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January jobs report: Unemployment rate falls to 4%, wages rise more than forecast; Trump signs order imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel; Ten Commandments in public schools debate reaches South Dakota; Virginia ranks among worst states for wage theft; Mexican long-nosed bat makes appearance in Arizona.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

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During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Addressing Alaska's 'staggering' mental health care crisis

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Wednesday, February 5, 2025   

Advocacy groups said the country needs a better national system for responding to mental health emergencies.

In Alaska, the absence of services for youth is especially critical. Right now, there is no national mental health emergency response system. Each state manages its own, typically a 988 hotline. But even in states where the hotline is available, including Alaska, there are not enough resources.

Brandy Stratman, senior manager of therapies services for Providence Health and Services in Anchorage, said the need is particularly high among young people.

"Currently, we have 80% of our youth with mental health diagnoses that have unmet mental health needs," Stratman reported. "In Alaska, specifically, one out of every five high school students in Alaska will have a suicide attempt, statistically."

Stratman pointed out the data show an uptick in suicidal ideation among younger kids, too, between the ages of 7 and 11. She noted Alaska is working to increase services in schools and other places kids gather. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988.

Alaska's geography creates isolation, which poses a challenge to providing in-person treatment for mental health issues. If you put a map of the state over the lower 48, it would stretch from Minnesota south to Texas, and from California east to Florida. So, Stratman emphasized to make more crisis services available, the state is setting up access hubs in Alaska's larger cities.

"We're trying to work with our tribal partners," Stratman stressed. "What we are currently working on as a state is Kotzebue, Fairbanks, Mat-Su (Valley), Anchorage, Juneau and Ketchikan, trying to get crisis services in line for people to access when they need it, as close to their home community as possible."

Alaska's 988 call answer rate is below 70% and mental health officials said the state needs at least a dozen more mobile response teams just to keep up with demand.

References:  
Report KFF 10/13/2022

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