Solutions Desk

For most healthcare systems, mental health and physical health are two separate issues. Not at one of the largest healthcare providers in Alaska, where doctors and behavioral health consultants work together with a new mindset.

Andi Riley needed medical help, but even though she was working, she couldn't afford it. Until there was Medicaid expansion. It was her solution for wellness. 

Suicide rates for Alaska Native youth are still high — but groups are actively working to change that. Community members and researchers are focusing on the strengths of Alaska Native peoples and cultures to reduce the risk and promote wellness. During Talk of Alaska, Alaska Public Media's statewide call-in program, guests talked about what’s working and what’s not.

We know what to do if someone breaks their leg -- brace it and ask for help. But what if it's a mental health crisis? Some are learning the skills to be mental health first aiders. 

The traditional foods movement in Alaska is growing. Moose and caribou are appearing on menus at healthcare facilities across the state. But there's an important food that still needs approval -- seal oil. A solution is in the works.

Most people in northwest Alaska grew up eating traditional foods, like caribou, seal, and different kinds of fish. But as they aged and moved into long-term care facilities, those foods were no longer regularly available to them because of federal food safety regulations. A team in Kotzebue is changing that.

Anchorage resident Dion Wynne is now back to work and trying to catch up on his bills. He didn't lose his house, which is good not only for him but also for the entire community. Preventing homelessness costs much less than helping people who are already living on the streets on in shelters. Now, Alaska and other states are developing coordinated systems to make accessing help easier and more focused. 

Families on the verge of homelessness often don't have many options for paying their rent. Sometimes the solution requires a little faith.

Dion can’t work, and he can’t pay his rent. There are resources to help him, but how does he find them? Someone helps him navigate the system.

Dion Wynne was working full-time and preparing to open a therapeutic foster home. He's worked with people with disabilities his entire life. Then he fell ill and was hospitalized for over a month. Join him as he tries to save his home -- and his dreams.