The Basics
Railbelt Mental Health and Addictions (RMHA), founded in 1984, is a community behavioral health facility located in the interior of Alaska. It provides outpatient services for adolescents and adults suffering from substance abuse as well as outreach, education and prevention services in Nenana, Healy and Anderson. Along with these three locations, some services are also available in Cantwell and seasonally in Denali National Park. Their primary administrative office is in Nenana, with a secondary office in Healy and a small hub in Anderson. Services in Cantwell and Denali are by appointment only.
Treatment and Staff
RMHA applicants first go through a screening and assessment process, after which treatment plans are developed. Treatment is based upon client needs, goals and strengths, with each client typically seen once a week for an hour-long session, though these can be more or less frequent depending on need. All treatment is done one-on-one and takes into account each person’s culture, lifestyle and background.
The standard outpatient program meets once a week for 12 weeks, though this can go longer or shorter as needed. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is the main method of treatment used. Though the program is not 12-step affiliated, many participants voluntarily attend AA meetings.
Each client is assigned a primary counselor with whom they meet for individual and family counseling, which make up the majority of treatment. The program also offers dual diagnosis support for clients with co-occurring disorders. After treatment at RMHA, clients can be referred to local community support systems as they resume their daily lives.
The staff at RMHA consists of licensed clinical professionals, social workers, psychologists, certified substance use disorder counselors, certified drug counselors levels one and two, and counselors with an with an Associate Degree of Applied Science in alcohol and drug counseling. A psychiatrist is available for evaluations and medication monitoring.
Extras
RMHA also offers community programs that address HIV/AIDS education, suicide prevention, special needs children, traumatic brain injury, domestic violence, depression, parenting and tobacco cessation. These workshops are available to individuals and groups upon request and can be held at an RMHA facility or another location in the community.
In Summary
Railbelt Mental Health has provided community-based health care and help for substance abuse in Alaska since 1984. Though the program is fairly basic, dual diagnosis help is included and the services are affordable. Railbelt is also one of the only facilities of its kind in the region and is worth considering for those who need help overcoming addiction.
Railbelt Mental Health and Addictions
307 East 2nd St
PO Box 159
Nenana, AK 99760
Railbelt Mental Health Cost: Sliding scale; $35 intake screening, $125 substance abuse assessment. Contact Railbelt Mental Health by phone at (907) 832-5557 or by email at poppekat@mosquitonet.com. Find Railbelt Mental Health on Facebook
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Sponsored DISCLAIMER: This is a paid advertisement for California Behavioral Health, LLC, a CA licensed substance abuse treatment provider and not a service provided by The Fix. Calls to this number are answered by CBH, free and without obligation to the consumer. No one who answers the call receives a fee based upon the consumer’s choice to enter treatment. For additional info on other treatment providers and options visit www.samhsa.gov.
