JUNEAU, Alaska – SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) is focused on improving maternal, infant and child health through two related pilot programs aimed at supporting the health and well-being of American Indian/Alaska Native families through prenatal, postnatal and early childhood years. To further support this endeavor, we are proud to announce that SEARHC is among a select few organizations that were recognized nationally by the Build UP Trust Challenge, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, and the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program, sponsored by the US Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the Administration for Children & Families. To celebrate and begin deploying these resources in the communities of Southeast Alaska, SEARHC will first host a kickoff Community “Baby Shower” and Health Resource Fair on September 21 at the Chilkat Center for the Arts in Haines, Alaska. More events and opportunities throughout Southeast are in the early planning stages and will be communicated throughout the coming year.
In many Southeast Alaskan tribal communities, expectant mothers must leave home up to a month prior to their anticipated delivery date to be near a birthing facility, due to the remote nature of the locations. Following the birth, mother and newborn must await clearance from the provider to safely travel and return home. This can make it challenging to know who to turn to for even basic well-child support let alone common topics like breastfeeding, nutrition and developmental milestones. “Given that expectant mothers oftentimes must leave nearly everything behind for the birth of their child, SEARHC is now able to host a ‘community baby shower,’ providing prenatal, postnatal and culturally appropriate support to help lessen any anxiety and celebrate this exciting time,” said Mount Edgecumbe Medical Center (Sitka) Labor and Delivery Nurse Manager and Project Director, Amanda Votaw. “Our moms will be connected to the labor and delivery team and other social services to help provide them a warm, welcoming, comfortable environment where they receive maternal healthcare, baby items and ensure medical concerns are quickly diagnosed and care plans are expertly developed,” she says.
SEARHC’s Labor and Delivery Nurses will offer pre/post-natal education at Sitka Patient Housing and at several SEARHC community clinics throughout Southeast Alaska, supporting families through the child’s first two years of life.
SEARHC’s support does not end there. Thanks to funding through the MIECHV Program, SEARHC is in the early stages of establishing the “Healthy Families Early Start” program. Using an evidence-based home visiting model to meet families where they are, experienced RNs and healthcare professionals in Sitka, Wrangell, Angoon, Haines, Klukwan, Klawock and Craig will be able to visit families and provide in-home care. Services will include assessing individual needs and referring families to community-based support and comprehensive care that includes breastfeeding counseling, well-child exams, nutrition assistance, infant safety, dental care, physical therapy and mental health support. As the pilot program ramps up, it is anticipated that services will be available in early 2026.
About SEARHC
Established in 1975, SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) is one of the largest Native-run healthcare organizations in the United States. Operating as an independent and nonprofit health Consortium, SEARHC provides a comprehensive range of health-related services, including primary, urgent and specialty medical care, dental services, behavioral health support, wellness programs, optometry services and more. We proudly serve 27 communities across the diverse regions of Southeast Alaska, and are dedicated to improving the health, well-being, and quality of life for all people in these communities. For more information about our services and community health initiatives, visit searhc.org.
Media Contact
Kathryn Sweyer, searhcnewsroom@searhc.org, 206.484.0591
Download the press release here.