PODCAST · news
Solutions Desk
by Alaska Public Media
Alaska, like every other state, has problems. But it also has solutions. Some are new and innovative, and some are centuries old. Each week Alaska Public Media's Solutions Desk will highlight what's happening around the state that's making our communities stronger.
Episodes
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Natasha's full story
Natasha Gamache tried a lot of different things to find recovery from substance misuse. Finally, after listening to one woman's story, she found the solution she needed. Here's her story. She hopes it might be the one that will help others find their answers, too.
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12-steps and lots of detours on the road to recovery
Natasha grew up surrounded by alcohol and abuse. By 11, she was drinking to help manage her anxiety and depression. Now, 26 years later, she’s in recovery and in college. Her journey was long and filled with partial solutions, but the final 12-steps helped her begin to heal.
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Transforming perspectives on trauma through paintings of hope
Traumatic childhood experiences can lead to problems later in life, like addiction. But these problems don't define a person, and stories that start with trauma can end with hope. A new set of murals illustrates the transformation of seven Alaskans, and the process of creating them transformed…
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Covey Cafe gives young people a chance to shine
A new coffee house is teaching at-risk youth life and work skills. This story was produced by residents of Covenant House, a youth shelter in Anchorage.
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Taking action to reduce substance misuse
Substance use disorders are diseases caused by many factors. Preventing and treating them requires input from everyone, not just law enforcement and health professionals. Those are some of the key messages in the state’s new opioid action plan. On Talk of Alaska, we’ll discuss the plan and the…
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Envisioning recovery
Karen Mitchell is the Behavioral Health Aide in Noatak, a small village in the Northwest Arctic. Twenty-five years ago that would have seemed impossible. She shares her story of recovery.
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When a step back into prison is really a jump forward
Alexandria Niksik was only out of prison for 16 days before being sent back. But that brief trip home taught her what she needed to remain sober long into the future.
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Community in Unity: Building connections
Being incarcerated is hard. So is being released. How are people from rural Alaska connecting with their communities and their cultures while in prison, and preparing for what’s next? What’s happening outside of prisons to help make the transition more successful for everyone in the community?…
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How little organizations make a big difference through collaboration
Chickaloon is just a little tribe with a little reach, but through the power of collaboration, they're trying to make a big difference for the people of Sutton.
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Filling in the medical gaps with Community Health Aides
Fifty years ago, Alaska had a really big problem: it was hard to get medical care in small, rural communities that could only be reached by snow machine or airplane. To solve it, the Indian Health Service worked with local governments and Congress to create the Community Health Aide Program. And...
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Working together to end child abuse
A few years ago, residents of the Mat-Su Borough identified child abuse and neglect as one of the area’s major problems. In response community organizations teamed up with government agencies, schools and judges to develop a comprehensive solution and build connections throughout the region. And...
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Stopping the opioid epidemic through new partnerships
The U.S. Surgeon General spoke in Alaska recently about the opioid epidemic. He says the way to solve the problem is to build partnerships across sectors because solving the opioid epidemic means solving larger issues, too.
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Spicing up connections to traditional foods
One way to make money in a slow economy is to fill a gap in the market. But a local spice blend company is doing more than building bank accounts--it's also connecting people with Native dishes in a new way.
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Challenging systemic racism in Alaska
Over the past few centuries in the United States, laws and policies have favored some racial and ethnic groups over others. It's led to racial inequity in Alaska and beyond. Now different groups are working together to educate people about these problems and develop solutions.
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Prison art market has its limits
Inmates at Spring Creek Correctional Center are producing beautiful art, like silver bracelets and intricate paintings. But like prisoners across the country, they have few places to sell it.
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Philanthropic horticulturists and other prison community leaders
The world inside Spring Creek Correctional Center is in many ways just like the world outside. Prison clubs function as nonprofits, filling service gaps and trying to build healthier communities.
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When prisoners own the store, everyone profits
Prison commissaries around the country make millions each year, and most of the profits go to private companies. But not at Spring Creek Correctional Center, where the prisoners own and operate the store and use the profits to benefit the communities inside and outside the prison walls.
