Anchorage, Alaska (KTUU) – Mark Regan, Legal Director of the Alaska Disability Law Center, has been asked the same question for years.
“I get calls and questions from people across the state saying, ‘Why isn’t my child, why am I not accountable for mental health treatment in the children’s community,'” Regan said. I got
In May 2020, he began looking for ways to answer that question. That spring, the Disability Law Center filed a complaint with the Justice Department for a response.
“We have asked the Department of Justice to investigate the lack of community mental health services for minor children, particularly the lack of community services and the over-institutionalization of children in communities like Bethel and Nome.” said Regan.
On December 15, 2020, the Justice Department announced that it had reasonable grounds to believe that Alaska violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. ”
Their findings shared that more than 800 children received state-funded behavioral health services in fiscal year 2020. At least one-third of those children are Alaska Native. bottom. Many people traveled hundreds or thousands of miles from their hometowns to seek treatment, reports said.
“If you’re looking at a more dramatic situation, you’re often looking at Alaska Native children from regional hubs like Bethel and Nome,” Regan said.
Reports say these children often endure longer hospital stays than necessary.
“Length of stay at North Star Hospital has increased due to a lack of adequate community-based services and support for children across the state,” the report said.
What’s more, the report and Regan shared that Anchorage’s North Star Behavioral Health isn’t the furthest children to travel for treatment. Between July 2018 and February 2021, she referred at least 150 young people to treatment centers outside of Alaska.
“Sometimes children have needs that the North Star just can’t address,” says Regan. “If North Star cannot meet the needs of the child and API cannot meet the needs of the child, we may look outside to these agencies.”
But children who attend out-of-state treatment centers endure more struggles when trying to get home. I’m here.
Alaska news sources reached out to The Northstar for a statement but had not received a response as of Thursday night. I got
On December 29, 2022, Justice Department Intelligence Officer Sam Curtis issued a statement.
“The Department of Justice is reviewing the document and will work closely with the Department of Health, Family and Community Services to respond appropriately to this report,” Curtis wrote. “While we may disagree with many of the allegations that Alaska is violating the ADA, we are committed to ensuring that Alaskan children receive appropriate behavioral health services in the most integrated setting. We share the goals set out in the report.
The state said it had nothing further to say at this time.
Department of Health spokesperson Clinton Bennett also issued a statement on December 16, 2022.
“The Department of Health is committed to the mental and physical health and well-being of all people in Alaska, especially our youth,” Bennett wrote. While we have been involved in numerous legislative, financial and collaborative projects to improve the continuum, we recognize that much work remains to address long-standing challenges.”
The DOJ said in its investigation that it would work with the state to come to a conclusion. However, the ministry has warned that legal action will be taken if no resolution is reached.
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