mental health

Volunteers look for trash on the Jordan Avenue sidewalk at JAMHI’s Community Litter Pickup event on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Ellie Ruel / Juneau Empire)

JAMHI hosts community cleanup to kick off 40th anniversary celebration

Local addiction and mental health treatment organization plans summer of events and give-back days.

 

Tessa Hulls, an author who moved to Juneau during the winter, at the Alaska State Capitol on Monday after her graphic novel “Feeding Ghosts” won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in the Memoir or Autobiography category. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Juneau author Tessa Hulls wins Pulitzer Prize for graphic memoir ‘Feeding Ghosts’

Book entwines grandmother, mother and author on journey of politics and identity from China to points worldwide.

 

Haven House, Tlingit and Haida’s third shelter under their Reentry and Recovery Program, is seen with lights on in the dark. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Tlingit and Haida offers a safe haven for women in recovery

Reopened Haven House is the third shelter in Reentry and Recovery program.

 

Bartlett Regional Hospital, along with Juneau’s police and fire departments, are partnering in a new behavioral health crisis response program announced Thursday. (Bartlett Regional Hospital photo)

New local behavioral health crisis program using hospital, fire and police officials debuts

Mobile crisis team of responders forms five months after hospital ends crisis stabilization program.

Bartlett Regional Hospital, along with Juneau’s police and fire departments, are partnering in a new behavioral health crisis response program announced Thursday. (Bartlett Regional Hospital photo)
A sign at Anchorage’s Service High School, seen on Aug. 13, 2024, explains that tobacco use is prohibited at the property. High school students’ use of electronic cigarettes has declined since 2019, one of the positive trends emerging from the latest Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Survey of Alaska youth reveals more mental health problems, but also some positive trends

More anxiety and suicidal thoughts, but less use of harmful substances like tobacco and alcohol.

A sign at Anchorage’s Service High School, seen on Aug. 13, 2024, explains that tobacco use is prohibited at the property. High school students’ use of electronic cigarettes has declined since 2019, one of the positive trends emerging from the latest Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Juneau residents participate in a community mental health run, the Extra Tough 5K & 1 Mile Run, on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. The run was sponsored by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Juneau. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

My Turn: Local resources and support to be aware of during Mental Health Awareness Month

Although it feels like it every month for us at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Juneau, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This… Continue reading

Juneau residents participate in a community mental health run, the Extra Tough 5K & 1 Mile Run, on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. The run was sponsored by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Juneau. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, speaks during a news conference on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska Senate considers plan that would allow teens to independently seek mental health care

Amendment by Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, would lower the age for behavioral health care to 16

Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, speaks during a news conference on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
The Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition has a variety of surveys and programs surging forward to increase Juneau’s resilience. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

‘Mental health is not just in a clinic. It’s everywhere’: Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition works with communitywide scope

Much of the work JPSC is doing is to reach out to groups to help teach and strengthen them.

The Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition has a variety of surveys and programs surging forward to increase Juneau’s resilience. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Cailin Bracken plays lacrosse with the Vanderbilt team on March 16, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. When she became overwhelmed by college life, especially when she had to isolate upon testing positive for COVID-19 after just a few days on campus, she decided to leave the team. Bracken wrote an open letter to college sports, calling on coaches and administrators to become more cognizant of the challenges athletes face in navigating not only their competitive side, but also their social and academic responsibilities. (Josh Rehders/Vanderbilt University)

College athletes push mental health to the forefront

Universities are starting to pay closer attention to the mental health of their athletes.

Cailin Bracken plays lacrosse with the Vanderbilt team on March 16, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. When she became overwhelmed by college life, especially when she had to isolate upon testing positive for COVID-19 after just a few days on campus, she decided to leave the team. Bracken wrote an open letter to college sports, calling on coaches and administrators to become more cognizant of the challenges athletes face in navigating not only their competitive side, but also their social and academic responsibilities. (Josh Rehders/Vanderbilt University)
Marine Corps and Army veteran Darren Hafford does pushups in front of the Alaska State Capitol as part of a fundraising effort where Hafford is traveling to every state capitol building and doing pushups in front of them to raise awareness and money for veteran suicide prevention. Juneau is his 49th, with only Hawaii remaining. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

49 down, 1 to go: Man raising veteran suicide awareness in all 50 state capitals

A whirlwind tour for a worthy cause.

Marine Corps and Army veteran Darren Hafford does pushups in front of the Alaska State Capitol as part of a fundraising effort where Hafford is traveling to every state capitol building and doing pushups in front of them to raise awareness and money for veteran suicide prevention. Juneau is his 49th, with only Hawaii remaining. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
The site of the future Glory Hall at the corner of Teal Street and Alpine Avenue in the Mendenhall Valley. Co-located will be the Southeast Community Services Center, forming and integrated campus, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Trust donates $150K to Juneau community services center

The structure will be a hub for many of Juneau’s community-oriented nonprofits.

The site of the future Glory Hall at the corner of Teal Street and Alpine Avenue in the Mendenhall Valley. Co-located will be the Southeast Community Services Center, forming and integrated campus, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File Jared Curé makes a Garden Medley, a nonalcoholic mocktail, the Narrows Bar has on its menu for Sobriety Awareness Month in 2019. The drink was developed for a partnership with Recover Alaska.

Alaskan organizations celebrate National Recovery Month

As rates of alcohol use grow in pandemic, they’re celebrating those who have stepped back.

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File Jared Curé makes a Garden Medley, a nonalcoholic mocktail, the Narrows Bar has on its menu for Sobriety Awareness Month in 2019. The drink was developed for a partnership with Recover Alaska.
Courtesy Photo / Break the (Bi)Cycle Break the (Bi)Cycle is a movement started by former professional basketball player Damen Bell-Holter to raise money and awareness about the dearth of mental health care for Black and Indigenous men. Bell-Holter will ride from Bellingham, Wash., to San Diego, Calif., more than 1,500 miles, while visiting tribes and documenting the trip.

Former basketball pro embarks on 1,500-mile bike ride for mental health

The idea is to inspire awareness and change, Damen Bell-Holter said.

Courtesy Photo / Break the (Bi)Cycle Break the (Bi)Cycle is a movement started by former professional basketball player Damen Bell-Holter to raise money and awareness about the dearth of mental health care for Black and Indigenous men. Bell-Holter will ride from Bellingham, Wash., to San Diego, Calif., more than 1,500 miles, while visiting tribes and documenting the trip.
Juneau Police Department Detective Sterling Salisbury discusses how their department uses Crisis Intervention Team training to improve their response to individuals in mental health crisis at a public forum hosted by NAMI Juneau at Bartlett Regional Hospital on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

NAMI to hold free mental health education and wellness program

Signups for the classes end in late January

Juneau Police Department Detective Sterling Salisbury discusses how their department uses Crisis Intervention Team training to improve their response to individuals in mental health crisis at a public forum hosted by NAMI Juneau at Bartlett Regional Hospital on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Movie night moves suicide into public focus

Movie night moves suicide into public focus

Normalizing the mental health discussion.

Movie night moves suicide into public focus