Dear Fellow Alliance Members,

It is spring, and what a wonderful time to return to work! With the days getting longer and the promise of all the things warmer weather brings, I’m also feeling encouraged by the growth and opportunities that are happening for The Alliance and Recover Alaska. I wish I could have been at the strategic action planning convening earlier this month, but I was busy tending to the growth of my family after my son's birth last December.

As I’ve been working to catch up on all the learnings and feedback, I can feel a palpable stirring within the soul of The Alliance. I have heard concerns that The Alliance is losing the intentional processes that make us who we are. I’ve also heard the need for action. I am confident we can address both. Our next season will involve both a prioritization of relationships AND solidifying a plan to accomplish our big tasks. We owe that to each other, to our neighbors, to our community, and to the movement. Many of us have felt the effects of alcohol misuse and the beauty of recovery, and we are ready to take the next step as a network to create the wellness we envision for everyone in our beautiful state.   

This has been a challenging year and transitional time for The Alliance. As with any change and growth, there are fears, and sometimes missteps happen. I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge these things. We have had changes in leadership that have not gone smoothly. We have not always communicated in a way that has shown respect for your capacity to participate. We want each of you to be part of The Alliance and are open to how that may look. We apologize for emails and/or other communications that have been confusing at best and shaming at worst. We will do our best to correct and repair them moving forward.

We look forward to understanding better how to engage with each of you in this powerful work. Whether you have been with us since the beginning five years ago or joined us this week—thank you for being here! This will be a big season, a big year, a big time for The Alliance. As I walk with my family, I listen to the ice melting, watch dirty cars go by, smell all the thawing treasures left in the snow, and smile. Change is messy and slippery. Shift happens. But all in service of new blooms. Here’s to another five years!
Please don’t hesitate to contact me or our interim program manager for The Alliance, Sara Platt, [email protected], to find out what The Alliance can do for you and how you can get more connected.
Best,
Tiffany Hall
We will always do our best to publish upcoming events in a timely, regular manner for our newsletter subscribers. We also keep an event calendar through the Recover Alaska website that allows our partners a secondary means of sharing their event news with our community. We welcome your submissions!
Fairbanks Wellness Coalition has several exciting events in April. Fliers for each event are linked for those curious about additional details.



  • Beyond Self-Care (examining soul exhaustion): On April 9th at 6 pm, presented by Sarah Gaer at Access Alaska.

  • Here. Is. Better. (a movie about PTSD): On April 11th at 5:30 pm, presented in partnership with Alaska Behavioral Health.
QPR: Train the Trainer and Gatekeeper Trainings

April 30: Train the Trainer from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
May 1: QPR Gatekeeper Training from 10:15 am to 12:45 pm

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) is an evidence-based suicide prevention training. QPR trainings hosted by Sister Sky are culturally customized for American Indian/Alaska Native communities by AI/AN behavioral health experts. QPR Train the Trainer is an intensive, all-day, participatory training designed to prepare trainers to become certified QPR trainers. This 6-hour training is appropriate for those who want to deliver QPR Training to build the suicide prevention capacity in the community. The certification is valid for up to three years.

QPR Gatekeeper Training is intended to teach individuals to perform a quick intervention to help someone with suicidal thoughts or feelings. Learn to effectively support our community members struggling with mental health issues and suicidal feelings through a 3-hour training session (certification valid for up to 1 year). Seating is limited, and pre-registration is required. Registration will close April 19.
Examining FASD Diagnosis ECHO

The Examining FASD Diagnosis ECHO is a virtual learning network that will explore the necessity of establishing a holistic system of care to support those impacted by prenatal alcohol exposure. The series will feature the expertise of those with lived experience and professionals in screening, assessment, and evaluation, as well as treatment integration.

This is a Zoom event that is free to attend and is intended for interdisciplinary, multi-sector clinical and non-clinical experts who provide support and services to individuals impacted by prenatal alcohol exposure. This ECHO series is sponsored by the Department of Health, Office of Substance Misuse and Addiction Prevention and hosted by University of Alaska Anchorage, Center for Human Development, Project ECHO. Free continuing education credit will be offered and more information will be available.
Save the date for this year’s Alaska Suicide Prevention conference taking place in Anchorage on May 1-2, hosted by the State of Alaska, Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health, the Statewide Suicide Prevention Council, the Alaska Mental Health Trust, and the
Alaska Mental Health Board/Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. This will be a free
conference open to all who wish to participate. If you have general conference inquiries, please email the conference coordinator, Monica, at [email protected].
Affirming Our Identities: Awareness to Action Conference

May 15-17, 2024 at Centennial Hall in Juneau, Alaska
Audience: Mental Health Professionals

The conference will explore the complex and multifaceted ways in which our various identities shape us, intersect, and influence one another. Over the course of three days, hear from a diverse group of speakers, participate in interactive workshops, and engage in thoughtful discussions on topics such as race, culture, gender, sexuality, ability, ethnicity, and more. This is an opportunity for Alaska's professionals to network and learn together with mental health practitioners from across the country! The goal is to raise awareness and move to action as change agents who are culturally informed, trauma informed, anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and more sensitive to all of our clients' identities. Learn more and register here.
The Alliance Launches on Social Media

It's official, we have a Facebook and Instagram profile. Like or follow us and tell your friends!

