Community. Culture. Connections. In Kwethluk, Alaska, a larger-than-life painting celebrates all this and more. The colorful mural is the result of a nationwide project called Water is Life and is one of many pieces of art that have sprung up in Tribal community centers and on water storage tanks in communities in Alaska and Montana. The murals are a celebration of the importance of water in Alaska Native and American Indian traditions and history. But it is not the only ...

On Monday, Aug. 19, representatives from the National Institute of Health (NIH) programs visited the Consortium where staff from clinical and research services facilitated a presentation and panel discussion focused on issues ranging from mental health to suicide prevention to research training and career development. Principal researchers and research administrators from ANTHC, University of Alaska Anchorage and University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Pacific University and the FAST lab at APU co-sponsored the event. Panel members provided participants with opportunities to ...

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 – 2020 ANTHC $5,000 Scholarship. This scholarship was established by the ANTHC Board of Directors to support Alaska Native and American Indian students pursuing higher education in health care related fields. Students may use the scholarship for room/board, tuition, books, or fees during the fall 2019 and spring 2020 terms. Congratulations to our scholarship recipients: Kevin Hansen, Native Village of Kotzebue, is pursuing a Doctor of Physical Therapy from the ...

The American Cancer Society – Alaska Advisory Board honored the Consortium this summer, along with five fellow contributors to cancer recovery. ANTHC was the first organization in Alaska selected for the 2019 Innovator Champion Award for dedicating expertise and ingenuity to fight cancer in Alaska Native communities and beyond.  Many Alaskans experience the challenging toll of cancer. The ANMC Oncology and Hematology Clinic specializes in providing a range of services for our people. The Consortium’s Cancer Program within ANTHC Community ...

ANMC’s nurses provide culturally appropriate, family-centered care in a unique hospital environment, and they are constantly seeking ways to improve the services and care we provide. In an effort to further recognize our nurses for their outstanding work, ANMC partnered with the DAISY Award, an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care given by nurses every day. Congratulations to DAISY Award honoree, Barbara Christensen, an RN on ANMC’s Critical Care Unit, who was recognized ...

In 2017, there were 102 overdose deaths involving opioids throughout the state of Alaska—a rate of 13.9 per 100,000 persons. Prescription opioids (such as hydrocodone, oxycodone and morphine) are prescribed by doctors to treat moderate to severe pain. However, they have serious risks and side effects, including dependency, addiction, overdose and accidental poisoning. In order to assist in the prevention of substance misuse and accidental poisoning, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium now provides free medicine disposal products through the iknowmine ...

Gastric cancer, commonly known as stomach cancer, is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the lining of the stomach. Alaska Native people experience higher rates of gastric cancer than other groups in the United States. This past July, the Consortium hosted a two-day panel of Alaska Native community leaders, health care providers and gastric cancer experts from around the globe. The goal of the meeting was to identify the best methods to combat the disease Alaska Native ...

Shilah Kellso was recently hired as ANTHC’s Regional Liaison for the Copper River area. After spending a few weeks at ANTHC’s offices in Anchorage learning about the ANTHC resources available to support Tribal members in the Copper River region, Kellso is at Copper River Native Association (CRNA) as of early September. The regional liaison will be located in CRNA’s large clinic between Glennallen and Tazlina. In addition, she will travel once a month to check in with Chistochina and Mentasta ...

September is National Recovery Month. Observing Recovery Month helps to increase awareness and understanding of substance use disorders, increase knowledge of recovery resources, and provide support by sharing personal stories of addiction and recovery. The theme for Recovery Month 2019 is Join the Voices for Recovery: Together We Are Stronger. Recovery is a lifelong process of improving health and well-being while living independently. Many people suffering from addiction achieve sobriety, but recovery can be more difficult. Recovery involves changing your outlook ...

It is difficult to see a family member or loved one deal with substance misuse. Often, living close to someone who misuses substances, such as alcohol, drugs or prescription opioids, puts a strain on the entire family. A new therapy being offered in Anchorage at the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association (APIA), in partnership with ANTHC, offers hope to families who have someone that suffers from substance misuse. Family members and friends know their loved ones best, making them some of ...