JAMHI hosts community cleanup to kick off 40th anniversary celebration

Community members donned gloves and bright yellow vests to pick up trash on Jordan Avenue and Teal Street on Saturday morning. The cleanup event was a part of JAMHI Health and Wellness Inc.’s 40th anniversary celebration, which will continue throughout the rest of the year.

“We want to take our 40th anniversary to reintroduce ourselves to the community,” said Rachel Gearhart, chief operating officer at JAMHI. “At the same time, we want to just make sure that people know we’re really rooted in Juneau. We care about Juneau.”

JAMHI is a nonprofit community organization that provides community housing to adults with severe mental illness, as well as various addiction and mental health resources. Since their inception as a behavioral health clinic, they’ve expanded their locations and services to include primary care.

Gearhart handed out bags, gloves and vests in front of the organization’s Jordan Avenue clinic. She said the cleanup location was a rational choice due to its proximity to the building, as well as being a “good neighbor” to the surrounding businesses.

“We know that this is an area that a lot of the neighbors, like a lot of the businesses, are really interested in keeping clean and having a nice area. With some of our neighbors, like the Glory Hole and St. Vincent and other providers, it’s become an area that looks different than it did a few years ago,” she said.

Teal Street and the surrounding area have been strewn with tents the past two summers, put up by people experiencing homelessness under a “dispersed camping” policy enacted by the Juneau Assembly due to problems at an officially sanctioned homeless campground. Nearby businesses and residents have complained to city officials about the encampments, which have shifted around as police and other officials have periodically dismantled the sites when they become too large or disorderly.

About 20 people participated in Saturday’s cleanup, many of whom live or work in the area. Mollie Carr is a disability and aging resource specialist for Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL), which has offices on Teal Street.

“The street’s important to me. I wanted to be part of that, whatever it takes to keep it looking beautiful,” Carr said.

Events like these improve cooperation between the various nonprofits in the area, according to JAMHI Chief Executive Officer Will Jemison.

“We’re all serving the same populations. They’re just in different ways,” he said. “Let’s figure out how we can collaborate to make sure it’s a seamless, integrated process for everyone.”

Jemison noted collaboration between nonprofits is partially motivated by a reconciliation bill, H.R. 1 (dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” by supporters), going through Congress now. H.R. 1 includes steep cuts to Medicaid, which partially funds community health centers like JAMHI.

“We’re looking at ways as an organization within JAMHI to ensure that people still have access to medical services in spite of a projected Medicare or Medicaid change,” said Joan Cahill, president of JAHMI’s board of directors. “And so we’re figuring out ways to better activate our sliding fee scale so that people can afford the services, regardless if they are covered by insurance or not.”

Cahill said that JAHMI hopes to promote preventative healthcare through greater visibility in the community. Over the years, the organization has expanded from its original focus on behavioral health to include primary care.

The next JAHMI community giveback event will be a month-long blood drive in July.

• Ellie Ruel can be contacted via editor@juneauempire.com.