ARCH - Residential Treatment
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Empowering youth to address their substance use and improve their mental health in a structured, therapeutic environment.
The Adolescent Residential Center for Help (ARCH) treatment program is for youth ages 12-18 who are diagnosed with a substance use disorder and may also present with co-occurring mental health disorders.
ARCH offers:
- Co-occurring individual, group, and family therapy
- Withdrawal management
- Psychological testing and evaluation
- Psychiatric services
- Case management and discharge/transition planning
- Onsite medical provider to address physical wellness
- Nutritious meals provided at no cost to residents
- On-site school with an Anchorage School District teacher
The ARCH team is also committed to helping youth find meaningful, skill-building activities like music, recreation, and art to replace unhealthy behaviors. Using a multidisciplinary approach, they aim to connect with youth, support them in discovering purpose, and help them thrive.
How to Get Started With Treatment Services
We know reaching out for help can be difficult. That’s why the team at VOA Alaska is committed to making entry into our treatment services as easy as possible for you. If you’re ready to begin, you can complete your registration packet online and our Client Care team will connect with you to schedule an appointment.
ARCH is housed in a state-of-the-art facility in Eagle River, Alaska.
ARCH is in a beautiful mountain setting, with views of Denali on a clear day. The building holds two residential wings with 18 beds total, a full-service industrial kitchen, a gym with a climbing wall and basketball hoop, two classrooms, a Great Hall with large windows providing beautiful views and natural sunlight, cozy group rooms, an outdoor fire pit, and more to provide a comfortable and therapeutic home for our youth residents.
I felt like the ARCH staff was not just there for my child, they're there for me and my family as well.
I really feel like they've saved his life and my life and just the family unit as a whole.Parent of an ARCH graduate
What to expect in your first few weeks at ARCH…
VOA Alaska understands and honors the fact that recovery looks different for everyone. Every youth arriving at ARCH has a unique story. While some may be experiencing a treatment program for the first time, others have already gone through multiple placements.
Every new resident is provided with a thorough orientation period, up to two weeks long, with more individualized attention and a lower staff to client ratio. This helps the team get to know the youth, ensure their basic needs are met needs, and prepare them for treatment. It also allows the youth time to adjust to ARCH and get comfortable in their new living space.
For those needing withdrawal management, the orientation period will additionally provide resource management, psychiatric evaluation, daily check-ins with a medical provider, and engagement with a peer support specialist.
There's a war of recovery that I'll always march.
I'll fight to survive with my weapons from ARCH.Excerpt from a poem written by an ARCH graduate
ARCH partners with the Anchorage School District to provide an on-site school.
McKinley Heights is ARCH’s on-site school, managed by one Anchorage School District teacher and one teacher’s aide. Students receive individualized lessons and specialized services for learning-disabled and developmentally delayed adolescents. The school and the ARCH treatment team collaborate closely to ensure that school and treatment benefit our youth best. Residents are also supported in pursuing their GED while at ARCH.
McKinley Heights is committed to promoting and protecting students’ health, well-being, and learning ability by encouraging lifelong healthy eating and physical activity habits. The collaborative relationship ensures the transition back into public school is supportive and successful.
Read the full McKinley Heights School Wellness Policy here.
VOA Alaska’s treatment programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitative Facilities (CARF) and are approved by the State of Alaska’s Division of Behavioral Health. ARCH is licensed by the Division of Family and Youth Services. Our priority admission criteria includes those who are pregnant, injecting substances, pregnant and injecting substances, involved in Office of Children Services or Division of Juvenile Justice or youth experiencing homelessness.
Read the Latest from Our Behavioral Health Programs
Celebrating Pride by Celebrating Our Staff
In our June newsletter, we celebrate Pride with our staff and recognize our CEO's appointment to the Alaska Mental Health Board.
Beyond ‘good.’ How are you, really?
In our May Newsletter, we provide tips for speaking with youth about their mental health and celebrate a new partnership to expand our day treatment program!
Press Release: New Partnership Expands VOA’s Youth Day Treatment Program
Renaming ceremony marks new chapter for VOA Alaska’s Day Treatment Program in Partnership with the Christopher Walden House of Hope.
From Adversity to Resilience: Youth Share Their Experiences with Alcohol at ‘Anchorage Youth Speak Out’
Community members, local organizations, and VOA Alaska staff came together to support local youth as they shared their recovery stories.
Celebrating Pride by Celebrating Our Staff
In our June newsletter, we celebrate Pride with our staff and recognize our CEO's appointment to the Alaska Mental Health Board.
Beyond ‘good.’ How are you, really?
In our May Newsletter, we provide tips for speaking with youth about their mental health and celebrate a new partnership to expand our day treatment program!
Press Release: New Partnership Expands VOA’s Youth Day Treatment Program
Renaming ceremony marks new chapter for VOA Alaska’s Day Treatment Program in Partnership with the Christopher Walden House of Hope.
From Adversity to Resilience: Youth Share Their Experiences with Alcohol at ‘Anchorage Youth Speak Out’
Community members, local organizations, and VOA Alaska staff came together to support local youth as they shared their recovery stories.