learning to Trust Himself In his nine months with Alaska Seeds of Change, Chase learned all the aspects of running a hydroponic farm

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blue background with photo of woman with long hair nd wrods "Meet Tierra"
Recovering from addiction Tierra D. never thought she’d be in the position to be able to help others. She spent 11 years as an active drug user, often living on the streets or out of her car.  But after inpatient treatment and a lot of work, she now spends her days helping to support others who also struggle with co-occurring mental illness

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carved wooden hand holding up bending tree
New On-line Peer Support Group Forming The All Alaskan Peers Support Group is open to anyone who identifies as a mental health consumer. It's a safe place to engage with individuals in similar situations to process life struggles and build relationships in a recovery community. When: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 - 2:00 pm starting April

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people walking by snow sculptures
On January 4, we began to transition the way we support adult clients needing significant support to live in community (vs hospital) settings. Our new Residential Treatment Services are provided under a Medicaid waiver program approved by the State of Alaska and the federal Centers for Medicaid & Medicare (CMS). These services focus on

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fall colors in river valley
Our fiscal year 2020 (July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020) Annual Report is now available! The report is built around the theme of resilience - both for us as a company, and for our clients.  Because 2020 certainly demanded a lot of that! The report is available to read online  here. If you would like a hard copy, please e-mail

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tatooed man smiling at camera
I’d heard about Jierum Duarte long before I met him. For a while, he and former board member Stephanie Rhoades were volunteering to cut hair at Brother Francis shelter. Then I learned he was the one who started this year’s giving tree, by spontaneously putting a new pair of gloves he’d received up on the tree one day. Spending an hour

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Man stands next to luggage
When Walter P. started his summer job as a luggage handler for HAP-Yukon-Alaska(Holland America Princess), he wasn’t sure he’d like working with customers. It had been six years since he’d had a job. He was worried interacting with customers would make him anxious.  But it turned out, he liked it – and he was good at it. His supervisors

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