AARS breaks ground on $12 Million, 26-bed treatment expansion project

Alaska Addiction Rehabilitation Services, Inc. (AARS) broke ground on a $12 million, 26-bed expansion project, March 21, marking the beginning of Phase II of the planned expansion that began in 2022 when AARS Executive Director Bryan Brandenburg and the board of directors began talking expansion to meet the growing needs of Alaskans suffering from Substance Use Disorder (SUD) who want to enter recovery and reintegrate back into the community as productive citizens.

The expansion will double the total number of beds available at AARS, as well as include additional staff offices, a community center and gym, and extended parking areas.

Phase I of the expansion involved covering the cost of site preparation and design services, construction administration, and initial contractual services and was is fully funded thanks to a $3M Federal Appropriation from Senator Lisa Murkowski.

"We hope they see the value of what we're doing," Brandenburg said. "Senator Murkowski recognizes that the more we do as a community to combat SUD, the better the future will be for Alaska. We are sincerely grateful for her vision and support!"

SUD treatment option are limited in Alaska, with only 450 beds total in the state; the Mat-Su Valley has only 65 treatment beds. The AARS Board of Directors and Brandenburg, have been working hard with U.S. Senator Murkowski, State Representative Kevin McCabe, State Representative DeLena Johnson, Governor Mike Dunleavy, and Lt. Nancy Governor Dahlstrom to address the lack of treatment beds that affects so many Alaska residents. Their contributions helped AARS secure funding to expand the facility.

The Mat-Su Health Foundation, Rasmuson Foundation, Murdock Charitable Trust, and Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority have all contributed significantly to the completion of this project.

AARS has partnered with H5 Construction and Jerad Hacker, who were chosen by the AARS Board of Directors to build the expansion.

“Our number one priority remains assisting even more Alaskans living with SUD. This appropriation brings us one step closer to achieving this goal,” Brandenburg said last year.

AARS has been at the forefront of providing high-quality, clinically managed residential treatment to Alaskan adults suffering from substance use disorder (SUD) for over 42 years. AARS is one of the state's longest-running treatment programs, receiving an average of 273 statewide referrals per year for level 3.5 and 3.1 treatment and treating approximately 40 residential clients annually. However, as alcoholism and addiction in Alaska increase, so does the organization's waiting list.

AARS is a mission-driven organization with a unique work therapy focus. The founding principle of “Growing Sober” embodies the fundamental philosophy of the organization. Seventy percent of clients who complete the program maintain sobriety.

For more information on AARS and its treatment services, visit aarsrecovery.org, or contact DJ Stewart at 907-376-4534, or email d.stewart@aarsrecovery.org.