SCF favors an inclusive approach to health care, including behavioral care, that engages customers and makes them active partners in their care, on both an individual and a community level. As part of this approach, SCF develops Behavioral Health Aides (BHAs), who are village-based counselors who are given training to address behavioral health needs in their communities. Their education ranges from CDC to Masters-level Clinician. BHAs help customer-owners deal with a wide variety of issues, including alcohol, drug, and tobacco use, as well as grief, depression, suicide, and related issues.
The BHA program is facilitated through the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s Behavioral Health Department. SCF provides oversight and supervision for 10 BHAs in the rural villages of the Anchorage Service Unit. Weekly supervision is provided via telecommunication.
SCF also uses telehealth to provide behavioral health care in rural areas when it is needed. This takes advantage of the telehealth infrastructure SCF has in place for remote villages, and its use is expanding as bandwidth increases and technology improves. This can be augmented by clinical site visits by behavioral providers when it is needed. SCF works with the tribal councils in these rural communities to address each community’s unique health care needs. SCF also incorporates community feedback to continually improve care offerings.
There are many challenges that can arise in providing behavioral health care in remote locations, but as SCF’s experience shows, an inclusive, community-based approach can help navigate these challenges and lead to quality care being available for all customers regardless of physical location.