Alaska Resources
To find out about key benefits and services in Alaska and how to apply, select from the topics below.
Key State Contacts
Issa Spatrisano
Phone: (907) 222-7341
Hayat Khalaf
Phone: (907) 222-7309
- State Refugee Outreach Manager
Marioma Ismael
Cash & Food Assistance
Cash assistance available to ORR-eligible clients that are single or couples without children.
Federal nutrition program
Cash assistance designed to help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency
- Supplemental Security Income
You must apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at your Social Security office and must qualify for a federal SSI payment to receive the state SSI payment. The Social Security Office Locator enables you to locate the nearest Social Security office based on a ZIP code.
A program offering supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition information to low-income women who are pregnant or have children aged birth to five; WIC can be applied for in person by visiting a local WIC clinic.
A program that provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness who have income and resources below specific financial limits. SSI payments are also made to people age 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial qualifications.
Saint Francis House Food Pantry (SFH) is one of the largest food pantries in the state of Alaska, providing emergency food assistance for an average of 116 families per day.
The food banks of Alaska shipped statewide to 150 partner food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers, and children’s programs feeding their hungry neighbors.
Refugee & Newcomer Health
The Refugee Health Screening is a unique medical appointment for newly arrived in the United States. CSS RAIS Program for Refugee Health Screening trains the healthcare providers who do these clinic visits to provide the best care possible to newcomers to the country. The health care providers will also refill medication and help ensure newcomers have a primary doctor and can go to specialty doctors if needed (like a heart doctor or orthopedist).
This resource directory of low-cost and immigrant-friendly health services includes a listing of hospitals, clinics, organizations, and services that offer dental services, disability services, domestic violence services and sexual assault services, health services, home health services, hotlines, mental health services, and vision services.
- Community Health Worker Solutions
Focuses on building pathways for new arrivals to connect with community health workers through the Resettlement Network, to ensure timely health supports for new arrivals with acute and chronic health needs.
Accessing Health Care
Medical Assistance (MA) is an Alaska Medicaid program for low-income people.
A federal program providing medical assistance to refugees. If you are a newly arrived refugee resettled in Alaska, contact your resettlement agency for assistance in submitting a healthcare program application through a designated process for new arrivals.
United way provides free enrollment assistance to Alaskans seeking health coverage.
A list of low-cost or free physical, mental, and dental health care clinics
Persons with Disabilities
A free statewide resource network
Resources, training, technical assistance, and outreach to create a barrier-free Alaskans with disabilities
People with disabilities who work may get health care coverage under a program called Medical Assistance (MA) for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD).
Helps Alaskans who are deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing and their families
Assist Alaskans who are blind, DeafBlind, losing vision, or who have another disability that makes it difficult to read print
Seniors
Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older. You’re first eligible to sign up for Medicare 3 months before you turn 65.
- Senior Linkage Line
Resources for older Alaskans
Phone: 1-800-478-9996
The Social Security program in the United States provides protection against the loss of earnings due to retirement, death, or disability.
Children's Health
Early intervention services for infants and toddlers at risk for developmental delays
Department of Human Services supports children’s mental health services, from prevention to crisis response and school programs to treatment.
The AkVFC program offers free or low-cost vaccines for eligible children age 18 years and younger.
A parent training and information center for families of children and youth with all disabilities from birth through 21 years old.
Mental Health
A nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with mental illnesses and their families. NAMI provides guidance to people who are trying to navigate the mental health system, identifies resources and treatment that can help and much more.
If you’re struggling with your mental health but aren’t experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, reach out to the Alaska Warmline.
Accessible mental health services and support for adults through Alaska Behavioral Health
Dental Health
A nonprofit dental clinic that serves all patients. Accepts all state public programs and most commercial insurances with open networks: multicultural staff, 25 languages spoken.
Accept all forms of insurance, including Medical Assistance, and offer discounted care through an income-based sliding fee scale. We are currently accepting new patients.
Find Housing
Provides Alaskans access to safe, quality, affordable housing. Includes affordable housing, energy efficiency, senior housing programs and more.
Dedicated to improving the quality of life for families and individuals by preserving homes, creating new housing opportunities and strengthening neighborhoods.
Promotes financial stability and independence through homeless, housing, and shelter services, homeownership, and home improvement
Offers case management services for individuals experiencing homelessness. Provides case management and other services for refugees, asylees, and other eligible individuals.
Provides domestic violence safe shelter, intervention, and prevention.
Offers quality rentals to individuals, families, and seniors at all income levels, as well as homebuyer lending services and rehabilitation programs for current homeowners
Provides housing and employment support to Ukrainians impacted by current conflict.
Assistance with Housing Costs
Provides a limited number of emergency housing vouchers to eligible families
Offers case management services for individuals experiencing homelessness. Provides case management and other services for refugees, asylees, and other eligible individuals.
Helps residents maintain housing stability
Call 211 (24/7) to speak to a Community Resource Specialist
Housing Advocacy
Leads the citywide coordinated entry system and advocates for housing policy
Dedicated to increasing the supply of safe, sanitary, and affordable housing in Alaska
Housing Counseling
HUD sponsors housing counseling agencies throughout the country to provide free or low-cost advice.
Phone: 800-569-4287
Renter Rights
ALSC assists clients who are facing critical civil legal issues, including housing problems. ALSC operates a landlord-tenant hotline and conducts fair housing investigations.
Homelessness Prevention & Assistance
Offers free mediation to landlords and tenants. Helps the two sides work out their dispute without going to court. Available before or after the landlord starts an eviction case in court.
“One-stop resource for connecting with a wide variety of services in your community including emergency food and shelter and much more.”
