Providence Alaska’s Crisis Recovery Center in Anchorage is permanently closing later this month, ending nearly two decades of inpatient mental health services for adolescents in crisis. The program has been serving Alaskans ages 12 to 17 experiencing mental health crises such as depression, intense anxiety, and suicidal ideation, typically housing about 7 to 13 patients at once. Mental health counselor Emily Nelson, who worked at the center for five years, expressed devastation about the closure, saying she had received notes from former patients describing how the treatment changed their lives and their views of inpatient care.
According to Providence Alaska, the program suddenly lost a $1.2 million federal grant, meaning the already-subsidized center would lose about $2 million annually. The closure is particularly impactful because many mental illnesses—including schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders—first emerge during adolescence. Experts say these disorders are often treatable and manageable if young people receive care during that window. The Crisis Recovery Center offered short-term inpatient care for youth who didn’t need the intense security measures of longer residential treatment, allowing “kids to be kids” while healing through activities like outdoor walks, learning to crochet, and using markers and pencils.
Nelson expressed concern that some young people will end up in residential programs outside Alaska, particularly those for whom temporary separation from family and community is necessary for healing. She noted that for some patients, travel to Anchorage was already a culture shock, and being sent out of state would be even more traumatic. The closure coincides with state efforts to move toward community-based alternatives. Alaska Behavioral Health operates partial-hospitalization programs in Anchorage and recently opened one in Fairbanks, allowing young people to live at home while attending a 30-hour-a-week program. However, critics worry that community-based options alone may not adequately serve all youth in crisis who require inpatient treatment.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://alaskapublic.org/news/health/2025-05-13/heartbreaking-providence-shutters-inpatient-mental-health-crisis-program-for-kids