Youth Behavioral Health

Outpatient mental health services are offered at VOA Alaska’s Cordova Street office or at the client’s home and are primarily community-based serving age ranges 12-24. These services also help provide onsite outreach and supportive services to transition aged youth at Covenant House and their Housing Navigation Center. In addition, they serve as the supporting clinician to those enrolled in SUD services who struggle with co-occurring disorders to ensure wrap around care.

Mental health and family services are an integral component of all VOA Outpatient programs. These services are delivered by a highly trained team of master’s level clinicians supervised by qualified and competent professionals and receive clinical supervision with a licensed psychologist. Individuals within any VOA Alaska program or referred from the community may receive individual therapy sessions focused on either the primary or co-occurring mental health disorder as determined by the assessment.

Learn more about VOA Alaska’s Mental Health Counseling

VOA Alaska’s Substance Use Outpatient Program consists of less than 6 hours of substance use treatment tailored to each client’s level of clinical severity and function, and is designed to help the client achieve changes in his/her alcohol and other drug use or addictive behaviors. 

The program is approximately 12 weeks in length. Treatment addresses major lifestyle, attitudinal and behavioral issues that have the potential to undermine the goals of treatment and/or impair the individual’s ability to cope with major life tasks without the addictive use of alcohol or illicit substances. This level of care also supports VOA Alaska’s Continuing Care Program (CC) that is utilized for individuals to provide a decrease of services while increasing supports in the community that includes ongoing monitoring, support and modification of their individualized relapse prevention plans as they endure new experiences on their journey in recovery.

Learn more about VOA Alaska’s Substance Use Counseling

The intensive outpatient program (IOP) provides a structured treatment experience for youth with substance use disorders and/or co-occurring disorders who require substantial structure and frequent counseling in order to maintain abstinence and success in the community. The intensive outpatient program is variable in duration and intensity dependent on individual client needs and progress, approximate length of stay is 16 weeks. 

Intensive outpatient consists at a minimum of six or more contact hours per week and utilizes the Matrix model to deliver services in accordance with evidence-based practices. There are a variety of group therapy sessions offered at this level, including: relapse prevention, living in balance, emotional regulation, healthy relationships, seeking safety, 12 step facilitation, early recovery skills, and a family psychoeducation group. Individual sessions with the CDC Counselor and/or Mental Health Clinician vary depending on the youth’s specific needs and intensity of services needed.

Learn more about VOA Alaska’s Substance Use Counseling

VOA Alaska’s School-Based Services consist of an integrated model of care with the Anchorage School District (ASD). Qualified, committed, and experienced clinicians are based in various ASD sites to meet the need directly where our youth attend school. This integrated model with the school district combines education efforts with behavioral health support to promote the wellness of the youth in the community.

Students have access to integrated assessments, drug and alcohol education, crisis intervention, individual and family therapy, and mental health and substance use counseling. Students are taught life and coping skills and feelings and behavior management skills to improve their ability to function within and outside of the school setting. Case management and care coordination are also provided to support the student and their family, as well as linking them to needed resources and positive social activities in their home community. This effort is supported through our partnership with Anchorage School District, Anchorage School Based Health Centers, and ASD Alternative Schools.

The Transitions Program is led by a Lead Transition Facilitator who is trained in TIP (Transition to Independence Process, an evidence-based model). This division includes a Family Support Coordinator, Case Manager, and Peer Support Specialists. The Case Manager and Peer Support Specialists utilize the TIP model as the foundational structure of the services they provide. The Family Support Coordinator is a peer position for families to provide support and overall navigation assistance of needed resources. This division serves all VOA Alaska enrolled clients. 

TIP is a community-based model that serves transition aged youth 14–24 who are experiencing emotional, substance misuse and/or behavioral difficulties. TIP engages youth through various VOA services that are strength-based and youth driven. The TIP model has been infused throughout the treatment system resulting in services that are TIP informed. This model can also function as a stand-alone component that connects youth with a Transition Facilitator who prepares them for progression into adult roles with a focus on six different domains:

1. Employment and career,
2. Education,
3. Living situation,
4. Personal effectiveness/wellbeing,
5. Community-life functioning, and
6. Safety net of support. 

Services are provided in both the residential, outpatient programs and in the community as appropriate with contact hours and duration of services being dependent of the needs and goals of the youth.

VOA’s Family Support Coordinator (FSC) provides support to families at the onset of and throughout treatment. The FSC is a peer navigator whose purpose is to help families navigate through the treatment process, engage parental/caregiver support in the treatment and process, and create opportunities for pro-social involvement for individuals.

The FSC is can conduct a family needs assessment to identify supportive services and resources, which will help support the family unit and ensure wrap around services are provided to the youth and their families. The FSC facilitates a weekly parenting support group that is open to all past and present VOA Alaska families.

For support and resources for Alaskans raising relative children, please see our Kinship Family Program.