Protecting Your Rights: Serving Sand Lake, Spenard and Turnagain

November 11, 2021

In 1954, President Eisenhower signed legislation to change the name to Veterans Day to honor those who served in all American wars. Today, we recognize the brave men and women who have served our country. Thank you to all veterans and active duty military for your service.

Redistricting Update

The Alaska Redistricting Board adopted a Final Proclamation of Redistricting on Wednesday, November 10th. This marks the start of a 30-day litigation window as set forth in the Alaska Constitution. During this time, we anticipate one or more cases that challenge at least some aspects of the map. How the potential lawsuit will impact our district, including our proposed senate district, is uncertain until we see the lawsuit and how the court rules.

The Final Proclamation map and related materials are available through the redistricting website at www.akredistrict.org.

Crisis Now in Anchorage

The Crisis Now Model is a nationally recognized system that prevents suicide, reduces wait times in emergency rooms and correctional settings, and works to provide the best supports possible for individuals who are experiencing behavioral health crises. The Alaska Mental Health Trust has put together an informative video that explains our current system, what Crisis Now is, and how Crisis Now will work in our Alaskan communities. You can watch the video here.

In Anchorage, the Municipality established a Mobile Crisis Team as a new way to respond to mental health crises. When someone calls 9-1-1, dispatch can send the Mobile Crisis Team, a group of trained behavioral health professionals, to respond to the call. They listen to the person in crisis, help stabilize them, and then connect them with the resources they need. The options can include medical attention, a shelter referral, or other social services in the community. Mental and behavioral health providers have observed that law enforcement presence in a mental health crisis situation can potentially exacerbate the problem. By sending mental health clinicians and paramedics, the individual who is experiencing crisis is able to be stabilized more quickly.

Adding a Mobile Crisis Team is an important step toward providing the best care possible to all members of our community. The Anchorage Police Department estimates that they receive over 7,000 mental health crisis calls per year. By implementing the Mobile Crisis Team, there is decreased strain on police officers and a better opportunity for the individual to receive the care they need.

Budget cuts and reorganization proposed by Mayor Dave Bronson leave the future of this program uncertain. His current proposal includes a 50 percent reduction to the program's funding and moving all remaining funds from the Anchorage Fire Department (where the Mobile Crisis Team has just started operating) to the Anchorage Police Department. This program is a hopeful step toward improving public safety in our community, and an essential component of its operation is that it is a pairing of a mental health clinician with a paramedic. Moving this program from AFD to APD, especially in the early stages of the program, poses risks to effective and efficient implementation of a much-needed improvement in public safety.

Donations Needed at the Sullivan Arena

Community Events

Mark your calendars for this upcoming event:

Candlelight Vigil 2021

Join Covenant House Alaska's Candlelight Vigil at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Stand outside for a half-hour at this free event in remembrance of the young Alaskans who have been lost to the perils of homelessness.

When: Thursday, November 18 from 6:00 – 6:30 PM

Where: Alaska Native Heritage Center, 8800 Heritage Dr, Anchorage, AK, 99504

For more information and to RSVP, visit the Facebook event page.