When Gov. Walker expanded Medicaid in Alaska last year, there was also a push to reform the program to better meet the health needs of those being served. Representatives of the Alaska Tribal Health System (ATHS) have been key partners with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) to jointly develop a package of Tribal Medicaid Reform recommendations that both improve the quality of care and create efficiencies in costs of the program. The recommendations are driven by ...

When it comes to recovering from an injury or illness or facing a terminal illness, for many of our patients, there is more to the healing process than medicine and care received from our medical staff. Many of our patients welcome visits from clergy volunteering at the Alaska Native Medical Center. On Sept. 9, the Rev. Norman H. V. Elliott passed away in Anchorage. “Father Norman,” as we lovingly know him, was a kind, gentle man who loved the people ...

Last week, staff from ANTHC’s Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative (ARUC) program hosted visitors from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Governance Honoring Nations awards committee. ARUC has been selected as one of this year’s top six programs for the Honoring Nations award that celebrates exemplary programs in Tribal governance: Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative selected as one of six finalists for Harvard award. As one of the top finalists, ARUC staff had the pleasure of showcasing their work in ...

We are saddened to share the news that Kay Branch, a strong advocate for Elder care in our communities and friend of many people throughout the Tribal health system, has died. A celebration of life is planned for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27, at the ANTHC Consortium Office Building at 4000 Ambassador Drive in Anchorage. Below is Kay’s obituary. Kay Branch, age 61, passed away on July 9, 2016 from metastatic triple negative breast cancer, surrounded by her true ...

ANTHC’s Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative (ARUC) program is one of six finalists selected to advance to the site visit round for the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Governance Honoring Nations award. From an initial field of 87 applicants, ARUC is noted for its Tribal partnerships that empower rural villages to sustainably provide safe water and sanitation services that positively impact the health of our people. The prestigious Honoring Nations Award identifies, celebrates and shares exemplary programs in Tribal ...

On June 1, the Indian Health Service (IHS) announced a comment period on a draft policy statement that, if implemented, would begin a process to expanding the use of community health aides at IHS-operated and Tribally managed facilities across the U.S. The success of the community health aide model in the Alaska Tribal Health System is noted for its role in increasing access to care at our Tribally managed hospitals and clinics. Comments from Tribes are due July 29, 2016. ...