OUR VISION
Healthy Families, Strong Kids
Our Mission
CODI prioritizes quality care.
CODI reaches its mission through a variety of programs and services. These services include a Community Behavior Health Clinic in Palmer for children and their families, and parenting programs, Triple P: Positive Parenting Program and Circle of Security. CODI also supports clients in school district remote learning days. Clients who are home schooled can receive social emotional support while completing home school assignments and tasks.
About CODI
Compassionate Directions is a family focused agency that provides compassionate care to our local community. CODI is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization with services based out of their offices in Palmer, Alaska. CODI’s outpatient clinic services include providing individual, family, and group therapy to children and their parents or caregivers. The goals of therapy are to help support children toward wellness and resiliency. The majority of the children that CODI serves are suffering from severe emotional challenges and have been through adverse experiences. The ages of the children that CODI provides services to are infant through age 21.
In addition to on-site therapy services, CODI provides case management for children and their families. The case management services are provided to help children meet their basic needs and help provide coordination among service providers. The goal is to provide assistance to families to help them receive the support necessary to increase their overall wellness and stability.
Further, CODI provides community behavioral health support through the behavioral health associate positions. These employees work alongside the child in either the school setting or greater community to provide one-on-one assistance. The goals of the behavioral health associates include teaching coping skills, social skills, and safety skills as children work toward wellness.
As a part of CODI’s model of care and support, it offers evidence-based parenting programs. CODI implements the Circle of Security and Triple P: Positive Parenting Program. The goals of these programs are to involve parents or care givers in their child’s mental health progress and to help parents receive the support to grow toward improved family functioning and wellness.
CODI began as Co-Occurring Disorders Institute in 2001 under a SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) grant. Its original intent was to give working Alaska professionals the most up-to-date information on mental health, substance abuse, developmental disabilities, traumatic-brain injuries and complex behavioral issues. This is where CODI got its original name; an example of a co-occurring disorder is one that includes both a mental health and a substance abuse disorder. In 2004 CODI became a tax exempt corporation. We received a 501(c)(3) status and are classified as a charity.
In 2008, CODI worked with the State of Alaska and other supporters to implement the Bring/Keep the Kids Home Program in the Mat-Su Borough. This statewide program sought to treat Alaska’s emotionally disturbed youth in their local community, rather than send them to costly and far-away residential treatment centers.
In 2013, CODI was awarded the opportunity to expand its services due to the behavioral health needs of the local community. CODI expanded to become an outpatient behavioral health clinic for children and families. CODI became qualified to work with many of the most underserved children in the community. CODI became eligible to accept Medicaid, through the state’s Denali Kid Care Program, and other private insurances.
In 2016, CODI started offering services for early childhood. Across the State of Alaska, there were very few, if any, providers that could both accept Medicaid for insurance and provided mental health services to infants and early childhood and their families. CODI receives ongoing extensive training in this new area of services. Also, CODI became an accredited organization through Council On Accreditation (COA).
In 2018, the CODI families that we serve and the greater community became interested in adopting a new name. Wanting to both honor the rich history of Co-Occurring Disorders Institute and have a strength-based name became the new challenge. Through clients and families feedback, staff feedback, and the Board of Directors leadership, CODI adopted a new name. CODI is now doing business as Compassionate Directions.
Generous funders include the State of Alaska, the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, United Way, Mat-Su Health Foundation, Alaska Children’s Trust, Mat-Su Borough, Murdock Charitable Trust, Rasmuson Foundation, and private donations.
Board Members
Board Chair: Jenny Pekkala
Board Secretary: Dr. Karen Ward
Board Treasurer: Ben Whipple
Board Member: Kendra Bartz
Board Member: Kim Bergey