North Star Behavioral Health

When a child is struggling with mental health issues, it can be difficult to know where to turn. We know it can be scary, but we are here for you.

Congratulations to Patricia, Mental Health Specialist, for being selected as Employee of the Month in July. Patricia's coworkers and leaders say that she consistently models the four pillars of our “Not on Our Watch” initiative, regularly builds report with patients and utilizes that connection to successfully facilitate de-escalations. She consistently goes above and beyond for the milieu and continuously models our mission to deliver exceptional care. Congratulations, Patricia.

We are honored to welcome Monica Anderson, Spiritual Wellness & Organizational Culture Leader, to our team! This role is designed to inspire, support and nurture leaders, patients and staff through challenging and traumatic events associated with the care of the patient within the psychiatric setting. Sharing her why, Monica stated; “I had worked with several of the present North Star leaders in my former position. I knew them to be people of integrity, people who were servant leaders and in their roles for the right reasons. I know they wanted to continue to help create a culture at North Star that was healing for both the patients served and the staff that served. They want to create a culture where everyone is valued and encouraged to bring the best version of themselves to work.” We could not ask for a better person to fill this position!

What an honor to have Matt Peterson, Executive Vice President and President of the Behavioral Health Division of our parent company, come to Alaska and meet with our teams. Joining Matt were Kerry Knott, Senior Vice President; Michelle Jackson, Regional Vice President; and Christopher West, Regional Vice President. We had an amazing time hosting them and highlighting our various programs and facilities. Our leadership team shared information about our dedicated staff and the compassionate care we are providing. Thank you, Matt and team, for taking the time to come to Alaska and learn more about our mission to deliver exceptional healthcare!

We are excited to welcome Kara Gagnon as our new Director of Pharmacy! Kara comes to us with 14 years of experience in a variety of pharmacy settings including hospital, community and managed care. She earned her bachelor's degree in Microbiology from Oklahoma State University and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Tennessee. Kara then completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency in Knoxville, TN and obtained board certification in both Pharmacotherapy and Psychiatric Pharmacy. As the caretaker of a family member diagnosed with schizophrenia and a military spouse of 11 years, Kara is passionate about mental health advocacy. We are so grateful to welcome Kara and know she will be an amazing addition to the team! We look forward to her contributions to North Star Behavioral Health and Chris Kyle Patriots Hospital as the new Director of Pharmacy.

Happy Fourth of July! Today we celebrate our freedoms and the sacrifices of those who fought for our independence. #HappyFourth

The boys at our Summit program in Palmer had the perfect weather to have a fun mini on-site camping adventure. The boys had an amazing time and so did our staff. Way to go Palmer team for making this fun adventure happen for the boys!

We have a great team of staff!!! Our amazing Dietary team got up extra early this morning to surprise patients and staff with freshly baked cinnamon rolls. What a treat for everyone! Much gratitude to Amanda, our Dietary Director, and her team for their thoughtfulness and compassion.

During June, and throughout the year, let's band together as a community, a state, and a nation to raise awareness about PTSD. All too often, most people who have PTSD won't seek help. Everyone, civilian and service members alike need to know that treatments really do work and can lead to a better quality of life. We are here 24/7 if you are someone you love is struggling with PTSD. Call us today at 907-264-3506 for a no-cost confidential assessment. #PTSDAwarenessMonth

June is National Pride Month and everyone, especially our youth, deserves to live in a loving world. Did you know that just one accepting adult can decrease the risk of suicide by 40% for LGBTQ+ young people? If you or a loved one needs an accepting environment, please reach out. Call 907-264-3506 today.