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How little investments can lead to big community change
Seward, Alaska used to host a lot of bake sales. It was the only way to raise money for small organizations. Now, instead of buying cupcakes, people can donate little bits of money that are invested and help the whole community go a long way.
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When traditional banking isn't an option, try this out instead
Let’s say you want to start a business or buy a house. You’ll probably need a loan from a bank. That means you need a good credit history or collateral – something to prove that you’ll pay it back. But if that’s not an option… then what? Welcome to a Community Development Financial Institution –…
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Community in Unity: Recovery Behind Bars
Many crimes are fueled by drug and alcohol addictions. So what can prevent some criminal activity? Helping people receive treatment. During Community in Unity: Recovery Behind Bars, inmates, staff, and other community members gathered inside Goose Creek Correctional Center near Wasilla, Alaska to...
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Guiding peers on the path to recovery from addiction
The path to recovery from drug or alcohol addiction can be long, arduous, and isolating. But guides who have been through it all can help people navigate the challenges along the way.
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Can opening a liquor store solve alcohol-related problems?
Alcohol abuse is an issue throughout the country, even in areas where it's illegal. Banning alcohol doesn't always solve the problem, so should communities try swinging the other way and make it more available? Could opening a liquor store help a community, not harm it? The village of Kiana in...
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Turning a temporary stay into long-term stability, 30 days at a time
Life at the Fairbanks Rescue Mission isn't bad -- the beds are warm, the people are supportive, and it's safe. But for some, the emergency homeless shelter was too comfortable. People wouldn't leave. So staff developed a new way to send people out the door quickly while helping them stand on…
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Improving Alaska's Foster Care System
Alaska's foster care system has problems. Caseworkers don't stick around for long. It can take years for young people to find permanent homes or be reunited with their families. But new legislation could provide solutions that will help everyone involved with the system.
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Drawing on historical strength to propel youth into the future
Rural Alaska often makes the headlines for what isn't working -- high suicide rates, high alcohol usage. But one program in southwest Alaska is drawing from Yup'ik culture to flip that narrative on its head and focusing on the region's strengths. And the research shows, it's making a positive...
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Community in Unity: Life in Limbo
Some people stay at the Fairbanks Correctional Center for a few days. Others are at the pre-trial facility for years. Most of the inmates are living their lives in limbo — awaiting their trials, their sentencing, and their futures. During "Community in Unity: Life in Limbo" about 70 people,...
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Youth turn boring meetings into lifelong skills
Young people make all of the decisions to put together a multi-day conference in Kiana. Though some of the meetings for OPT In Kiana may not seem fun, they have lifelong effects on the young people and their abilities to face challenges.
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After a tragedy, a Yup'ik dance group in Hooper Bay keeps dancing
About six years ago community members in Hooper Bay, Alaska worked together to revive a Yup’ik dance group for young people. The idea was to help connect kids to their culture, teach about the effects of alcohol and drugs, and prevent suicide. And it has worked --but not with every kid. Here's…
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To prevent suicide, little words can make a big difference
BJ Sherman was having a rough time, and he started seriously thinking about suicide. Then his family stepped in and their little words made a big impact. What they told him might surprise you.
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Building resilience through basketballs and berries
What makes a healthy community? What makes young people in a Alaska village thrive? Here's the formula that's working well for Noatak, a community in the northwest Arctic.
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Changing the mindset of the healthcare system
For most healthcare systems, mental health and physical health are two separate issues. Not at one of the largest healthcare providers in Alaska, where doctors and behavioral health consultants work together with a new mindset.
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Wellness through Medicaid Expansion
Andi Riley needed medical help, but even though she was working, she couldn't afford it. Until there was Medicaid expansion. It was her solution for wellness.
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Preventing Suicide through Strength and Resilience
Suicide rates for Alaska Native youth are still high — but groups are actively working to change that. Community members and researchers are focusing on the strengths of Alaska Native peoples and cultures to reduce the risk and promote wellness. During Talk of Alaska, Alaska Public Media's...
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Mental Health First Aid
We know what to do if someone breaks their leg -- brace it and ask for help. But what if it's a mental health crisis? Some are learning the skills to be mental health first aiders.
