Reclaiming Futures in Anchorage, Alaska

Tom Begich, coach and former project director in Anchorage Alaska, describes how Reclaiming Futures has transcended anything they ever imagined to create a safer, healthier community. 

• Crime and substance abuse rates are down
• Graduation rates are up 
• Evidence-based practices are driving change

Reclaiming Futures Anchorage has achieved this by:

• Focusing on young people ages 12-18 who represent the ethnic diversity of the local juvenile justice population
• Screening all youth entering the justice system for drug, alcohol and mental health issues
• Improving treatment and services
• Increasing planning and communication between internal agencies
• Collaborating with the community and agencies to help improve outcomes for youth through mentoring, pro-social opportunities, incentives for engagement and treatment success 

Kudos to Anchorage!

Susan Richardson is national executive director for Reclaiming Futures. Formerly, she was a senior program officer in the health care division of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust in North Carolina, where she led a three-year effort involving the state's juvenile justice and treatment leaders to adopt the Reclaiming Futures model by juvenile courts in six North Carolina counties. She received her B.S. in Public Health, Health Policy and Administration, from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.