The National Tribal Water Center and the Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative (ARUC) are partnering on a project called Water is Life, which promotes healthy water-use behaviors though the development of education and outreach interventions using science, culture, art, and media. Water is Life specifically promotes pride and ownership in Tribal drinking water and water systems, and celebrates the healthy Alaska Native cultural values and traditions surrounding water. The project brings an entire community together with a shared vision and awareness ...

Pre-moistened body and sanitary wipes are gaining popularity, which is unfortunately correlated with a rise in damage to plumbing pipes and costly repairs as a result of these wipes being flushed down toilets. Over the past year, ANMC and other regional hospitals and clinics have had several plumbing clogs, as well as sewer drain damage to village sanitation systems. The most frequent cause of the clogs has been masses of moistened “flushable” wipes. Many brands of these wipes are marketed ...

As Medicaid expansion has been implemented in Alaska and another open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act comes to a close, many questions have arisen about Alaska Native health care and additional health care coverage, such as Medicaid and insurance. The Consortium aims to share factual information with our Tribal partners, our providers and our people to dispel misunderstandings about Alaska Native health care, insurance coverage, and our Alaska Tribal Health System. Myth: If I have additional health care ...

A new public service announcement from the Healthy Futures program shows how Alaska Native role models across Alaska stay active, thanks to support from ANTHC, Skiku Nordic ski program and music group Pamyua. The video highlights the importance of daily physical activity to reduce childhood obesity and encourages participation the Healthy Futures Challenge that offers rewards and incentives for students at participating schools. The video and a list of participating schools are available at healthyfuturesak.org. Healthy Futures empowers Alaska’s youth ...

This week, ANTHC was recognized for innovation in development of the Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network by Dennis McLerran, EPA Regional Administrator and JoAnn Chase, Director of the American Indian Environmental Office. We share this award with our LEO Network membership, consisting of more than 100 dedicated volunteer local environmental observers located across Alaska and the technical scientific support experts assisting from state and federal agencies. In addition to the award presented at the Alaska Forum for the Environment conference, ...

ANTHC is proud to support “Day 001: Voices of Recovery,” a media campaign celebrating Alaskans who share their stories of alcohol addiction and the moment when they decided to move on from their addiction. The Day 001 video series shares true stories of a diverse group of Alaskans from professionals to students to artists. The videos help present alcohol addiction recovery as a healthy part of life and show other Alaskans struggling with alcohol abuse that recovery is achievable. With ...

Heart disease is among the leading causes of death for Alaska Native and American Indian people. With so many of our people affected by heart disease, it is essential to have timely access to cardiology and telemetry monitoring services. At the ANMC hospital, we recently expanded our telemetry services to span the entire fifth floor. Up until the expansion, we only had the capability to serve 12 patients who required cardiac monitoring at one time. These services were previously provided ...

Did you know that 78 percent of Alaska high school students do not drink alcohol? Last week, ANTHC Substance Abuse Prevention program staff shared this fact and others for National Drug Facts Week, an opportunity to link students with scientists and other experts to counteract the myths about drugs and alcohol that teens get from the internet, TV, movies, music, or from friends. A highlight of the program was a presentation from youth involved in the “Be [You]” media campaign ...

For years, Alaska Native leaders negotiated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for permission to serve traditional foods to those who could really benefit from their healing and comforting effects. ANTHC has long been at the forefront of advocating for the positive aspects of harvesting and eating traditional foods— and permission to serve them to our patients and visitors at the Alaska Native Medical Center. In 2013, a bill from former Alaska U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, named the “The Traditional ...

When the new patient housing facility opens on the Alaska Native Health Campus in Anchorage, the ANTHC facility will also be home to Alaska’s first Ronald McDonald House on the top floor of the six-story building. ANTHC and Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Western Washington & Alaska (RHMC) will expand their current partnership to provide programming and activities that enhance the “home away from home” environment for families of pediatric patients at the Alaska Native Medical Center. The partnership with ...