The Communications Workgroup will be preparing a monthly social media calendar to allow for another communication channel for The Alliance. In addition to sharing posts about the social norms campaign, communications on social media will supplement all other communications and serve to increase awareness and enhance new member recruitment. If you have items you'd like us to share on social, let us know! Contact Communications Workgroup Weaver Faith Ozer Green at [email protected].
We Need You—Help Us Engage with Alaska Youth and Share the Choose Connection Campaign!

The social norms campaign has been live for a few months, and we're hoping to expand its reach throughout Alaska's communities. For those who didn't attend the social norms training at the planning session, we have prepared a Campaign Outreach Toolkit, where you'll find additional information about the campaign, folders with campaign materials, templates for engaging with local media and community partners, and a form where you can submit requests to order printed campaign materials.

We'd also like to hear your perspectives on how to better reach Alaskans in your communities. If you have ideas for events and local outreach, let us know! Email Kelby Murphy at [email protected].

Finally, we'll be hosting a booth at the Native Youth Olympic Games in Anchorage, on April 25-April 27, and we'd love to have volunteers to help host the booth and engage with youth about the campaign. Booth hours are 10am-5pm on Thursday and Friday, and 10am-4pm on Saturday. Please contact Kelby or Sara Platt if you are interested in helping us at this event.
Now Hiring for OSMAP's Marijuana Awareness and Misuse Prevention Program

The Public Health Specialist 2 is a principal consultant for departmental staff and state agencies on policy, systems, and environmental impacts on substance misuse and addiction. In their role overseeing the Alaska Marijuana Awareness and Misuse Prevention program, Community-Based Prevention, Provider and Public Education, and the After-School Positive Youth Development grant programs, they guide external organizations on prevention, interventions, programs, surveillance, evaluation, and reporting of substance misuse and addiction. Additionally, they offer consultation and support to partners, enhancing their capacity to analyze and apply surveillance data for program development and assessment.

This is a range 20 position, and the posting closes on 4/8/24. Click here to learn more about the Public Health Specialist role and to apply.
Suicide Prevention Training in Unalaska

There was an ASIST Training in Unalaska on March 2-3, 2024. Seven community members have now been certified through this suicide prevention program. There were 10 certified last September, and we hope to host another training this fall. We know suicidal ideation and substance use are often co-occurring and harmful coping strategies. We hope to help our community in Unalaska heal by supporting one another. This training was requested by the local Community for Community (C4C) group.
Join the Communications Workgroup

The Communications Workgroup resumed meeting in February, and we're hoping you'll join us! We will be implementing the Youth Underage Alcohol Use Prevention campaign, working on The Alliance website updates, and providing outreach to current and potential network members through the monthly newsletter and our new Facebook page! If you're interested in joining the workgroup or being updated more regularly on activities, please email Communications Workgroup Weaver Faith Ozer Green ([email protected]) and Kelby Murphy at [email protected].
Join The Alliance as a Regional Co-Chair

We're on the lookout for dedicated individuals to become Regional Co-Chairs across the state, specifically in the Copper River Delta, Rural Interior, Northern, Northwest, and Yukon Kuskokwim regions of Alaska.

As Co-Chair, you'll play a vital role in bridging the gap between your region and The Alliance, fostering real-time communication and collaboration. Recognizing the significance of local relationships, we invite those with a passion for recovery and community empowerment to take on this meaningful role. If you or someone you know is ready to make a positive impact, reach out to Stephanie Stillwell at [email protected].

Stephanie is the current Gulf Coast Regional Co-Chair and the Co-Chair Builder for The Alliance. Join us in building a stronger, more connected recovery network in Alaska!
About The Alliance

The Alliance is a collaborative effort of multiple and diverse partners across Alaska who recognize the impacts of alcohol misuse on individuals and communities. We are personally and professionally committed to working together to address this complex problem in our state.

Our primary goal is to connect and engage communities as partners — increasing protective factors, reducing risk factors, and changing social norms — to prevent underage alcohol use and eliminate adult misuse in Alaska.

Alliance Materials


Get Involved

Between starting new work and sustaining our progress, there are many opportunities to participate in The Alliance! All current workgroups are open to any member who would like to join. You can always read more about our workgroups and their purpose on the Get Involved page of our website. Our network practices an emergent strategy, and we update information based on our network's needs.

  • The Communications/Social Norms Workgroup will be supporting the social norms campaign and The Alliance's various other internal and external communications needs. The Comms Workgroup meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 1-2 pm.
  • The Data and Learning Workgroup will be supporting data equity conversations and practices.
  • The Evaluation and Learning Workgroup is where members can participate in developing and overseeing the process of reflecting on the work of the network to identify what is working well and where more attention may be needed so we can continue to develop and grow.
  • The Strategy and Design Workgroup builds structures and processes for the network to work in alignment with our values and theory of change.

You are welcome to reach out with questions about those workgroups or to ask to join any of them.
If you would like to submit content for The Alliance newsletter, please email Sara at [email protected] and Erin Torgerson at [email protected].