Discover VOA Alaska
Since 1981, VOA Alaska has taken on the most difficult tasks to help the most underserved.
When the first Volunteers of America (VOA) was founded in 1896, the concept of “volunteering” meant serving others as a vocation. While our understanding of the term has evolved, our dedication to serving others has not.
In 1981, VOA arrived in Alaska with the opening of ARCH, our youth residential treatment facility in Eagle River. Today, VOA Alaska is providing a range of mental, emotional, and behavioral healthcare and support services to youth and their families.
As a non-profit, VOA Alaska’s services are offered at low or no cost, and no one is turned away due to the inability to pay. Click here to learn more about fees and paying for services.
From prevention and early intervention, to mental health therapy, substance use counseling, family support, and life-skills development, to supportive housing and residential treatment, our team strives to meet the need of every child, teen, and young adult in our care.
Our Mission, Vision, and Values
Our vision is a community that supports the hope, health, and healing of every Alaskan.
Our mission is to empower Alaskans and uplift the human spirit through recovery services, housing, and promoting healthy communities.
We are driven by our values of courage, connection, hope, innovation, joy, and responsibility.
Our Strategic Focus
VOA Alaska exists to eliminate suffering for youth in Alaska, and to make Alaska a place where all youth can thrive. To achieve this, we’ve developed four Strategic Focus Areas:
- Client-Centered Services: Improved Client Experience
- Engage and Empowered Workforce: Improved Employee Experience
- Efficient Use of Resources: Lower Cost
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Better Outcomes
Under each of the four strategic focus area, several initiatives exist that represent the path forward to accomplishing our purpose.
Courage
Connection
Hope
Innovation
Joy
Responsibility
Embracing Our Shared Resiliency
In our 2021 Community Impact Report, discover how our team came together with a renewed sense of resiliency to face the year’s challenges and continue serving Alaska’s youth and families.
The Latest News and Stories from the VOA Alaska Blog
Tips for Keeping Kids Engaged Over Summer Break
Summer is here! There’s an abundance of activities to enjoy during Alaska’s three month break from winter. But as fun as it can be, summer brings its own unique stressors.
Advocates for mental health say talking is the first step to healing
IN THE NEWS: A VOA Alaska school-based mental health clinicians discusses the importance of normalizing mental health and more with host Lori Townsend.
An alternative high school in Anchorage is focusing on mental health to help students graduate
IN THE NEWS: At Benny Benson, VOA's school-based clinician is a key part of a team of counselors and educators committed to helping students graduate.
Social and Emotional Competence of Children: Preventing Child Abuse #5
When kids learn to understand not only their emotions but the emotions of others, they set a foundation of intentional interpersonal interactions for the rest of their lives.
Tips for Keeping Kids Engaged Over Summer Break
Summer is here! There’s an abundance of activities to enjoy during Alaska’s three month break from winter. But as fun as it can be, summer brings its own unique stressors.
Advocates for mental health say talking is the first step to healing
IN THE NEWS: A VOA Alaska school-based mental health clinicians discusses the importance of normalizing mental health and more with host Lori Townsend.
An alternative high school in Anchorage is focusing on mental health to help students graduate
IN THE NEWS: At Benny Benson, VOA's school-based clinician is a key part of a team of counselors and educators committed to helping students graduate.
Social and Emotional Competence of Children: Preventing Child Abuse #5
When kids learn to understand not only their emotions but the emotions of others, they set a foundation of intentional interpersonal interactions for the rest of their lives.