Anchorage legislator calls the closure of the crisis recovery center “Life or Death” for young people Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska (Ktuu) – The Providence Crisis Recovery Center, an important short -term residential facility for young people and young people who learn about acute psychological health crisis, will conclude May 16 due to the sudden loss of a critical scholarship of 1.2 million US dollar, confirmed officials on Wednesday.

It is an important success for a state that has no appropriate services for mental health care, and which the nation often leads to suicide.

In a single zoom interview, Rep. Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage, Chairman of the Committee for Health and Social Affairs of the House Health & Social Services, described the news not only professionally, but personally.

“My sister -in -law works in the Crisis Recovery Center,” said Mina. “At one end, a member of my family has just lost their job, but the other end is about the enormous effects that our youth in this state will have, especially if we are confronted with a behavioral health crisis.”

Providence Alaska confirmed the closure in a statement published on Tuesday, citing the financial burden of inflation, labor shortages and delayed insurance payments. The organization stated that the CRC no longer maintains the CRC without stable financing and appreciated a forecast loss of over 2 million US dollars per year.

“The CRC was a providence-subsidized health service, which was mainly financed by state and state grants and medicaid refunds. Unfortunately, an annual grant of $ 1.2 million was abruptly demolished in March. The program is now expected to lose more than $ 2 million annually,” Providence wrote in an email declaration.

Alaska saw his fights with suicide; The latest data from the centers for the control and prevention of diseases show that Alaska led the nation with 28.15 deaths per 100,000 people in suicide in 2023. Montana was the second highest at 26.65 per 100 km and the Columbia district kept the lowest rate 5.75 per 100,000.

According to his website, CRC helped between 400 and 450 patients a year. Patients can stay three to seven days or even longer and work with therapists to “deal with less fear and depression with a goal with a goal”.

The center near UAA and Providence Alaska Medical Center has quiet rooms in which young people continue with school work, deal with conversation therapy, create art and deal with trauma.

Mina said that the closure emphasizes long -term funding gaps in the behavioral health system in Alaska, especially since reforms on Medicaid and other state programs.

“We tried to combat tooth and nail to increase the financing for behavioral health services,” said Mina. “We have the highest suicide rates in the nation and the second highest suicide rates for adults.”

The center opened in 2007 has 30 employees and serves up to 16 patients at the same time. It has long filled a critical gap for young people who need more than outpatient therapy, but less than a complete hospital stay.

“The closure of this facility means that more children not only have to choose between an er -bed and also the residential furnishings, but they will shift towards more institutionalized care, and that is not what we are trying to do,” said Mina.

Mina is currently committed to an increase in behavioral health financing by $ 13.7 million and urges a legislation to implement a 988 crisis line surcharge – similar to 911 – to support the nationwide support of the mental health crisis.

She also shared a deeply personal reason for her attorney.

“My father died from suicide when I was a child,” said Mina. “I know what it feels like to be in a literal situation in which you want to make sure that all options are available. We try to save lives.”

Mina asked Alaskaners to share their stories and contact their legislators.

Providence says that it will be used by patients and the retention of the employees concerned, but the effects will go far beyond the 30 employees.

This is a developing story. You can find more updates again.

Copyright 2025 Ktuu. All rights reserved.