The Long Blue Line (Summer 2022)

USCG SECTOR ANCHORAGE AND
THE STEVEN A. COHEN
MILITARY FAMILY CLINIC
TEAMWORK. That’s the standout characteristic of
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Anchorage according to
Taylor Waldner, Outreach Director of The Steven A.
Cohen Military Family Clinic at Alaska Behavioral
Health.
“From Sitka to Valdez, the more I travel to different
Coast Guard stations around Alaska, the more I see
an element of teamwork happening,” says Waldner.
“The crews are very tightly knit and can be incredibly
supportive of one another.”
But she points out, that closeness, coupled with the
isolation that is synonymous with Alaska, presents its
share of challenges. “Because they’re such small,
close crews everyone feels each other’s burdens.
From a mental health perspective, they can be
heavily impacted by the struggles of their shipmates.”
The Cohen Clinic at Alaska Behavioral Health
was established in 2020 to fill the gaps in care
for Alaska’s military community. The clinic is part
of Cohen Veterans Network, a national network of
mental health clinics for post-9/11 veterans, service
members and their families, providing high-quality,
accessible mental health services. The network
has 21 clinics across the country in states with
larger Coast Guard populations such as Florida,
North Carolina, Texas, and California. Since its
inception, the Anchorage clinic has treated over
I’m truly grateful
for the fantastic
partnership we have
in the Last Frontier.
400 individuals, with over 30% of active duty clients
serving in the Coast Guard.
Collaboration with Sector Anchorage command has
been instrumental in enabling the clinic to have an
impact in Alaska.
“We are fortunate to have a clinic here in Anchorage
and the team has been incredible in supporting my
members at Sector Anchorage, as well as my remote
units throughout Alaska who don't have easy access
to behavioral health resources,” says U.S. Coast
Guard Captain Leanne Lusk, Commander of Sector
Anchorage.
In serving the Coast Guard population in Alaska,
Clinic Director MaryBeth Goodman says that flexibility
is key, “Something that we do, which is so important,
is we meet our clients where they’re at. Telehealth
allows us to connect with clients across the state in
even the most remote of areas. Our individualized
care enables us to cater to the Coast Guard life. For
example, if someone is interested in engaging in
care, but they know they will soon be shipping out
for a few months, we can work with their schedule to
address their challenges and help them build those
necessary skills as they head out to sea.”
While Coast Guardsmen and women are engaging
in care themselves, Waldner says they’re most
enthusiastic when they find out that their families can
be treated as well. “People always come up to me
after a briefing and say things like, ‘My wife struggles
with anxiety, this would be great for her.’ Or ‘My kid
is having some issues and we’ve been looking for a
good provider.’ They’re thankful to learn that the clinic
is a resource for the entire family.”
CAPT Lusk adds, “I’m truly grateful for the fantastic
partnership we have in the Last Frontier.”
42 SUMMER 2022
THE LONG BLUE LINE