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.
“The session was done several months ago, and we’ve already addressed the majority of those issues,” Dupee said. “We’ve been working on those non-stop since that came out, and we’ve
How behavioral health crises strain Alaska’s emergency rooms SPONSORED: Emergency medical personnel say that they can, will and do help patients in crisis - but that a new approach would benefit everyone involved. Author: Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Published March 8
Part 3 of 6 A broken arm. A heart attack. A manic episode. Thoughts of suicide. All of these are emergencies, and any one of them might land you in the nearest emergency room. But the clinicians who work in those emergency rooms say the same high-energy, high-intensity environment that is life-saving for medical emergencies can also be high-risk for patients who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
Part 2 of 6 If you were born anytime in the last 60 years, you were probably taught from a young age that in an emergency, the very first thing you do is call 911. Dial that three-digit number from nearly anywhere in North America and you’ll be connected to a local public safety answering point, or PSAP, from which dispatchers can send police, fire and EMS units to help you with whatever your emergency may be. But what if your emergency isn’t a crime or physical ailment? Is the emergency response system really equipped to provide meaningful aid to someone who is experiencing a behavioral health crisis?
Behavioral health experts say Alaska needs a new way to help those in crisis SPONSORED: Alaskans experiencing a behavioral health emergency tend to end up in one of two places: the ER or jail. Now a coalition of agencies, advocates and providers says they’ve found a better way. Author: Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Published March 1
Part 1 of 6 You never forget the first time you call the police on your own child. Or the fifth time. Or the tenth. Ellen’s son Justin wasn’t yet old enough to vote when she picked up the phone to dial 911 for the first time.