WASILLA, Alaska (KTUU) – A new military behavioral health and substance program for veterans and active-duty members is now open in the Mat-Su Borough.
On April 15, Hope Valley Health & Wellness held its grand opening in Wasilla, marking a new chapter for mental health resources within the valley.
“It’s an outlet that we haven’t had that I think is important everywhere, but we’ve definitely needed it in Alaska,” Ben Sparkman of Refocus Counseling Ministry said. “We needed it for a long time, so it’s pretty cool to see.”
Alaska’s News Source reported in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Alaska was home to 56,000 veterans statewide — about 10.5% of the state’s population. Alaska is also home to the largest veteran population per capita compared with any other state, according to Jessy Lakin, the Northwest regional veteran program manager.
“We have a high suicide rate for our veterans and a very high substance abuse rate for our veterans in the state,” Lakin said. “So this need is huge here.”
The new program offers residential programs — including a residential detox — for both men and women. There is space, Lakin said, for 10 men and 10 women to participate in the program.
“Those programs don’t connect, so you’ll never have mixed females and males working together in a group or therapy or travel or anything like that,” Lakin said. “On our end, the idea of that is a small knit facility allows these veterans to really spend some time building relationships and growing a stronger bond with one another.”
In addition to the detox program, on the residential side, Lakin said clients will learn coping skills and mechanisms to grow past their trauma. The organization will use resources such as sauna therapy, cold plunge, red light therapy, yoga, massage therapy and hiking, along with other outdoor recreational programs through their community partner Battle Dogs.
Hope Valley said it began to accept participants on April 20.
If you or a loved one needs someone to talk to, you are encouraged to call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit its website for additional resources. You can also reach out to the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741).
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