50 Haines households still in need of storm recovery assistance

At least 50 Haines households affected by the deadly December 2020 storm still need help. That’s according to the Haines Long Term Recovery Group, a group of professionals helping coordinate the disaster recovery effort. As KHNS’ Corinne Smith reports, the group’s update 15 months after the storm shows many residents have made substantial progress in the recovery effort. But there are continuous challenges in rebuilding homes and lives. 

The extreme weather event of December 2, 2020 dumped eight inches of rain in 24 hours on the Chilkat Valley. It resulted in the deadly Beach Road landslide that killed two community members, destroyed at least nine homes, and another 28 homes were deemed uninhabitable throughout Haines. In addition to massive flooding, that damaged roads, businesses and destroyed livelihoods.

Fifteen months later, the Haines Long Term Recovery Group coordinator Sylvia Heinz says progress has been made. The group formed shortly after the storm to strengthen area-wide disaster coordination, share information, and help residents access recovery resources. 

“We’ve seen significant movement with recovery, but there’s still a large portion of the Haines community with damage, we still have people that are displaced,” Heinz said. 

Heinz says an estimated 250 households reported storm damage, about 34 percent of the community’s population. Ten impacted households have packed up and moved away. The recovery group has had 131 Haines households request recovery assistance, and now, that number is down substantially.

“​​And we’re now down to 50 households with remaining unmet needs,” she said. “So those unmet recovery needs include reconstruction, home rehabilitation, and we have a significant number of homes with very expensive foundation repair needs. There’s still driveways that have significant damage, and culverts that need replacing.”

Heiz says over the last year, the group has worked with non-profits, tribal governments, local leaders and state agencies, including the Chilkoot Indian Association, Salvation Army, Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL), and borough and state agencies, to connect residents to recovery resources. That included emergency housing, rental and mortgage assistance, food aid, debris removal, home and driveway repairs, and other household assistance, totaling $1.43 million dollars. 

“It’s a good example of, in disaster recovery no individual organization, entity or individual has been able to like, tackle recovery. We’ve really had to come together to for reconstruction,” she said.

Last summer and fall, the recovery group organized free storm debris removal, which totaled 440,000 pounds of debris. and worked to help homeowners winterize and prevent further flooding. Looking ahead, she says home rehabilitation is a major priority.

“There is still I believe, three homes that still flooded over this winter,” Heinz said. “So those will be top priority. Then second priority is driveway culvert repairs, so that people can have access to their homes. And ongoing throughout that process is rebuilding, reconstruction for homes themselves. (Our) top priority is having homes for displaced residents. And that is a complex, expensive process. And we are continuing to move forward with home reconstruction.”

She says Team Rubicon, the veteran-led disaster recovery organization, is assisting with rebuilding two damaged houses. 

Heinz says not as easily seen, is the long-term mental and emotional toll of the storm disaster. She says the group is seeing continuous unmet needs for mental health services. 

“Our case management committee identifies access to mental health resources as a top barrier to recovery,” she said. “Because there just really isn’t access to resources, especially for people who can’t afford to go a private route.”

The regional health consortium’s vice president of behavioral health, Eric Gettis told KHNS in an email that Haines’ Mountainside Behavioral Health clinic is fully staffed as of February. 

There are two therapists and one full time substance abuse specialist in Haines, and he says tele-psychiatry services are available from SEARHC psychiatrists based in Juneau. Gettis says there is currently no waitlist. Appointments are available in person and via telehealth. Appointments can be made by calling (907) 766-6313.

Gettis added that SEARHC has grown its behavioral staff over the last year, and are actively hiring and recruiting.

A spokesperson with Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau, Erin Hardin says mental health services are also available to Haines residents through telehealth. 

She says the best way to access services is to start with an intake process through Batrlett’s Outpatient Psychiatry Services department, then their psychiatrist would make a diagnosis and recommendations for treatment, which could include therapy.

She says there is currently a waitlist for appointments, but they are actively recruiting to hire more behavioral health clinicians to meet the demand. 

The Haines Long Term Recovery Group’ case managers also assist residents with connecting to mental health services, or navigating healthcare systems, or other resources available. 

If you or someone you know are in need of mental health support, there are resources available: 

• Alaska Mental Health:  https://carelinealaska.com/
• Disaster Distress Help Line: 1-800-985-5990
• Lynn Canal Counseling / SEARHC Behavioral Health: (907)766-6313
• Bartlett Outpatient Services: (907)796-8498
• Spiritual Health assistance is provided free of charge via representatives of the Haines Ministerial Association: (907)314-2429  – Matt Jones
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA): samsha.gov, 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

If you need assistance, or to volunteer with the Haines Long Term Recovery Group

• Call Sylvia Heinz – (907) 766 – 2323 x 124
• Email HainesLTRG@gmail.com