Below is VOA Alaska’s August 2024 Community Newsletter. To receive this newsletter and other updates directly to your inbox, sign up here.
As the new school year kicks off, VOA Alaska’s school-based clinicians are excited to welcome students back with fresh ideas and fun initiatives to support students, school staff, and families.
One of the changes this year is the introduction of “Regulation Stations,” an update to what used to be called “Calm Corners.” In these spaces, our mental health clinicians collaborate with school staff to help students learn how to manage their emotions better rather just being “calm.”
Another exciting development is the rollout of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) at many of the schools. This program is all about setting clear expectations, celebrating positive behavior, and creating a positive vibe throughout the school. Our clinicians are eager to help recognize students when they rock it with good choices and actions!
Beyond the new programs, our clinicians are ready to mix more art, games, and interactive activities to make their sessions fun and engaging. They’re also focused on being a friendly, supportive presence for students and school staff, reminding everyone that it’s okay to be yourself and ask for help.
Watch the video above or click here to learn more about how our school-based clinicians prepared for the new school year in 11 schools throughout Anchorage!
Join the Conversation at Anchorage Youth Speak Out
At our next Anchorage Youth Speak Out event on September 19, we’ll hear from three youth panelists who will share their experiences with substance use and their recovery journeys. Attendees will also learn about current youth substance use data trends and tips for building youth resiliency skills. Entry is free, plus food and raffle prizes!
Date: Wednesday, September 19
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
In-person: Wilda Marston Theatre, 3600 Denali St, Anchorage
Online: via Zoom – please RSVP
VOA Alaska is hosting our next AYSO in collaboration with the Anchorage Adolescent Substance Misuse Prevention Coalition, the Anchorage Community Opioid Response Network (Anchorage Health Department), and the Alaska Department of Health.
Rapid Response: Crisis intervention and on-call behavioral health support
VOA Alaska’s Rapid Response program now has a new dedicated phone number: 907-419-4158. The team specializes in crisis intervention and urgent behavioral health support for youth and young adults ages 13-24, as well as behavioral health consultations and support for parents, caregivers, and staff of youth-serving organizations.
Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, our team of mental health clinicians and peer support specialists will respond within 60 minutes. They can be deployed anywhere in Anchorage or provide support statewide via telehealth.
Support Our Mission With Your PFD!
Don’t forget! August 31, 2024, is the last day this year to add or modify your Pick.Click.Give. donations. If you haven’t already done so, please consider making a difference by contributing all or a portion of your Permanent Fund Dividend to VOA Alaska.
We are making great strides in pursuing our mission to eliminate the suffering caused by substance use and mental health challenges for youth and their families. But we cannot do this work alone. Thanks to generous donors from across the state, VOA Alaska has used Pick.Click.Give. funding to support critical mission activities, including treatment and recovery services, school-based mental health supports (see the feature story above!), and promoting healthy communities.
Sharing your PFD with VOA Alaska is an easy way to join us as a community supporting every Alaskan’s hope, health, and healing.