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Mixing science with traditional knowledge to get seal oil on the menu
The traditional foods movement in Alaska is growing. Moose and caribou are appearing on menus at healthcare facilities across the state. But there's an important food that still needs approval -- seal oil. A solution is in the works.
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To feed elders, traditional foods take untraditional route
Most people in northwest Alaska grew up eating traditional foods, like caribou, seal, and different kinds of fish. But as they aged and moved into long-term care facilities, those foods were no longer regularly available to them because of federal food safety regulations. A team in Kotzebue is...
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Dion isn't homeless. This is why it matters.
Anchorage resident Dion Wynne is now back to work and trying to catch up on his bills. He didn't lose his house, which is good not only for him but also for the entire community. Preventing homelessness costs much less than helping people who are already living on the streets on in shelters. Now,...
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Houses of worship helping families keep their homes
Families on the verge of homelessness often don't have many options for paying their rent. Sometimes the solution requires a little faith.
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Navigating the system
Dion can’t work, and he can’t pay his rent. There are resources to help him, but how does he find them? Someone helps him navigate the system.
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Living on the brink of homelessness
Dion Wynne was working full-time and preparing to open a therapeutic foster home. He's worked with people with disabilities his entire life. Then he fell ill and was hospitalized for over a month. Join him as he tries to save his home -- and his dreams.
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Kids making seniors feel human again
What happens when you combine a preschool with a senior home? Magic. And healthier people from both generations.
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Modifying houses so seniors can stay in their homes
The Clements raised their grandchildren in their cozy Alaska home, but Shirley's health problems were making it difficult to keep living there. Until now.
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Community in Unity: Youth Perspectives
What's it like to be young in Alaska? What are young people accomplishing? What are their challenges? Listen to a panel of young people from Anchorage and Wasilla answer questions from the audience and discuss their stresses and joys. Some have experienced homelessness and worked as nurses aides...
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Exercise for Elders
Many parts of Alaska lack enough accessible care for older people. It's a problem without a solution. But there are ways to prevent the problem in the first place. Exercise for elders.
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Aging in Alaska
In the 1970s and early 80s people flooded Alaska looking for work in the oil industry. Now, 40 years later, many are still here. Instead of fleeing to warmer weather, Alaskans are aging in Alaska. For the past seven years, we’ve had the fastest growing senior population in the country. But with…
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To teach about racism, start with the basics
Confronting racism and discrimination can be hard. The solution? Start learning techniques when you are young. In parts of Anchorage, some of the teachers of these difficult lessons are other young people. They start with the basics.
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Youth Court
When a young person commits a minor offense for the first time, they sometimes have a choice. They can either be charged by the standard juvenile justice system and potentially get an offense on their criminal record, or they can go to youth court. Which option is better?
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Reaching youth where they are at
Sometimes when young people are in rough situations, they don’t want to ask for help. Especially not from adults. That’s where peer outreach workers step in. Alaska Youth Advocates have been connecting with youth on the streets of Anchorage and helping them find resources for 25 years.
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For foster youth, sometimes the solution is saving each other
Being in foster care can be hard, and foster youth often turn to each other for support. Sometimes that leads to unexpected relationships.
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How hip housing helped bring donuts to Spenard
Cook Inlet Housing has developments across Anchorage, including a new 33-unit building in Spenard. In an area of town often better known for its colorful past, the developer is trying to use state-of-the-art modern housing to help promote the neighborhood's future. And it's working.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Alaska, like every other state, has problems. But it also has solutions. Some are new and innovative, and some are centuries old. Each week Alaska Public Media's Solutions Desk will highlight what's happening around the state that's making our communities stronger.
HOSTED BY
Alaska Public Media
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Solutions Desk have?
Solutions Desk currently has 63 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Solutions Desk about?
Alaska, like every other state, has problems. But it also has solutions. Some are new and innovative, and some are centuries old. Each week Alaska Public Media's Solutions Desk will highlight what's happening around the state that's making our communities stronger.
How often does Solutions Desk release new episodes?
Solutions Desk has 63 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Solutions Desk?
You can listen to Solutions Desk on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Solutions Desk?
Solutions Desk is created and hosted by Alaska Public Media.
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