Denali Family Services Celebrates 30 Years of Supporting Alaska’s Youth — and Invites Local Businesses to Join the Celebration
Contributed by JJ Harrier
For 30 years, Denali Family Services (DFS) has been helping Alaska’s youth and families find wellness, stability, and hope. Founded in 1995 as a small outpatient guidance clinic, DFS has grown to be one of the state’s largest non-residential providers of youth behavioral health services — including therapeutic foster care, case management, clinical therapy, early childhood services, and school-based supports.
DFS expanded to the Mat-Su Valley in 2002, opening its Wasilla office and bringing wraparound behavioral health services closer to families who needed them most. Today, this facility supports nearly 70 youth each year, with 20–25 dedicated staff and 18 therapeutic foster homes serving Mat-Su children.
“For three decades, DFS has stood alongside Alaska’s youth and families through some of their most challenging moments, offering care that is compassionate, consistent, and rooted in community,” said Dan Bigley, President and CEO of DFS. “We are proud of our history, but even more excited about the future we’re building together in the Mat-Su Valley and across Alaska.”
Grounded in the belief that Alaska’s youth deserve to grow and thrive in their own communities, DFS provides individualized services that help children build skills, strengthen family connections, and receive support in homes, schools, and neighborhood settings. Programs such as Denali Explorers, School and Community Based Services, and DFS’ Transition to Independence Program (TIP) ensure year-round comprehensive, youth-centered care.
As the organization marks its 30th anniversary, DFS invites the community to celebrate with purpose at its upcoming “Jeans & Jewels” Trivia Fundraiser on February 5 at O’Malley’s on the Green in Anchorage. Local businesses can support this mission by purchasing a team table and enjoying a night of friendly competition, all while helping fund essential programs that keep Alaska’s youth close to home.
To reserve a table and to learn more, visit DenaliFS.org.