Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse to hold public meetings in Mat-Su next month

The Alaska Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (ABADA), along with the Alaska Mental Health Board (AMHB) will be in Mat-Su Borough next month conducting their spring meeting, and is extending an invitation to members of the community and those with lived experience to attend and engage.

The ABADA and AMHB will be hosting a public meeting on Mental Health and Substance Abuse April 16 through the 18 at the Mat-Su Resort in Wasilla, starting at 8:45 a.m., and are inviting invites all members of the community and those with lived experience to attend their board meeting in-person, online, or by phone.

There will also be a Public Comment and Community Reception at the Wasilla Public Library on Wednesday, April 17, from 3:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. The Reception is an opportunity to share community and family stories related to issues in the community such as children’s and adult mental health, crisis services, alcohol, opioids, and other drugs. Board members are providers, attorneys, and individuals and family members of individuals with lived experience. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

The community meetings provide an opportunity for the communities to share their concerns regarding services for alcohol, drugs and mental health issues, as well as the opportunity to hear from Mat-Su providers and consumers on the system of care and use that information to plan their advocacy efforts.

There will also be a youth panel to gain insights regarding accessing youth services, sharing any barriers they have experienced and other issues related to the challenges they face every day with alcohol, drugs and their mental health, and most importantly, youth will share what proactive approaches they recommend to address substance use and mental health.

The joint mission of AMHB and ABADA is to advocate for programs and services that promote healthy, independent, productive Alaskans. They also assist with the planning and coordinating of behavioral health services funded by the State of Alaska.

The meetings will be open for in-person attendance, online, and via telephone. For more information, please visit www.health.alaska.gov/abada/