(October 28, 2020) – During an October 2020 board meeting, the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority board of trustees unanimously directed $150,000 to United Human Services of SE Alaska for the final design phase and site preparation for the Southeast Community Services Center (SCSC).
SCSC is a planned, 12,500 sq. foot multi-tenant nonprofit center in Juneau that will be a one-stop location for Trust beneficiaries seeking services. Agencies that are currently committed to long-term leases at the SCSC include Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL), Alaska Legal Services, Disability Law Center of Alaska, NAMI Juneau, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska, United Way of Southeast Alaska and the Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition. By co-locating agencies at SCSC, clients will benefit from facilitated referrals, greater awareness of available resources, and reduced transportation burdens while co-located nonprofit tenants benefit from efficiencies of scale, resulting in considerable cost savings.
“This collaborative project will have a tremendously positive impact for not only Trust beneficiaries receiving needed services in Juneau, but for the nonprofit agencies providing those services,” said board chair Chris Cooke. “This grant is a great example of the Trust’s support for improvements to the continuum of community based services that are so essential in improving the lives and circumstances of our beneficiaries.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the Trust in bringing this innovative project to fruition,” said United Human Services of SE Alaska Executive Director Joan O’Keefe. “The SCSC will be at the heart of a collaborative social services campus designed to address the needs of our most vulnerable citizens. By working together to strengthen the way our services are delivered, we will improve outcomes for seniors and people who experience disabilities in our community.”
The Trust joins community funding partners the Juneau Community Foundation and the City and Borough of Juneau in support of this phase of the project. The Trust awards grants year-round, and supports projects and organizations that serve its beneficiaries. Beneficiaries of the Trust include Alaskans who experience mental illness, substance use disorders, developmental disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, and traumatic brain injuries.
Contact: Allison Biastock, Chief Communications Officer 907.334.2531, allison.biastock@alaska.gov