Mental Health Trust Grants $500,000 to Alaska Nonprofits

Among the grants awarded in the second quarter of FY2022:

The Alaska Brain Bus

Alaska Brain Injury Consortium ($50,000)

Trust funds will support the Alaska Brain Injury Consortium’s Brain Bus Project, a pilot project that will use a donated bus converted into a mobile clinic to travel to underserved Alaska communities. Volunteer providers will screen for brain injuries, provide services based on the needs of the community, and help provide connections to programs and resources for those experiencing a TBI or suspected brain injury. Alaska has one of the highest rates of brain injury in the nation, but communities often lack sufficient outpatient services to heal brain injuries, as well as access to home and community-based services to support people with a TBI who need long-term services and supports. In addition to providing services, the bus itself will also serve as a conversation piece to raise brain injury awareness.

Bethel Permanent Supportive Housing Project

Bethel Community Services Foundation ($50,000)

Trust funds will be used to support planning efforts, including engineering and cost estimation services, for the development of Bethel’s Permanent Supportive Housing Project. This project aims to build permanent supportive housing for individuals who are chronically homeless (homeless for more than a year) and experience one or more disabilities or chronic conditions. A majority of those experiencing chronic homelessness are Trust beneficiaries, with the most common conditions experienced by this population being mental illness and addiction. Permanent supportive housing is an evidence-based intervention that allows people to remain stably housed and to have the opportunity to engage in supportive services to address their conditions and meet their goals.

2022 Mat-Su Virtual Reentry Summit

Valley Charities, Inc. ($10,000)

Trust funds are supporting the 2022 Mat-Su Virtual Reentry Summit, a two-day training that focuses on reentry service providers in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and throughout the state. The summit will emphasize building strong community partnerships to enhance the successful reentry of ex-convicts and reduce recidivism rates. Subject areas to be addressed include employment and job training, housing, mental health and drug addiction treatment, and criminal justice issues. The virtual summit is scheduled for January 11-13, 2022.

In the last quarter, the Mental Health Trust Authority awarded grants ranging from $2,500 to $95,000 to eighteen organizations, including the City of Selawik, the Anchorage Police Department, and the UAA College of Health.

The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority is a state corporation that administers the Mental Health Trust, a perpetual trust created to ensure that Alaska has a comprehensive mental health program. The Trust is fully self-funded and is overseen by a seven-member board of trustees.