Mat-Su
Following the departure of two counselors this year from the Outpatient Program, we were able to hire two Master’s-level clinicians which resulted in a fully staffed Mat-Su Outpatient team. These hires have increased the number of master’s level clinicians on our team who can treat co-occurring conditions often experienced by clients. These additions to our team have also allowed us to offer more telehealth only and in-person only options for treatment groups. This decrease in hybrid-delivered groups is a direct response to client requests for more service delivery options.

An Outpatient staff member achieved her LCSW this year and was promoted to Mental Health Clinician II. The team completed an extensive ASAM 4th Edition training comprised of real-world vignettes. Two clinicians attended the All-Rise Conference for treatment courts in Florida this year and brought back information regarding best practices that has resulted in new techniques and practice revisions within the Outpatient Program as well as the Palmer Wellness Court, who we have continued to partner with closely. Additionally, increased collaboration with the Knik Tribe occurred this year with Outpatient team involvement with development projects regarding the Overdose Fatality Response Team as well as tribal wellness court.

This year, we collaborated closely with Case Management, resulting in having a case manager in-house for several hours every Wednesday. This has improved wraparound care for clients needing access to community resources. We also partnered with Heritage House to host a Christmas dinner for clients and their family members, which had a great turnout! We hope to be able to continue hosting this event in the future as it provides a relaxed, welcoming, and sober setting for clients to have fun and celebrate the holidays. Staff from other programs were very supportive of this dinner and volunteered time and food to make this event so successful.

The 2.5 Partial Hospitalization level of care has continued to grow over the course of this year. We have seen unprecedented enrollment. This level of care has served as an effective bridge for clients transitioning from residential treatment to outpatient care, as well as those in need of additional structure and support beyond the typical 2.1 Intensive Outpatient level of care.

Homer & Ketchikan
A fully staffed program means we have been able to provide increased telehealth group options for clients living outside of the Mat-Su Valley area. We increased our group options this year to include five telehealth-only groups and 7 hybrid weekly groups– the most options available to clients in the Homer Outpatient Program that we have ever been able to offer! Hybrid options allow clients in the Homer Outpatient Program to attend in-person groups via telehealth, so they are attending the same groups that in-person clients in the Mat-Su Outpatient programs are attending. We anticipate seeing telehealth options increase in 2026.

This year we saw the highest enrollment in the Homer Outpatient Program to date. Areas served by the program have expanded to Kenai, Ketchikan, Juneau, and Dillingham! Additionally, we have collaborated with Millennium Health to offer more accessible options for clients to provide drug testing in remote areas. This has increased our ability to serve clients who don’t live close enough to the Homer office to commute.

This year we saw dreams of growth begin to take shape. In 2025, we purchased property in Soldotna and began developing plans for some on-site client services we plan to offer in 2026. This will increase services available to clients in the Soldotna community.  We are looking forward to launching this next year!

Continued collaboration between the Homer Outpatient Program staff and the Mat-Su Outpatient Program staff has provided consistency and support for clients.

Haven’s mission of providing support and intervention to families impacted by behavioral health needs of children, adolescents, and caregivers focuses on developing healthy coping skills, enhancing family support and connection, and providing opportunities to resolve the past traumas that have contributed to dysfunctional family dynamics. Utilizing a “mind-body-spirit” approach, Haven strives to treat each client with respect and dignity while validating each person’s worth as a unique and beloved child of God.

Our mission drives us to be innovative and to seek proactive interventions that contribute to reconciliation and healing, while giving our clients the skills they need to mitigate mental health symptoms and break cycles of addiction, abuse, and dysfunction that arise when trauma and mental illness go unaddressed. In the last year, Haven has once again striven to provide our clients with the best evidenced-based treatment modalities and quality of care possible. This includes increasing our ability to provide Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to adults and children, advanced training in Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) and Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), and participation in training on Forensic Interviewing.

