Set Free Alaska moves services over the telehealth model to serve community during COVID-19 outbreak

WASILLA — Those in the recovery field know that addiction thrives in isolation and maintaining social connections is vital for recovery, that’s why Set Free Alaska rose to the challenge of COVID-19 quarantine measures and moved their substance abuse treatment and services to telehealth in a matter of days.

“Our staff— being that this is an essential service line— is doing everything that we can to help clients and meet this need,” Set Free Alaska Executive Director Philip Licht said. “Maybe they’re in recovery and they’re struggling with triggers and thoughts of relapse… Maybe they’re lonely, whatever that need may be, they don’t have to walk through that alone.”

According to Licht, Set Free staff were able to turn all their services, including their children’s and outpatients program around in about five days.

“We serve hundreds of clients at a time… It was a heavy lift but we were able to do it quickly,” Licht said.

Licht said about 95 percent of their services were provided in person prior to the outbreak. Now, those numbers are basically reversed for the time being.

“We’re navigating that. I can’t say it’s been easy. It’s been difficult because we’re dealing with those issues ourselves. Our families have been impacted and isolated and we’re trying to help other people going through the same situations,” Licht said. “But I tell ya, our team has really been stepping up to the challenge.”

Licht said that Set Free staff members are taking all the precautionary measures necessary to follow CDC guidelines and working from home to serve their clients. They periodically check in with their existing clients to see how they’re fairing through this time period.

“People who enter the human service field, they don’t do it to get rich. I’ll tell ya that. They do it because they have a heart to help people. They have a heart to help others and serve others,” Licht said. “ I see that in our team every day as they’re just constantly putting it all out there to help other people, keep people sober and walk with them through their mental health challenges as things come up and all this stress from our world today.”

Set Free is very active on Facebook. Licht posts weekly videos with messages of encouragement and ways to cope with the at-home quarantines.

“We want the community to know that they’re not alone. Even though we’re physically distant and we’re not allowed to meet in groups and all these things, they don’t have to go through this alone,” Licht said.

Set Free is a faith-based organization and encourages their clients to read scripture passages during treatment. Utilizing the bible is also part of their ongoing social media challenges in an effort to stay connected with their clients during this difficult time.

“It’s kind of a combination of information… There’s so much fear and concern and sometimes negativity going out on social media. We’re trying to be a little more of a positive, uplifting kind of voice,” Licht said.

Licht said that a lot of people don’t realize how large their children’s program is.

“We can help you and your children navigate these times,” Licht said.

Set Free Alaska still accepting new patients. For more information, call 907- 373-4732 or visit setfreealaska.org. To view their weekly videos or see the most recent updates, look them up on Facebook.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com.