Alaska Family Services receives national award

WASILLA — Mat-Su based Alaska Family Services (AFS) was recently honored as “Supervised Visitation Provider of the Year” at a June 2 national conference in San Antonio, Texas.

The organization was established in 1979 to respond to the needs of women and children in crisis in the Mat-Su Borough. What began as a small core of basic services has, according to Dr. Don Bennice, grown into a broad network of programs, including the only nationally accredited domestic violence/sexual assault shelter in Alaska. Bennice is the organization’s president and CEO.

Bennice said AFS was selected from more than 500 national and international peers at the national Supervised Visitation Network (SVN) conference held earlier this month. Sonya Hull, AFS family support and preservation program director, attended the conference and accepted the award on the agency’s behalf.

“The recognition comes in a year where the family support programs at Alaska Family Services have experienced tremendous growth, over doubling in size over the past 12 months,” Bennice said.

“(AFS’s nomination) resonated with our members because of the things their clients had to say about them. Among all our nominations, Alaska Family Services was voted as winner by a wide margin due largely in part to the care they have for the families they serve," Joe Nullet, SVN executive director, said in making the announcement.

Bennice said AFS recognition on an national scale is something new for the non-profit agency that houses approximately 20 different programs; all focused on helping build resiliency and health in families.

Bennice said the supervised visitation program honored is made up of a team of eight staff located at centers in both Wasilla and Palmer.

“More than 160 families are served in those two centers every week and the staff consistently strives to provide a safe and nurturing environment where children can have contact with their parents,” said Bennice. “This dedication to excellence, as well as the unique facets of providing social services in Alaska, is what earned (us) the honor.”

Bennice said AFS staff members provide services to families engaged in custody disputes within the court system and also to families with children in the custody of the Office of Children's Services. The goal of the program, he explained, is to ensure that children and parents have a fun, safe and nurturing space where they can interact and build relationships.

"It's a huge honor to be recognized for the work we do. So often the social services in our community fly under the radar. People generally have no idea what services are available and only seek them out when they are in the midst of a crisis and need help,” Hull said. “They come to us confused, defensive and scared and trust us to help them through difficult times. Everyday, staff step up to just that. They don't show up every day for recognition or applause-they do it because they want to see parents learn and grow and because they want children to be safe and loved. They put their best effort forth every day for the good of our community and I think it's wonderful that they now have tangible recognition for all they do."

Moving forward, Bennice said AFS staff hopes to use the information gathered at the national conference to better serve children and families.

“As the population of the Mat-Su continues to grow, the need for services will likely continue to grow as well. It is the hope of Alaska Family Services that they will be able to continue to expand and build on the solid foundation they already have in the community and will be able to reach more families and children,” said Bennice.

AFS offer a comprehensive array of services for women, children and families in need. From substance abuse counseling and family violence intervention, to parenting workshops and residential services for at-risk youth, each of our programs is designed to help strengthen and support families. Included are childcare assistance, job development, behavioral health, substance abuse treatment, parenting support and a nationally accredited domestic violence emergency shelter.

Bennice said anyone with questions regarding AFS or its programs can call the main office in Palmer at (907) 746-4080. A comprehensive list of services can be obtained on its website www.akafs.org.