Additionally, Haven staff were trained to provide family contact with families with current OCS involvement. We are also excited to announce that Haven can now provide Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), a leading intervention for children who have experienced complex or profound trauma.

With a focus on family, Haven is also launching its family visitation program in the coming weeks. This program aims to address the shortage of available visitation opportunities for families currently experiencing separation while partnering with other organizations providing similar services in the Valley to provide an environment where parents, children, and other family members feel safe and supported during their time together.

Haven continues to partner with other community providers through community outreach, the Drug Endangered Children (DEC) MDT, and the Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) team. We also provide additional services through a partnership with Family, Infants, and Toddlers Court (FIT) to provide Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and other best practices.

From January to December 2025, Haven has served 151 individual clients and their families. Haven has assisted in multiple family reunifications by providing loving, wrap around care, and coordinating with FIT court. With the DEC our Family Advocates has provided direct services to 20 families.

This past year has been one of tremendous blessings at Valley Oaks. Over the last year, Valley Oaks has provided a safe and loving environment where 45 women began their journey toward sobriety and healing. Among these women, four were reunified with their children during their time in the program. In addition, two mothers experienced pregnancy and childbirth or cared for a newborn while maintaining sobriety for the first time—an incredible testament to God’s faithfulness.

Another significant blessing this year has been the opportunity to offer our clients a safe, healthy, and joyful holiday season. Many of the women at Valley Oaks come from backgrounds where holidays were marked by pain rather than peace. For some, the holidays spent here were the first they had ever experienced in a loving and stable environment. Each year, the women are deeply moved by the Christmas they receive, with several sharing that this was the first time they had ever received gifts.

Celebration is an important part of life at Valley Oaks. Birthdays are honored, sobriety milestones are recognized, and holidays are joyfully celebrated. Clients are intentionally affirmed on special occasions, and many share that they had never experienced a meaningful birthday celebration prior to coming to Valley Oaks. Our dedicated kitchen coordinator lovingly prepares a special meal and cake of each client’s choice, creating moments of encouragement, dignity, and care.

This year, we also welcomed a wonderful new volunteer who leads Bible studies and mentors’ clients through shared meal preparation. She has quickly become a trusted and valued source of support. As we continue to grow, we remain in need of additional volunteers who are willing to build healthy, connected relationships with our clients. We invite those interested to reach out and join this meaningful ministry.

Clover, our therapy dog, has continued to bring joy, comfort, and light to the facility. She now participates in both group and individual sessions, offering emotional support in addition to time spent with clients during free periods. Throughout the year, Clover has consistently helped create a calm and safe environment, particularly during difficult or emotionally challenging moments.

Lives are truly being transformed at Valley Oaks. We have celebrated many successful graduations, with clients moving on to outpatient treatment, reunifying with their families, securing stable and fulfilling employment, or enrolling in college and trade programs to pursue their goals. Our graduates go on to become productive, valued members of the community, giving back to others and experiencing continued success.

To God be the glory—great things He has done!

Somewhere within everyone is a unique, glimmering, and golden person. This is the paragon version of themselves. Within every man is everything required to become exactly who they are meant to be and live a fulfilling and mighty life. Our program has the honor of helping mighty men see what things they carry that are obscuring that brilliance and to take off their old rags in place of their royal robes.
 
Amidst a nation with a housing and job crisis, we are blessed to have a full and capable team. Our job retention has been remarkable despite many obstacles and challenges. With a loyal and servant hearted crew we have been able to broaden our ability to respond to the wide-ranging and individualized needs of the men we serve. We have had a wave of staff complete and turn in their Chemical Dependency Counselor certification applications which include well over 100 hours of training courses, as well as certifications in parenting group training, and an increase in staff bringing their hobbies and interests to the workspace to share with the clients. With new skills, certifications and much more experience we can anticipate as well as react to a wider range of client needs and capitalize on opportunities to sew new life into the stories of gentlemen who saw little hope in their futures. 

