SEARHC Behavioral Health is marking National Recovery Month, Domestic Violence Prevention Month and World Suicide Prevention Day with a community potluck at the Nolan Center on Wednesday, Sept. 30.

The gathering, scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., aims to bring residents together to remember those lost to suicide or addiction and to celebrate the people and services supporting recovery.

It marks the second year for the event in town.

Ken Hoyt, cultural healing clinic lead with Wrangell Behavioral Health, said the response to last year’s inaugural dinner encouraged him to bring multiple partner agencies on board for this year’s observance.

“This year we have the WCA, the Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp No. 4 and Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp No. 1 participating with us,” he said. “There will be some form of representation for each group to answer questions and to speak to people and provide information.”

Wrangell ANS Camp President Sandy Churchill said she had no hesitation about joining the effort when asked.

“I immediately put in an order for 30 long-sleeved orange shirts,” Churchill said.

Orange Shirt Day, observed annually on Sept. 30, honors Indigenous children who survived residential and boarding schools and remembers those who never returned home. Churchill said ANS will give away the shirts during the potluck.

“One important thing to remember is that all of these things — domestic violence, suicide and substance abuse — are connected in many cases,” she said. “I think it’s a good thing that all of this is being observed at the same time because it can help to answer questions and remove stigma.”

The shared focus comes as recent state health figures highlight ongoing challenges. According to the Alaska Department of Health, the suicide fatality rate in the state among youth aged 10 to 18 rose to 19.2 per 100,000, marking the highest rate recorded since 2016. That figure is roughly six times higher than the national average for the same age group.

“All communities are touched by suicide and substance use disorder,” Hoyt said. “Being able to come together and have events like this, where people can have conversations, is so important to spreading that awareness and removing misinformation. There are lots of myths out there regarding substance use, domestic violence and suicide, and those myths have negative consequences.”

Hoyt said his belief is simple: “Community challenges affect everyone and require community solutions.”

“By coming together like this, we can gain strength in the face of these very real threats,” he said. “And it is so important because we want to make generational change here.”

Churchill agreed with that goal.

“The desire within ANS is make things better for future generations,” she said. “We want to get ahead of the problems before they become problems.”

The potluck is open to the public, and organizers encourage all community members to attend.