A new wave in faith-based care may find its way into Eagle River's prisons.

Monday marks the end of the sex offender treatment program at the Meadow Creek Correctional Facility in Eagle River. It could also mean the beginning of a faith-based program at the 78-bed prison nestled in the woods off Hiland Drive.

According to Mark Antrim, commissioner of the Department of Corrections, a decision on what will happen at the facility, and the prisoners currently incarcerated there, has not been finalized.

"We are pretty excited about incorporating some aspect of faith-based treatment to take place at the facility," said Antrim. "For now, the inmates will stay put, but that will change as we choose a definite direction."

Even the sex offender treatment could become faith based, said Antrim, pointing out that type of treatment already takes place with Alaskan prisoners housed out of state.

"We have a faith-based sex treatment pod in Arizona," he said.

But faith-based treatment has a downside, said Dr. Martin Atrops, contract supervisor and developer of the program which is being cut.

"I'm frankly alarmed and deeply concerned about a faith-based program," said Atrops. "I can see where the church can contribute, but anything can be abused and I am already starting to see that."

Atrops said one of his main concerns is that clergy, without being licensed for sex-offender treatment, don't necessarily have the skills needed to provide the treatment, possibly opening them up to problems.

"We are turning into a situation where clergy are moving into practice where they don't have license to practice," said Atrops.

Christie Brown, one of the contract therapists with the program (and one of five contractors that will lose their work with the state), said the loss of the program, and not the loss of her job, is the tragic part.

"I have a private practice and will have work," said Brown. "The people in this program now are really losing out."

"It's difficult seeing people who are engaged in the treatment process not have anything offered to them," said Atrops.

Antrim said the prison will remain open, and once a direction is finalized, the prisoners currently incarcerated there will likely be moved to another facility.

"We will likely be transitioning them out and transitioning in prisoners with other needs," said Antrim.

The talks of a faith-based program began after budget cuts threatened programs like sex-offender treatment.

When Gov. Frank Murkowski announced possible budget cuts, the sex offender treatment program was earmarked for dismantling. The administration said the treatment wasn't working, and the program was costing too much money for what was received.

Treatment at Hiland Mountain Correctional Facility, a woman's prison next to Meadow Creek, was not changed by the cuts.

Natalie Brooks, chairwoman of the citizens advisory committee said she believed in the sex-offender program and hopes that a faith-based program can continue the work done by the current staff.

"If people are in the program and they want to change, it works," said Brooks. "If we can't find something else that works, we will see a rise in sexual assault rates (in Alaska)."

Reach the reporter at gdart@alaskastar.com