Alaskans can call 988, but in many places no team can respond

When an Alaskan in crisis calls the 988 line, someone answers. In much of the state, though, there is no local team to send. That gap is what the state's Division of Behavioral Health moved to address Wednesday — for now, with training rather than new local teams.

The division launched the Alaska Crisis Response Learning Community, a free statewide network for crisis workers, behavioral health providers, peer support workers, Tribal organizations, and system leaders. It offers live virtual sessions, self-paced courses, and a shared resource library, meant to spread consistent, culturally responsive crisis practices across Alaska's rural, remote, Tribal, and urban communities. The state runs it under contract with Recovery Innovations, the firm behind Alaska's 2019 Crisis Now report.

The shortage it responds to is steep. Rep. Sara Hannan described it at a House Finance Committee hearing in May. "The downside of our 988 care line is we don't have resources to respond in many locations in Alaska," she said. A handful of communities can pull in crisis services when the line reaches someone, she said, but for many callers there is nothing available. Hannan, who represents Juneau, noted that a purpose-built crisis facility there has been shuttered for lack of funding.

Providers can enroll through the Recovery Innovations learning platform. Questions go to [email protected].