health

Unalaska's clinic has made another emergency request for city funds — less than a year after the nonprofit community health center was reportedly back in the black.

After a decade of deep budget deficits, Unalaska's clinic is back in the black.

"We closed the fiscal year to the positive — to $26,407," said Director James Kaech of Iliuliuk Family and Health Services. "That's huge when we were projecting a loss of more than $700,000."

Kaech said that turnaround is the result of a year spent revamping the clinic's financial strategy and rebuilding the community's confidence in local health care.

Unalaska and Sand Point residents will soon have the option of receiving substance abuse treatment from home.

People from the Aleutian Islands have always had to leave the region for recovery. But starting Aug. 1, they'll have another choice.

"The idea is that folks can stay in the community, gain or maintain employment, and learn the skills of recovery right where they’d be using them," said Dr. Keri Boyd.

Unalaska’s cash-strapped clinic has undergone a slew of changes since James Kaech became director.

Six months later, he’s cautiously optimistic that its financial situation is finally improving.

"Our cash flow has been very good," said Kaech. "We haven’t had to ask for any funds from the city, and I don’t think we will."