“We can’t wait.” MyHouse set to offer first-of-its kind transitional treatment program for youth

The Mat-Su Borough has one of the most robust recovery communities in Alaska, with different levels and treatment options for people in not just the local community, but others throughout the state.

And soon, there will be another option as MyHouse will soon be offering a 3.1 Transitional Youth Residential Program, the first of its kind in the state of Alaska program for an underserved demographic.

“This is no treatment program that specifically focuses on the demographic of our clients, which is very different and unique than the general population,” said Isaac Smoldon, Communications Director for MyHouse.

Alaska’s youth experience some of the highest rates of homelessness and substance use in the nation, highlighting the urgency of innovative, holistic solutions, which is what this new program aims to do. Building on more than a decade of MyHouse’s success in supporting youth, the 3.1 program will integrate clinical care with practical job training, life-skills development, and personal growth opportunities.

Smoldon says the program is the result of a collaboration with True North Recovery, using elements of their successful recovery program and integrating the wraparound services offered by MyHouse, which will meet clients’ immediate needs and their long-term developmental goals

“We refer a lot of clients to places True North, and they can be in there with clients that are 40 or 50, and it’s not really the same demographic. It can work, it has worked, but when we’re talking about the co-occurrences of mental health with substance abuse, we’re dealing with a population that has a different mindset,” he says.

Designed specifically for transitional-age individuals between 18 and 26, the mission of this program is to addresses the critical need for wide-ranging support for young adults facing homelessness, recovery challenges, and instability, and represents a transformative expansion of MyHouse’s commitment to Alaska’s youth.

While the MyHouse 3.1 Transitional Youth Residential Program will ultimately operate out of the new Carson-Cottle Center, which is currently under construction, Smoldon says the need is now, so in the meantime, the program will utilize a four-bedroom townhouse, creating a safe, structured, and supportive environment, housing up to eight participants at a time.

“We can’t wait and continue to allow clients to slip through the cracks because there’s not anything like this offered…when we see the need, we’re going to fill it.”

The program is divided into four distinct phases-stabilization, employment and skill-building, independent transition, and exit and aftercare. This structured approach ensures that each person utilizing the program will receive the tools, resources, and guidance necessary to overcome challenges and build a strong foundation for the future.

“It is one of the most innovative and cutting edge programs that I’ve seen in the field of treatment services,” Smoldon says.

Grounded in the ASAM Level 3.1 Residential Services model, the program is structured to inspire hope and provide a clear pathway to sustainable independence, fulfilling MyHouse’s vision of transforming lives and creating lasting change.

“We’re doing a 3.1 program with the MyHouse twist to it, bringing in that really valued career and job training, education, and all the other things they offer,” says Bryan Fields, Peer Support Specialist at MyHouse. Fields says that most other facilities don’t typically allow clients to leave while they work through their programs, unless arranged by a case manager. That won’t necessarily be the case for this program.

“Our facility is going to run in the sense that we’ll have a daily schedule, we’ll have group meetings, then after 10:00 a.m. everybody’s out of the house at work, in school, or with case management.” Fields says that as clients progress through the program, the idea is for the clients to obtain their own employment outside of a MyHouse internship and still be able to live within treatment.

“I think that is going to be a major difference from other programs. We’re still going to provide the other needed pieces-mental health clinician to provide trauma informed care, for example. But we’re also incorporating life skills for our specific age groups.”

Fields says another aspect to the program will be using a broader scope of treatment options, incorporating traditional AA/NA aspects, but also being aware that some people suffering from substance use disorder get sober by going to church or becoming physically active and getting outdoors.

“We’ll use the AA/NA model, but also explore other avenues. There are lots of pathways to recovery, and with our demographic we believe it will be more beneficial to use multiple approaches.”

“We want to incorporate all of the things-talking circles, spiritual elements, physical elements, a holistic approach. A comprehensive, complete path to recovery,” adds Smoldon.

These elements will empower participants to build skills, gain real-world experience, and lay the foundation for lifelong independence. The program also incorporates a forward-thinking approach to financial stability, requiring participants to save a portion of their earnings to create a financial cushion for future housing, education, or other essential needs.

“More than ‘curing’ them, it’s about planting those seeds and growing life skills within them so they have the ability to succeed.”

There is no definitive time for the program to open up, but both Fields and Smoldon are excited about the program and providing something that is needed in the community, while also giving an often ignored population the opportunity to feel welcomed and surrounded by the people at MyHouse.

“I think this is going to be super awesome. I’m really excited,” says Fields.