Behavioral Health Services
The Eastern Aleutian Tribes Behavioral Health Services Department is staffed by master’s level Clinicians and Behavioral Health Aides. Behavioral Health Aides are encouraged to undergo extensive training through the University of Alaska Rural Services Program. Behavioral Health staff members are available to each of the eight communities served by EAT either in person when the clinician is in the community or through our state-of-the-art tele-video conferencing system.
Crisis and Emergency Care and Treatment
A clinician, in response to a crisis or emergency request, provides immediate evaluation to patients whose level of functioning is seriously impaired and/or may be a danger to themselves or others due to their clinical profile or use of substances. EAT provides crisis intervention services via emergency telephone 24/7/365. Experienced clinicians take calls on a rotating basis and make face to face contact with the clients whenever possible following the call requesting help.
Emotional
EAT serves adults, adolescents, and children who may be experiencing depression, anxiety, or grief. The Behavioral Health Services Program prioritizes individuals who suffer from mental illness (major affective disorder or major thought disorder) or who are a danger to themselves or others due to emotional distress.
EAT is a safe place to turn if a person is a victim of family or any other type of violence. Individual and/or group counseling services are available to individuals, and staff work with the individual to decide on the course of treatment.
EAT helps arrange psychiatric services and medication management when it has been determined that medications are appropriate to aid with a mental illness. A clinician will evaluate patients requesting Behavioral Health services to determine the least restrictive appropriate level of care for the individual. If needed, referral and access assistance is provided for patients who can best benefit from inpatient and residential services. The patient is encouraged to actively participate with the clinician in discussing the level of care recommended and the treatment dynamics involved.
The EAT Behavioral Health Department accepts referrals from schools to aid with young people who may be exhibiting inappropriate behavior or appear to be suffering from ADHD. Parents are asked to be fully involved with the treatment of their child. Family Counseling services are available to aid families experiencing emotional upset or stress due to inappropriate behavior by one or more members of the family. Each of these services can be provided at the local clinic or at the family’s home, if desired.
Substance Abuse Services
The Substance Abuse Program gives priority to pregnant women and those patients seeking recovery, but no individual is turned away. The program provides a therapeutic outpatient treatment approach for the recovery and relapse prevention of individuals suffering from substance abuse or dependency and experiencing related problems due to their continuing use of the substance, but do not require residential treatment.
Those who have completed residential treatment and need after care services are welcome to utilize services offered by the EAT Behavioral Health Program.
EAT provides referrals for those who require alternate services not provided through the EAT Outpatient Substance Abuse Program. EAT promotes community awareness regarding the problems of substance abuse and supports the development of alternative activities that help the community and individuals seek out non-substance social and emotional outlets.
The EAT Behavioral Health Program staffs a Tobacco Prevention Coordinator who aids individuals expressing a desire to cease their use of tobacco. The outpatient Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse programs are best suited for persons who do not have medical or psychiatric problems requiring inpatient treatment, and who are able to abstain from mind-altering chemicals outside a structured environment. Family members are encouraged to participate in treatment upon approval of the patient. Patients under the age of 18 are seen, provided a parent or legal guardian signs a consent for treatment and agrees to participate with the patient when appropriate.
EAT believes and treats dependency as a disease, but also knows that recovery is possible, and Clinicians strive to help everyone served to discover their own recovery. Each participant in the counseling service agrees to be free of mind-altering chemicals except for prescribed medication at the time of outpatient appointments and to attend all scheduled treatment activities. Failure to maintain this agreement may result in dismissal from counseling. As provided for by patient’s rights, each patient is entitled to participate in the development and evaluation of a written treatment plan. Treatment planning is done at the conclusion of the intake procedure and is then updated regularly as the individual progresses in treatment. The confidentiality of patient records and personal information is protected by federal laws and state regulations. Patient information, including the fact or any association that the client is a patient in the program, may not be disclosed to anyone unless the patient consents in writing or otherwise provided by law, as allowed by a court order, or to medical personnel in case of a medical emergency.
There are no restrictions with regard to sex, religion, race, sexual identification, disability, or national origin for any of our services.
Behavioral Health staff members are available to each of the eight communities served by EAT either in person when the clinician is in the community or through state-of-the-art tele-video conferencing system.