Hope Valley Health and Wellness Brings New Lifeline to Alaska Veterans
Contributed by Carl Harper
In Alaska, distance is not measured in miles alone. It is measured in access, in isolation, and in how far someone has to go to find help.
For thousands of veterans across the state, that distance has often meant going without hope or being forced to travel thousands of miles out of state just to get the help they need. Hope Valley Health and Wellness is working to change that.
Set to open this month in the Mat-Su Valley, the program was built with a focused mission: provide structured, veteran-centered treatment for substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions in a way that reflects the realities of living in Alaska. At the center of that mission is a simple phrase the team believes will carry weight across the state.
There is Hope, in the Valley.
It is more than a tagline. It is a commitment to become the place people turn to when they do not know where else to go. The vision is clear. When a veteran is struggling, when a family is searching for answers, when a provider is trying to find the right resource, the response becomes instinctive.
There is hope in the Valley.
Ross Morton, who leads the organization, brings more than 40 years of experience in behavioral health treatment. Through his work with New Dawn Treatment Centers in California, Morton has helped build and operate programs that have served thousands of individuals across multiple locations.
Morton said the decision to expand into Alaska was driven by a clear and unmet need. “One of our outreach team members mentioned that veterans in Alaska do not have many options, and a lot of them do not want to leave the state to get help,” Morton said. “That stuck with me.”
He sent members of his team north to meet with community leaders and assess the situation. The response confirmed the gap. “The support from the community was overwhelming,” Morton said. “It was clear there was a real need for high-quality substance use and mental health treatment for veterans right here in Alaska.”
Soon after, Morton identified a newly constructed property in the Mat-Su Valley with room for expansion. From there, the project began to take shape.
“My grandfather was a Navy veteran,” Morton said. “He struggled with addiction, and it eventually took his life. Being able to serve veterans and active-duty service members is how I honor him.”
Alaska has one of the highest veteran populations per capita in the United States, with more than 70,000 veterans calling the state home. Access to consistent behavioral health care remains limited, especially outside of major population centers.
A combat veteran who served in the United States Army and now serves as Northwest Regional Veterans Program Manager for Hope Valley, Jessy Lakin has spent years working on the front lines of veteran support across Alaska. “In Alaska, problems do not stay small for long,” Lakin said. “When you are isolated and do not have access to consistent support, things escalate fast.”
Hope Valley was designed to remove that barrier and replace it with something dependable. The campus offers a structured residential environment with smaller group housing. The program operates separate male and female programs with dedicated housing and treatment tracks for each, ensuring safety, focus, and the ability to address gender-specific needs in recovery.
Each day is built around routine. Clinical care, peer support, and skill-building are integrated into a consistent schedule. Through a partnership with Battle Dawgs, veterans engage in structured outdoor immersion designed to rebuild confidence and restore purpose. Rick Casillo said the approach reflects years of experience working with veterans in Alaska’s environment. “What we have learned over 12 years is simple. Veterans heal differently. They respond to challenge, to purpose, and to being part of a team again.”
Hope Valley also integrates wellness modalities such as sauna, cold plunge, red light therapy, and nervous system regulation techniques. These are used alongside clinical care to improve stress response, sleep, and emotional regulation.
A retired Command Sergeant Major who served 27 years in the United States Army, Jared Geleney now serves as Director of Operations. “This program is going to change lives,” Geleney said. “We are giving veterans tools they can actually use to rebuild.”
The broader impact extends beyond individual recovery. “When you help a veteran, you strengthen families and communities,” Lakin said. Hope Valley is stepping into that role with a clear identity.
There is Hope, in the Valley.
“We want families, providers, and veterans across Alaska to know that when things feel like they are falling apart, there is still an answer,” Lakin said. “There is still a place to go. There is Hope, in the Valley.”