Alaska

OPINION: Lack of mental health resources amplifies homelessness in Alaska

Published

5 months ago

June 18, 2024

Press Room

OPINION: Lack of mental health resources amplifies homelessness in Alaska

By Shawn Hays and Rob Seay

Updated: 16 minutes ago Published: 16 minutes ago

Henning, Inc. executive director Shawn Hays talks with Rob Seay on Aug. 19, 2022 at the Aviator Hotel. (Loren Holmes / ADN)

Mental health struggles are one of the largest contributors for Alaskans experiencing homelessness, and our city and state are not properly equipped to address this crisis. In HMIS, the Homeless Management Information System, our data shows that of the nearly 3,600 homeless Alaskans in Anchorage, just under 25% self-reported homeless residents have a mental health disorder. If we want to end homelessness, we need to first invest in our state’s mental health resources.

We know that trauma is one the main components leading someone to struggle with their mental health. When someone arrives at one of our shelter operations, they are immediately screened to better understand their situation and to create an adequate plan for recovery. Of the 2,628 Alaskans who Henning Inc. served between Oct. 1, 2023, and May 21 of this year, 24.9% (or 655 Alaskans) self-reported to have experienced stalking, human trafficking, sexual, dating and domestic violence. According to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), in 2020, Alaska was second highest in the nation for child abuse, at 77.4% more likely to be abused in comparison to the national average. This high prevalence and experience of trauma is a significant factor contributing to our homeless Alaskans.

Part of the work that Henning does is provide behavioral health services, addiction services and referrals for psychiatric care for clients with significant mental health struggles. Our licensed psychologist meets with clients in individual or group therapy sessions to teach healthy coping strategies to manage and improve symptoms. Due to our team’s extensive personal lived experiences with addiction, mental health and homelessness, we understand what many homeless Alaskans are living with and deeply encourage all staff to partake in the emotional wellness training provided.

Additionally, substance use disorders are prevalent among the homeless population in Alaska. While 25% of our clients reported to have a mental health disorder, 7.8% (205 people) self-reported having alcohol use disorder, 7.1% (186 people) reported having a drug use disorder, while 9.9% (261 people) reported having both a drug and alcohol use disorder during the same time frame. This intersection of mental health and substance use disorders exacerbates the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness.

There are only 30 residential substances use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities in Alaska, with almost half, 13, in the Anchorage area, each with limited availability and duration of treatment. Not only are there limited treatment facilities, other barriers for those seeking treatment include not only the cost for the program, but if their insurance will help cover fees associated. Additionally, treatment and recovery take time, which only further complicates affordability and accessibility when considering employment and housing status. Our rural geography paired with intense weather systems adds to the challenge of having access to adequate healthcare, resulting in many Alaskans traveling to Anchorage, and potentially, out of state for medical care, if while working with their insurance, they can afford to.

In addition, Alaska faces unique challenges due to its vast and sparsely populated landscape. Many rural areas lack basic mental health and health care services, pushing Alaskans to travel long distances, often in severe weather conditions, to seek health care and other resources. The state’s high rates of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) due to prolonged periods of darkness in winter also contribute to the mental health crisis. In addition, Indigenous populations, which account for 54.3% of Anchorage’s homeless, face cultural and systemic barriers to accessing mental health care, with a higher prevalence of trauma, suicide and substance abuse disorders.

To address homelessness means investing in mental health resources including, but not limited to, educational programs, outreach programs, domestic violence education and prevention, and substance abuse education and prevention. Investing in schools and our universities to develop our workforce while also providing incentives to rebuild our health care systems and its workforce, with an emphasis on accessibility and sustainability, will start to address the root causes of homelessness. Shelter saves lives, but there are many resources that need to be made equitably available to truly address homelessness.

Addressing these multifaceted, intersectional and complex issues requires a comprehensive approach. Increasing funding for mental health professionals and facilities, particularly in underserved regions, is crucial. Culturally sensitive care for Indigenous communities, integrated mental health and substance use treatment programs, transitional and supportive housing programs are also essential components. By prioritizing mental health resources and addressing the unique needs of Alaskans, we can make significant strides in reducing homelessness and improving the overall well-being of our communities and state.

Shawn Hays is executive director and Rob Seay is deputy executive director of Henning Inc., a nonprofit providing homelessness services in Southcentral Alaska.

The views expressed here are the writer’s and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Read our full guidelines for letters and commentaries here.

Source link

Related Topics:aviator hotel Featured homeless Homelessness

Click to comment

Alaska

OPINION: CDQ program and pollock fishery are essential to Western Alaska

Published

2 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Press Room

OPINION: CDQ program and pollock fishery are essential to Western Alaska

By Eric Deakin, Ragnar Alstrom and Michael Link

Updated: 1 hour ago Published: 1 hour ago

Alaska pollock slide into a holding tank aboard the Northern Hawk factory trawler on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023 in the Bering Sea. Each haul of the net can be more than 100 metric tons of fish. (Loren Holmes / ADN)

We work every day to support Alaska’s rural communities through the Community Development Quota (CDQ) program and have seen firsthand the lifeline the program provides to our state’s most isolated and economically vulnerable areas.