In addition to our internal growth, we are continually blessed and inspired by the outpouring of support from our surrounding community. Partner organizations, volunteers, and dedicated members of the community have played a vital role in advancing our mission, offering hands-on assistance and encouragement that directly impacts both the program and the individuals within it. We are especially grateful to the volunteers from our community who offer services in our building as well as those who mentor our clients on a one-to-one basis, helping them overcome obstacles, making important appointments, and helping to demonstrate that they are valuable and worthy of help. This level of support makes it clear; the people want to make their homes and communities better, they care, and it is an honor to serve among those impassioned toward this cause.

Here are some tangible service-related examples of things we are celebrating this year! As the year comes closer to an end, we have already served over 45 clients. We have had 18 clients who have successfully completed the program and graduated and have more than five clients who are scheduled to graduate at the beginning of the new year. We celebrate the father who was reunited with his child this year, and all of the men who were brave enough to go home with their new plan, or brave enough to choose to go somewhere else instead.

In the past year we have seen a substantial increase of support from a very obvious place that had never before occurred to us. Our own program graduates! With our increased ability to help connect them to community resources, housing, jobs and assistance with legal and financial difficulties we have been able to help more than four clients join or return to our own community. Gentlemen who have succeeded in our program and seized control of their lives are turning back to pay it forward and investing in our program, and community in a way that was not possible in the past. They have made time in their new and busy lives to come celebrate graduations, share Holidays, and attend our new Alumni Nights! It is an honor to work side by side with them, and to call them neighbors.

Compass continues to honor these life-changing journeys and remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering a healthier, more hopeful future for individuals, families, and communities throughout Alaska.

This past year has been defined by a commitment to stability and structure, laying the groundwork for growth as we look ahead to 2026. By focusing on consistency in services and strengthening internal systems, staff have created a solid foundation that will allow the program to expand thoughtfully and sustainably in the future. One of the most significant developments was the program’s experience in housing Level 2.5 Partial Hospitalization clients. This was a learning opportunity for staff, who worked diligently to ensure that the higher acuity needs of these individuals were met with compassion and professionalism. The team’s adaptability and dedication allowed the program to successfully support clients requiring more intensive care, while continuing to provide stability for all residents.

Housing services continued to play a vital role in supporting the therapeutic court community, with increased collaboration and communication across systems. This strengthened partnerships between housing staff, court representatives, and treatment providers, ensuring that justice-involved individuals had access to the structure and accountability necessary for recovery.

Staff placed a strong emphasis on community integration, ensuring that clients were connected to AA and NA meetings as part of their recovery journey. These connections reinforced accountability, peer support, and long-term resilience, helping clients build networks that extend beyond the housing program.

The program also prioritized opportunities for fellowship and celebration. Staff hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for clients, creating a warm and welcoming environment during the holiday season. Christmas was celebrated in the new gym at the Bryce Ray Community Center, offering a joyful space for clients to gather and connect. These events highlighted the importance of community in recovery, reminding clients that healing is not only about treatment but also about belonging.

Throughout the year, housing staff engaged clients in a variety of fun and enriching activities. From gardening and playing pool to creating art at the local art café, visiting the Extreme Fun Center, and enjoying outdoor recreation such as frolfing, these activities provided opportunities for joy, creativity, and connection. They also reinforced the idea that recovery is strengthened by positive experiences and healthy engagement with the community.

Staff invested in ongoing learning and professional growth, attending multiple trainings, including a reentry simulation. This training offered valuable insight into the challenges faced by justice-involved individuals, deepening staff understanding of the population served and strengthening the program’s ability to provide effective, trauma-informed care.

The program continued to house families and parents working toward reunification with their children, reinforcing the importance of stability, healing, and family connection in recovery. By providing safe housing and supportive services, staff helped parents create environments where reunification could be successful and sustainable.

