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What is a designated facility?

A designated facility provides mental health services for individuals experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis who are admitted voluntarily or under an involuntary court order. A facility must receive designation from the Department of Family and Community Services to provide services to an individual under a mental health involuntary commitment court order, commonly called civil commitment or a Title 47 order.

There are currently two designation types:

Designated Evaluation and Stabilization (referred to as “DES”)
  • DES means a hospital or crisis residential center designated or operated by the Department to perform the evaluations.
  • A DES provides psychiatric evaluation services.
  • A DES also provides stabilization and transitional services to community-based services.
Designated Evaluation and Treatment (referred to as “DET”)
  • DET means a hospital, clinic, institution, center, or other health care facility that has been designated by the Department for the treatment or rehabilitation of mentally ill persons but does not include correctional institutions.
  • A DET provides inpatient psychiatric evaluation and treatment services.
  • A DET requires psychiatric, occupational, and psychiatric inpatient hospital services, while a DES does not.
  • A DET facility also provides stabilization and transitional services to community-based services.

Statutory authority: AS 47.30.660 - 47.30.915

Where are the current designated facilities?

Alaska Map with Designated Facilities, see text below on page

  • Anchorage Psychiatric Institute: API does not require designation under 7 AAC 72.
  • Bartlett Regional Hospital: Hospital in Juneau, AK with DET designation
    • 12 beds
  • Fairbanks Memorial Hospital: Hospital in Fairbanks, AK with DET Designation
    • 20 beds
  • Mat-Su Regional Medical Center: Hospital in Palmer, AK with DET Designation
    • 16 beds
  • PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center: Hospital in Ketchikan, AK with DES designation

How to become a designated facility

To become a designated facility:

A licensed facility must submit:

  • Application for Designation (form supplied by the department)
  • A copy of the facility’s license
  • Facility Certification of Compliance for Designation (form supplied by the department)
  • A copy of the table of contents for the hospital’s behavioral health policies and procedures
  • Submit to fcs.des.det@alaska.gov

A facility exempt from licensure must submit:

  • Application for Designation (form supplied by the department
  • A copy of the facility’s current accreditation
  • Facility Certification of Compliance for Designation (form supplied by the department)
  • A copy of the most recent accreditation report
  • A copy of the table of contents for the hospital’s behavioral health policies and procedures
  • Submit to fcs.des.det@alaska.gov

For designation application forms and to learn more about the designation process, please reach out to the Health Program Manager at fcs.des.det@alaska.gov.

Regulations: 7 AAC 72 Civil Commitment