Catholic Social Services provides community orientation only to R&P clients. Individuals that come through sponsorship program do not qualify. Therefore, sponsors are responsible to do community orientation for their beneficiaries.
Orientation
- Community Orientation Welcome Center
Brigit Reynolds
Phone: (907) 222-7348
Employment services through the resettlement network
- CSS Welcome Center
Brigit Reynolds
Phone: (907) 222-7348
- New Chance INC
Zori Opanasevych
Phone: 907-330-9916
- Project Alaska Inc.
Tetyana Robbins
Documentation
Information and resources about obtaining a driver’s license or state ID
Provide Social Security Numbers and administer retirement, disability, survivor, and family benefits, and enroll individuals in Medicare
Language
Free online and in-person classes
Online and in-person $50 per 10-12 weeks semester
Course fee $30, $40 for books
Childcare
Parents Achieving Self-Sufficiency, or PASS, is an Alaska Department of Public Assistance program through the Child Care Program Office which provides Childcare Assistance.
The PASS program is divided into three categories: PASS I, II, and III.
Eligibility for each PASS category and copay amounts are determined by DPA benefits received and income.
threadAlaska is a statewide childcare referral and resource agency. Services include child care referrals, child care search tools, family resources and support, events, advocacy, and child care information.
Early Childhood Education
Head Start is a federal program that promotes school readiness of children ages birth to five from low-income families by supporting the development of the whole child through comprehensive services such as health, nutrition, and parent involvement. Services include preschool, child care, and home-based education programs.
Program for Infants and Children, or PIC, provides early intervention services for infants and toddlers with special needs. Services include health and safety, early intervention, family supports, and assistance with essentials such as diapers, housing and transportation.
K-12 Education
The first step to enrolling a new to district student in the ASD is completing a pre-enrollment. After completing pre-enrollment, the ASD will email the parent or guardian with login information for a QParentConnect account. Registration is completed on this account.
Enrollment in the MSBSD may be completed by creating a ParentVue account on the district website.
Pre-enrollment in the Delta/Greely School District may be done online. After completing pre-enrollment, the district will contact families to complete registration.
School enrollment forms may be completed online on the JSD website. However, enrollment packets must be completed for the individual school.
School enrollment in the Fairbanks/North Star Borough School District may be completed by creating a PowerSchool Guardian account from the FNSBSD website.
Eligible families experiencing hardships may receive services through CIT/FIT departments of Alaska school districts. Services may include transportation, immunization extension, and free meals.
ELL and EL departments assist students and families that have limited English abilities. Services may include interpretation services, tutoring and specialist staff, adjusted curriculum, English testing and evaluation, and ensuring federal education compliance.
Immigration services through the resettlement network
Immigration services outside of the resettlement network
There is only one USCIS office in Alaska and it’s located in Anchorage. The USCIS office assists with immigration needs.
The Alaska Institute for Justice’s staff strives to ensure that immigrants are aware of their legal rights and options and to provide high-quality, low cost, and free legal representation.
ALSC assists clients who are facing critical civil legal issues. These issues include: consumer law, family law, housing problems, public benefits, healthcare complications, Alaska Native law, and other areas specific to veterans or the elderly.
Helps with completing forms, filings with USCIS, Representation at Asylum Interviews (Credible Fear Interviews, Reasonable Fear Interviews), Representation before the Immigration Court, Representation before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), Federal court appeals
Alaska Immigration Law Center provides comprehensive legal representation for clients with U.S. immigration law concerns; helps people obtain immigrant visas, file petitions for permanent residency status, and defend against deportation.
Welcome Corps
Employment
Wage and Hour provides sole enforcement of several laws dealing with the payment of wages to workers (wage claims, prevailing wage, minimum wage and overtime).
Phone: (907) 269-4900
Works to eliminate and prevent discrimination for all Alaskans
Phone: (907) 274-4692
- AKOSH
Services provided by the Alaska Occupational Safety and Health Section (AKOSH) are focused on reducing occupational fatalities, injuries and illnesses.
Phone: (800) 770-4940
Public Safety
The Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault promotes and sustains a collective movement to end violence and oppression through social change.
Call ANDVSA directly for help at (907) 586-3650
Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) and 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
DPS ensure public safety and enforce fish and wildlife laws.
Along with their location in Anchorage, they have two residency that cover the entire state.
Violence, Human Trafficking, and Exploitation
Human Trafficking Alaska Institute for Justice has several language access to assist individuals with
Phone: (907) 789-1326 or 1-877-273-2457
AWAIC provide domestic violence safe shelter, intervention, and prevention
24/7 assistance for individuals going through crisis
Phone: 877-266-4357
Adult & Child Abuse
Adult Protective Services helps to prevent or stop harm from occurring to vulnerable adults.
Phone: (907) 269-3666
- Alaska Children Trust (ACT)
ACT assist children who have experienced sexual abuse.
Hotline: 1-800-478-4444
ACA helps children who experience child abuse.
Mental Health
24/7 service for individuals who experience mental health crisis
Phone (24/7): 877-266-4357
NAMI Alaska provides education, support, advocacy, and public awareness for Alaska NAMI Affiliates, individuals, their families, friends, and community members whose lives are affected by a mental health condition.
Call 988 anytime if you’re in a crisis.
Transition
- RAIS
Once an intake is completed, the new arrival will have access to all services at RAIS and will not have to wait until after the 90 days.
Contact: Brigit Reynolds
Phone: (907) 222-7348
Local Resource Search
The resources in this map are collected via desk research and submissions from agency contacts and community sponsors. While we work to ensure the information provided is up-to-date and accurate, please use the buttons below to submit a new service connection or request an edit to an existing entry.
This local resource map was developed with funding from Switchboard.