We at Anchorage Community Mental Health Services were very alarmed to hear about a proposal to eliminate the master’s in clinical psychology program at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
We frequently provide internships and hire graduates from this program, and have found them to be well-prepared for the work we do and excellent staff members. We have one program in which 100% of the therapists are UAA graduates, and have at least one program graduate in each of our teams. Graduates with an M.S. in clinical psychology are the backbone of Alaska’s mental health workforce, doing most of the direct individual and group therapy that helps people struggling with mental illness to recover and improve their lives.
We are the largest provider of community-based mental health services in Alaska, serving more than 2,000 Alaskans each year in Anchorage and Fairbanks. In a state with high rates of child abuse and neglect, sexual assault and substance abuse, we know that there is greater community need for mental health services. The biggest current barrier to growth is recruiting qualified staff. This program closure would make it even harder.
We urge UAA leadership to carefully consider this recommendation and take the time to hear from the community before making a final decision.
— Jim Myers, MBA
Joshua Arvidson, LCSW
Anchorage Community Mental Health Services
Anchorage
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