Kenaitze Indian Tribe – Dena’ina Wellness Center

The Dena’ina Wellness Center provides medical, dental and behavioral health services for clients of all ages in Kenai, Alaska. This is an integrated facility that takes a whole client, holistic approach to care. Most of their services are only available to American Indian and Alaska Native people, but the behavioral health program receives state funding, so it’s open to everyone.

I like that this facility focuses on the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of any condition you’re dealing with. They call their patients un’ina, which means those who come to us. Their providers place the un’ina at the core of their focus, walking beside them as they recover. As you can see, they specialize in traditional healing practices beyond the usual modern meds.

There’s a dedicated team here that focuses just on chemical dependency. If you’re struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, you can go here to receive targeted, effective treatments. Something unique about the center is that they also have an on site gym, wellness kitchen and classroom. The building spans an impressive 52,000 square feet and is located in Old Town Kenai. This is an early village site that also houses a specialized elder center, tribal courthouse and several community wide education programs.

Their behavioral health services include individual and family therapy, crisis support, case management and access to dedicated recovery groups. They cater to the age of each client and also offer play therapy for kids.