Alaskans in crisis often get tangled in the criminal justice system SPONSORED: When the state’s biggest provider of behavioral health services is the prison system, experts say, it’s time to start thinking differently about crisis intervention. Author: Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Published March 11
Part 4 of 6 The Alaska Department of Corrections operates 13 correctional institutions capable of housing more than 4,800 inmates in locations across the state. It is also one of the state’s largest providers of behavioral health care services. represent a significant portion of those who are incarcerated in Alaska. Forty-two percent of Alaska inmates are identified as Trust beneficiaries each year, and about 22 percent of that population is considered to have severe, persistent mental illness, according to DOC Chief Mental Health Officer Adam Rutherford.