Developing behavioral health support in after school programs - boys & girls clubs of southcentral alaska proposes to develop and provide behavioral health support and services to children and…

Developing behavioral health support in after school programs - boys & girls clubs of southcentral alaska proposes to develop and provide behavioral health support and services to children and youth, including those exposed to trauma through the following strategies: a. Trauma-informed staff development - with 100 staff and 200 volunteers providing skills to reduce behavioral incidents, reduce stigma, and foster connections with other support services; B. Partnerships with families and other caregivers - to build connections and skills with parents and widen their support network; C. Active networking with other human service agencies and health providers - to ensure children and youth receive appropriate services in a timely manner rather to combat "refer and wait" challenges; D. Aligning agency policy with trauma informed practice - through an assessment, development, implementation, and consultation process developed by boys & girls clubs of america to ensure club organizations are truly operating in a trauma informed manner; and, E. Proactively addressing trauma-informed improvements through a refined continuous quality improvement process. Boys & girls club of southcentral alaska has over 55 years of experience providing positive youth development services to children and youth since 1966. The clubs' statewide reach includes twenty-three (23) clubhouse programs in alaska's urban corridor of anchorage, mat-SU, and fairbanks, as well as rural and remote settings throughout alaska. Fifteen (15) of these clubs currently serve predominantly alaska native communities and include all major indigenous groups in alaska, including tlingit, haida, tsimshian, athabascan, iñupiaq, YUP'ik, cup'ik, unangax, and sugpiaq peoples. These clubs are in metlakatla, saxman, klawock, kake, utqiagvik, kotzebue, noorvik, selawik, nome, brevig mission, saint mary's, naknek, togiak, sand point, and tyonek. In anchorage, the clubs operate a child development center for children as young as six weeks old. In 2022, the population of focus in the clubs' statewide reach served over 4,000 youth, ages 6 six weeks - 18 years. About 33% of these youth are teens. About 46% are girls; 54% boys; 37% alaska native or american indian; 8% african american or black; 5% hispanic or latino; 3% native hawaiian or other pacific islander; 27% caucasian or white; 14% multiracial; and 2% other or unknown. Poverty is pervasive in these communities, which limits opportunity to services health and education. Six (6) communities qualify for 100% free and reduced-price meals, seven (7) are between 75% and 99%, with the remaining clubs above one third. The project will have a particular impact in that clubs also need to be part of the continuum of services for youth who need behavioral support. The extreme geographic isolation, harsh climate, and limited technology mean there are limited services available for high-need children and youth. Building stronger supports in the continuum of care allows children and youth to receive appropriate levels of service in a timely manner and help keep them with their families and communities. When agencies are truly trauma-informed they are part of a support network that gets children and youth help early in their lives and provides positive support when IT is needed.