Page 4 - 2018 MHT Annual Report

Letter from the Chair and CEO
Recent events have forced a wide range of Alaskans to recognize what the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and its stakeholders have known for a long time, that our behavioral health system doesn’t adequately support our citizens with mental health challenges. Although the individual news stories may be hard to hear, they remind us
of the need for the Trust’s work. For almost a quarter of a century, the Trust has provided catalytic funding to improve the lives of our beneficiaries. With the current challenges that Alaska’s community-based system of care is facing, the Trust’s work has never been more important. The Trust has had many successes, but we must and will remain committed to the Alaskans that need our help.
Our work at the Trust would not be possible without the support and expertise of
our statewide network of grantees and partners. In the last fiscal year, the Trust granted close to $20 million to providers, nonprofits, state and local governments,
and tribal organizations who are helping make a difference in the lives of Alaska’s most vulnerable populations. We positively impacted beneficiaries and the providers who support them by helping fund statewide initiatives and community-based projects, and mini grants to Alaskans to help improve quality of life and independence.
In addition to grant funding, FY 2018 also included growth in the Alaska Mental Health Trust Fund and Trust reserves,
and strong performance of the lands and natural resources managed by the Trust Land Office. Trust financial assets remain healthy, with funds managed by the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation and the Alaska Department of Revenue totaling more than $550 million at the end of the fiscal year.
The Trust continues to educate the public and policy-makers on the unique needs of our beneficiaries. As such, in FY 2018, the Trust continued to advance two key initiatives, Medicaid reform and criminal justice reinvestment, in addition to our ongoing program work. Medicaid reform and criminal justice reinvestment are both topics of interest in current public policy discussions, and both play an essential role in the state’s comprehensive mental health program that supports health
and wellness, public safety and a sustainable continuum of care for beneficiaries. You will read more about both initiatives in the full report.
This year, the Trust has also been engaged with the state of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, our statutory advisory boards and other partners in developing a new Comprehensive Integrated Mental Health Plan. Slated for completion in 2019, the “Comp Plan” will guide resource allocation decisions in the development of services, workforce and facilities to meet
the needs of Trust beneficiaries and reduce the risk of becoming a beneficiary through prevention and early intervention.
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