This program is one of the most successful social justice programs in the United States, giving rural, coastal communities a stake in the success of the Bering Sea fisheries, and transferring these benefits into community investments. Our fisheries participation provides $80 million to $100 million of programs, wages and benefits into Western Alaska annually, and the full economic reach of the CDQ program is substantially larger when accounting for jobs and support services statewide.

In some communities, CDQs are the largest and only private-sector employer; the only market for small-boat fishermen; the only nonfederal funding available for critical infrastructure projects; and an essential program provider for local subsistence and commercial fishing access. There is no replacement for the CDQ program, and harm to it would come at a severe cost. As one resident framed it, CDQ is to Western Alaska communities, what oil is to Alaska.

Consistent with their statutory mandate, CDQ groups have increased their fisheries investments, and their 65 member communities are now major players in the Bering Sea. The foundation of the program is the Bering Sea pollock fishery, 30% of which is owned by CDQ groups. We invest in pollock because it remains one of the most sustainably managed fisheries in the world, backed by rigorous science, with independent observers on every vessel, ensuring that bycatch is carefully monitored and minimized.

We also invest in pollock because the industry is committed to constantly improving and responding to new challenges. We understand the impact that salmon collapses are having on culture and food security in Western Alaska communities. Working with industry partners, we have reduced chinook bycatch to historically low levels and achieved more than an 80% reduction in chum bycatch over the past three years. This is a clear demonstration that CDQ groups and industry are taking the dire salmon situation seriously, despite science that shows bycatch reductions will have very minimal, if any, positive impact on subsistence access.

The effects of recent warm summers on the Bering Sea ecosystem have been well documented by science. This has caused some species to prosper, like sablefish and Bristol Bay sockeye salmon, while others have been negatively impacted, including several species of crab and salmon. Adding to these challenges is the unregulated and growing hatchery production of chum salmon in Russia and Asia, which is competing for limited resources in the Bering Sea, and increasing management challenges.

Attributing the current salmon crises to this fishery is misguided and could cause unnecessary harm to CDQ communities. Without the pollock fishery, we would see dramatic increases in the cost of food, fuel and other goods that are shipped to rural Alaska. We would also see the collapse of the CDQ program and all that it provides, including a wide array of projects and jobs that help keep families fed and children in school.

The challenges Alaska faces are significant, and to address them we need to collectively work together to mitigate the impacts of warming oceans on our fisheries, build resiliency in our communities and fishery management, and continue to improve practices to minimize fishing impacts. We must also recognize the vital need for the types of community investments and job opportunities that the CDQ program creates for Western Alaska and ensure these benefits are considered when talking about the Bering Sea pollock fishery.

Eric Deakin is chief executive officer of the Coastal Villages Region Fund.

Ragnar Alstrom is executive director of the Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association.

Michael Link is president and CEO of Bristol Bay Economic Development Corp.

Source link

Alaska

‘Drag racing for dogs:’ Anchorage canines gather for the ‘Great Alaska Barkout’

Published

11 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Press Room

‘Drag racing for dogs:’ Anchorage canines gather for the ‘Great Alaska Barkout’

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Alaska’s first “flyball” league held its annual “Great Alaska Barkout Flyball Tournament” on Saturday in midtown at Alyeska Canine Trainers.

Flyball is a fast-paced sport in which relay teams of four dogs and their handlers compete to cross the finish line first while carrying a tennis ball launched from a spring loaded box. Saturday’s tournament was one of several throughout the year held by “Dogs Gone Wild,” which started in 2004 as Alaska’s first flyball league.

“We have here in Alaska, we’ve got, I think it’s about 6 tournaments per year,” said competitor and handler Maija Doggett. “So you know every other month or so there will be a tournament hosted. Most of them are hosted right here at Alyeska Canine Trainers.”

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com

Source link

Alaska

State of Alaska will defend its right to facilitate oil and gas development

Published

19 hours ago

November 23, 2024

Press Room

State of Alaska will defend its right to facilitate oil and gas development

Last week, Superior Court Judge Andrew Guidi indicated he will rule that Alaska does not have authority to permit access across its lands to facilitate oil and gas development on the North Slope.

The Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources plans to fight and appeal any final adverse ruling that undermines the state’s constitutional interests in resource development.

The Department of Natural Resources has issued a permit allowing Oil Search Alaska (OSA) to cross the Kuparuk River Unit, operated by Conoco Phillips Alaska, to develop the Pikka Unit. As described in the State’s brief to the court, “the denial of such access implicates the delay of development of millions of barrels of oil and billions of dollars of public revenues.”

“The State of Alaska has a constitutional obligation to maximize the development of our resources,” DNR Commissioner John Boyle said on Nov. 22. “We have to confirm with the Supreme Court that we have the authority to permit access for all developers to ensure we can meet this obligation.”

Once the Superior Court issues the final judgement, Alaska will be able to file its appeal. This is expected to occur in the coming weeks.

Click here to support the Alaska Watchman.

Source link