Priority: Prevention & Early Intervention
"Our ultimate goal is to work ourselves out of a job by giving children the tools they need to be independent, successful, and emotionally resilient adults."
– Chelsea, Community Partner
Every child in Alaska has the chance to grow up healthy, supported, and resilient, with families and communities equipped to meet their needs from the very beginning.
Overview
Areas of work supported through this priority could include:
- Early Screening, identification, and intervention
- Mental health, suicide, TBI, dementia, overdose and SUD prevention
- Family, wellness and resiliency supports
- Home-based parent/family services
- Institutional diversion
- Programs and initiatives that build protective factors, reduce the risk of ACEs
The Trust invests in strategies that strengthen wellness, stability, and resilience across the lifespan. Guided by Priority 1 of the Trust’s Strategic Planning Framework, this work in prevention and intervention focuses on early identification of beneficiary and family needs, strengthening protective factors, and ensuring Trust beneficiaries can access effective services.
A significant part of this priority area includes promoting healthy development early in life. By investing in supports that nurture strong beginnings—such as early childhood mental health consultation, family resource centers, home visiting, and culturally grounded parenting programs—the Trust helps families build protective factors that contribute to lifelong wellbeing. These efforts complement broader prevention strategies that reduce exposure to adverse experiences, strengthen resilience and address risks before they escalate into crises. Additional emphasis is placed on fostering strong community partnerships that expand access to early supports and ensure individuals and families can easily navigate to the right services at the right time.
This priority area advances early intervention, individual and family health promotion, home-based services, and community-based prevention that help beneficiaries maintain independence, avoid institutional care, and experience better long‑term health outcomes. By addressing risks proactively, enhancing coordinated pathways into care, and removing barriers that prevent timely access to support, the Trust supports stronger families and communities where beneficiaries can thrive.
Alignment with the Comp Plan
This Trust priority aligns most closely with the following areas of focus within Strengthening the System: Alaska’s Comprehensive Integrated Mental Health Program Plan (Comp Plan). The plan is developed by the Department of Health and the Department of Family and Community Services with support from the Trust and in coordination with community stakeholders. The Comp Plan identifies priorities for the next five years to inform planning and funding decisions to meet the needs of Trust beneficiaries.
- Area of Focus 1: Early Childhood and Youth
- Area of Focus 4: Substance Use Disorder Prevention
- Area of Focus 5: Suicide Prevention
- Area of Focus 6: Protecting Vulnerable Alaskans
Contact
Resources
- State of Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin: Epidemiology of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Alaska (2023)
- Alaska Early Childhood Environmental Scan: A Baseline Report on the Condition of Young Children (All Alaska Pediatric Partnership, 2020)
- Alaska Longitudinal Child Abuse and Neglect Linkage Project (ALCANLink, 2019)
- Overview of Alaska’s Behavioral Health System of Care for Children (DOH) (2023)
- Child and Adolescent Behavioral Healthcare Improvement Project (AHHA) (2022)
- Messages of Hope: Promoting Wellness to Prevent Suicide in Alaska, 2023-2027 Statewide Suicide Prevention Plan (DOH)