2021 Set Free Alaska Annual Report

EXECUTIVE FOREWORD

A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PHILIP LICHT

2020 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

TESTIMONY

NEW PROGRAMS

2020 was not just a year of serving clients within our existing programs. It was a year of expansion! At Set Free we realize that the needs within our state regarding substance abuse and mental health treatment are huge. Walking through crisis and stressful situations can exacerbate the need for support in these areas. Keeping this in mind, we expanded in several areas this year.

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS PARTNERSHIPS

We initially set out to increase our collaboration with the Department of Corrections (DOC). Rehabilitation services for individuals can have a significant impact when they are ready to return to the community. Motivated by the belief that individuals within the corrections system have incredible value and potential, we submitted and were awarded four contracts with DOC. These contracts include intensive outpatient treatment for individuals on probation, re-entry support for individuals coming out of an institution, case management and assessments for individuals at the probation field office, and a 40-bed residential program within an institution. Some of these programs have already begun with the others on hold because of COVID. We are very excited to serve our state, clients, and community in this new venture.

RESIDENTIAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT FOR MEN

In September we celebrated the launch of our newest program, a 16-bed, high- Intensity residential treatment home for men. This home is located in beautiful Homer, Alaska, and is situated on an incredible property looking out over Kachemak Bay. This peaceful environment is a perfect place for men to find Hope, healing, and resilience resulting in lasting change. This program is also the first of its kind in Alaska allowing men to bring their children into the residence with them. It is our goal to see these men become safe, stable, and sober fathers for their children.

TESTIMONY

SUCCESS STORY

QUARANTINE PROGRAM

In spring 2020, we received a call from the DBH director to discuss the issues congregant providers were experiencing due to COVID and quarantine protocols. It was becoming increasingly difficult for clients to get access to residential and sober housing as well as other congregant programs as they ran into the unexpected and massive roadblocks made by the CDC quarantine regulations.

In unprecedented speed, the program went from idea, to creation, to funding, and ultimately implementation in just a few days! Launched in May 2020, the Quarantine Program was a joint effort between Set Free Alaska, the state, local lodging and restaurant owners, and the provider community.  The program provided immediate crisis stabilization, counseling, case management, food, and housing in a safe and healthy environment.

Individuals needing to get into a congregant living space could come to the quarantine program for up to 14 days to ensure that they were COVID free. Over 100 clients received services through this program with more than 80% of them successfully graduating to a greater level of care.  Additionally, 70% of these individuals were receiving services in programs other than Set Free Alaska! This is an amazing example of a public, for-profit, non-profit collaboration that met the challenge of COVID protocols and over 1 year later it is still running strong!

TESTIMONY

FROM THE DESK OF HR

“Hello from the HR Desk! 2020 has been an amazing year for Set Free Alaska. Though it is hard to say that with so many struggling, it has been a truly miraculous year with our team. We have added employees and programs to better meet the need of those seeking recovery and health. To meet the incredible needs in our community, we increased our staff by 39%! We also took the extra time we had to develop our team so they are even more equipped to champion our clients. Our stance has been that challenging times are inevitable, but being defeated is a choice.

As a learning agency, it is vital that the Set Free team is well equipped to provide the best service possible. With that in mind, our teams completed over 1,500 hours of various in-house and outside training courses that furthered their development as the true experts they are in their respective fields. We had seven team members receive their Chemical Dependency Counselor I (CDC I) Certification, one team member receive their CDC II, one team member completed their Master of Social Work (MSW), one team member became a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and one team member received the Senior Professional of Human Resources and SHRM – Senior Certified Professional (SCP) certifications.”

Carl Dulinsky, HR Director

2021 VISION

It is hard for me to believe how much we have grown over these last 11 years! God has been so faithful and deserves the glory and honor for what we have been able to accomplish. It is truly through His love for the clients we serve that we accomplish great things.

Looking forward into 2021, I envision taking time and allowing our team to rest. 2019 and 2020 have both been years of exponential growth and expansion. It is crucial that we take time to sustain and stabilize the growth we have experienced. In this next season we will emphasize taking care of the team with which we have been entrusted, and learn how to grow in a healthy, sustainable manner.

Although rest must be a key theme for us in 2021, we still have a few exciting goals for expansion. One of which is the development and launch of a recovery residence program. This program will provide long-term housing in a safe, sober, and supportive environment for individuals coming out of incarceration or residential programming. We will be securing a 7-acre piece of property in Mat-Su formerly known as the Alaska Garden Gate B&B. On this site we will develop a therapeutic sober community. Individuals will receive substance abuse treatment, case management, peer support, workforce development, connection to their community, and housing. This program will launch in the first quarter of 2021.

We also anticipate the correctional institutions opening for programming In the fall of 2021. As COVID protocols loosen and we can get back into the prisons, we will launch two programs in partnership with DOC. These contracts are already secured, however, they are on hold due to COVID. Placing re-entry coordinators within the correctional institutions will allow us to provide solid support for individuals returning to the communities. Connecting them to resources such as housing, substance abuse treatment, and workforce development will improve their ability to succeed and decrease recidivism rates. A 40-bed residential program will be offered within the institution to help individuals find freedom from addiction and give them an increased chance of remaining sober once released.

Philip Licht, President/CEO

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