This year reflected a balance of structure, compassion, and innovation, positioning the program for growth in 2026. By strengthening systems, supporting higher acuity clients, deepening community partnerships, and investing in staff development, the program has built a strong foundation for expansion. As we move forward, the focus will remain on creating opportunities for recovery, resilience, and community connection, ensuring that individuals and families continue to thrive.

Refuge is a Crisis Stabilization program designed to support individuals facing substance use and mental health disorders by reducing the risk of inpatient hospitalization. Refuge aims to restore individuals’ ability to function within the community by offering shelter, nourishment, medical attention, intensive case management, and behavioral health assistance daily in a home-like environment.

At Refuge, we recognize that serving individuals on possibly the worst day of their lives is an honor and a privilege, something we do not take lightly. At the core of this program is a commitment to meeting and accepting each client where they are.

Refuge officially received its name this year, intentionally chosen to reflect the heart of our program. The name speaks for itself as we strive to offer a safe, welcoming, and peaceful environment where individuals can lay their burdens and rest, returning to the community with hope. Everyone that enters this program is met with empathy, love, and gentleness from the first call to discharge. Staff approach each conversation, interaction, and service with a person-centered, trauma-informed approach.

Refuge admitted over 180 clients and served over 370 individuals in the Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage area through the 24/7 Crisis Line. This year, 47% of our Crisis Line phone calls resulted in admission to Refuge, and 26% were successfully navigated to resources that better fit their level of need.

To continue to meet the needs of our community, Refuge is expanding its capacity for clients as we move into a larger building. In 2025, we added two additional BHA roles and Set Free’s first ever Intake Coordinator to meet the demands of our program. As we expand our capacity this coming year, we anticipate adding additional roles to our amazing team so that we can continue our mission in the community.

Refuge is not only the name of our program; it’s a place where people are met with the love of God and clinical excellence to place them on the path to wholeness.

Throughout 2025 we successfully provided Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) and Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment (IOPSAT) programs out at Palmer Correctional Center (PCC). In our RSAT program we served 61 incarcerated individuals and have been blessed with 30 successful graduations, while 23 individuals are currently active in programming and are projected to graduate as early as mid-December, and into the first half of 2026. In our IOPSAT program we served 39 incarcerated individuals and have been blessed with 23 successful graduations, with a new group of 11 that started at the beginning of December. RSAT and IOPSAT programming provide a focus on successful re-entry and include topics such as developing a comprehensive relapse prevention plan, developing effective communication in relationships and potential sober living options and post incarceration substance abuse treatment upon release. Emphasis on building and maintaining healthy relationships and a structured sober support network. Assisting them in building their own plan for re-entry that encourages them to live safe and sober lives.

Many of our clients remain incarcerated upon completion of our treatment programs. Successful graduates are encouraged to remain in the therapeutic community at PCC, where they can assist their peers in a supportive capacity. There has been a marked decrease in institutional write-ups amongst our successful graduates that remain within the inmate population. Treatment teaches them that despite their environment, they can be set free from the chains of addiction.

Our Department of Corrections contract also serves incarcerated individuals at Mat-Su Pre Trial (MSPT). Here we are providing a Psycho-Educational Substance Abuse program for any interested participants, and Medication Assisted Treatment Re-Entry (MATR) services. These services assist incarcerated individuals with navigating and planning for their re-entry into the community. Our counselor is there are assist with completing detox checks and getting incarcerated individuals the necessary substance use assessment and resources for treatment. These services have helped numerous individuals get into treatment and reintegrate into the community successfully. The goal of our MATR services is to reduce recidivism rates, through assessment, referral and educational components.

It takes a certain caliber of person to choose to enter prisons and jails with the intention of providing hope, healing, and lasting change. We are blessed with the team of individuals that live out Set Free Alaska’s core values daily so that incarcerated individuals can re-enter our community with a sense of value, strength, and integrity.