A <a href="https://healthylife7.com/doing-more-with-less-how-counties-can-successfully-address-behavioral-health-crisis-response-needs/” title=”Doing More With Less: How Counties Can Successfully Address Behavioral Health Crisis Response Needs”>behavioral health recovery center opening in Anchorage’s Fairview neighborhood will focus on mobile outreach
Alaska Public Media |
By
Hannah Flor
Published July 17, 2026 at 1:21 PM AKDT
James Daggett
/
Alaska Public Media
A behavioral health recovery center slated to open in Anchorage’s Fairview neighborhood will not operate a walk-in crisis clinic as previously planned. True North Recovery signed an agreement this week with the Fairview Community Council, appeasing some critics of the project
Assembly member Sydney Scout represents the area and expressed concern about the location of the proposed clinic
“We need to be supporting Fairview and neighborhoods like it,” she said, “and not forcing them to bear the burden of our public health and safety issues here in Anchorage.”
Neighborhood representatives and community members worried the clinic would bring people with mental health and addiction issues to the area. The neighborhood has a large number of homeless and substance use services. The clinic location is close to the Fairview Community Recreation Center, a neighborhood hub for kids
The Anchorage Assembly voted to award $750,00 in federal funds to the nonprofit at last week’s Anchorage Assembly meeting. Scout, along with Daniel Volland and Donald Handeland, voted against the proposal
The written contract, called a “good neighbor agreement” and signed by True North Recovery and the Fairview Community Council, outlines how the nonprofit will operate in order to reduce negative impacts. It states that the clinic in Fairview will be used for by-appointment outpatient services and administration. Instead of a centralized crisis model, the nonprofit will meet people where they are through mobile outreach
The agreement is non-binding, but includes a plan to resolve disputes
James Savage, with True North Recovery, said while the good neighbor agreement wasn’t required, the nonprofit has been successful because of community connections and relationships
“We would like to build a very fruitful, very honest, and transparent relationship with the community that we’re trying to serve,” he said. “We’ve been wildly successful doing just that in all of the other communities and locations that we provide service, and we hope to have the same relationship with the municipality, with the community.”
Public officials have said that the city needs more behavioral health services. Now that the good neighbor agreement has been ironed out, Scout said, she is in favor of the clinic
“There is absolutely a need for behavior health services in Anchorage,” she said. “I’d say that True North Recovery, who received this grant, is a great provider to fill that need.”
The clinic will be located in the Access Alaska building at 10th Ave. and Latouche St. The nonprofit is currently finalizing the purchase of the property. True North Recovery also has a peer support-based crisis center in Wasilla, and many other sites around the state
