Lawmakers and students are calling for stronger support for Alaska’s mental health crisis response system during Annual Advocacy Day.
Students from western Alaska traveled hundreds of miles to share their stories and highlight the need for action.
At the center of the push is a proposed bill to expand support for the 9-8-8 crisis line, ensuring the lifeline and related services have reliable funding.
Rep. Genevieve Mina (D-Anchorage) stressed the urgency of the issue. “We have known for years that mental health is a crisis in this state, but the problem is we are not paying for these services to be able to intervene and address these crises to help Alaskans to address their situation,” she said.
If passed, the legislation would provide consistent funding to help Alaskans access crisis intervention and support when they need it most.
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