Alaska's AHEC

08/05/2025

🌟 National Health Center Week 2025 🌟
August 3–9, 2025

Join us in celebrating 60 years of service, innovation, and impact!
This year’s theme — America’s Health Centers: Celebrating Past, Present, and Future — highlights the powerful legacy and bright future of health centers across the country.

Each day of the week honors a key part of what makes health centers essential to our communities:

📅 Sunday, August 3 – Kickoff Day
Reflect on the history of the Health Center Movement—from humble beginnings in 1965 to serving 1 in 10 Americans today.

👥 Monday, August 4 – Staff Appreciation Day
Health centers thrive because of their dedicated teams. Today, we honor clinical and non-clinical staff who make care possible every day.

💙 Tuesday, August 5 – Patient Appreciation Day
Patients are at the center of it all. We recognize the strength of patient voices and the unique model of patient-majority governance.

🩺 Wednesday, August 6 – Health Conditions Focus
Highlighting the essential role health centers play in prevention, early detection, and care for both acute and chronic health conditions.

🌍 Thursday, August 7 – Population Focus
Health centers serve all people—urban, rural, veterans, agricultural workers, families, elders, and individuals experiencing homelessness.

🤝 Friday, August 8 – Partner Appreciation Day
Celebrating the many partners—schools, hospitals, nonprofits, businesses, and agencies—who help advance health center missions.

🔭 Saturday, August 9 – Looking Ahead
As the week closes, we look forward—committed to expanding access and ensuring health centers continue to thrive for generations to come.

Let’s honor the legacy, uplift the people, and envision the future of community-based care.

It's National Health Center Week! Join us in celebrating and recognizing the vital work of health centers across the nation.

Learn more about National Health Center Week and this week’s focus days: https://healthcenterweek.org/

08/05/2025

08/05/2025

Community Health Centers couldn’t do this work without the talented and dedicated people who make it all happen.

To the more than 326,000 clinical and non-clinical staff across the country — thank you.

Whether you’re providing care, managing schedules, keeping buildings running, or supporting patients in a hundred other ways, you are the heart of the health center mission.

This National Health Center Week, we celebrate YOU!

07/30/2025

07/24/2025

Alaska WWAMI Medical School welcomed 30 new students this week — the program’s largest class to date! 🌟👏🏩 As Alaska’s only medical school, WWAMI trains future physicians to meet the unique health care needs of rural and underserved communities across the state.

🔗Learn more: bit.ly/4lIkxqt

07/23/2025

📣 New Alaska-Based MAT Guide Now Available!

🔗 Download Now: health.alaska.gov/media/jkmlmjlq/mat_guide.pdf

On behalf of our partners in Alaska’s Substance Use Disorder (SUD) efforts, Alaska AHEC is proud to share the release of the 3rd Edition of the Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT) Guide — a clear, evidence-based resource for providers, partners, and communities.

💊 MAT is the gold standard in treating opioid use disorder, helping individuals stay in care and significantly reducing overdose risk. This digital-only guide is designed for a wide range of users:
• Prescribers
• Care Coordinators
• Social Workers
• Peer Support Specialists
• Program Administrators

And it's just as useful for patient education and community outreach.

📘 Inside the Guide:
• Clinical overviews of MAT medications & access
• Screening, assessment, and referral processes
• Best practices for integrating MAT into primary care
• Myth-busting communication tips for families & patients
• FAQs, resources, and training links

🌍 Find Treatment Resources: FindTreatment.gov
💉 Get Naloxone: iknowmine.org or email:
📧 doh.projecthope.info@alaska.gov

🔬 Learn More & Engage:
🗓️ Peaks to Coast Summit | Sept 4–5, 2025 (Virtual)
🗓️ Alaska MAT Conference | Oct 21–23, 2025 (Anchorage)
🖥️ Alaska MAT Project ECHO Series | August–Sept 2025

Help us spread the word — share this guide widely and support stronger addiction treatment access across Alaska’s communities.

More info and resources: https://health.alaska.gov/en/education/drugs-and-alcohol/opioids-prevention-and-recovery/provider-resources/

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07/18/2025

Construction of the Alaska Leaders Archive at the UAA/APU Consortium Library begins Monday, July 21. Please note that the Northeast Library Parking Lot and North Entrance are expected to remain closed through summer 2026. The Consortium Library will remain open with access via the Main Entrance and Social Sciences Building. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to serving you throughout this project. More details ▶️ heyor.ca/b2NCO9

07/18/2025

👋 Meet Matt Botero, an Alaska WWAMI student originally from Anchorage!

After working for years as an ER scribe, Matt was inspired to pursue medicine by the impact he saw physicians make every day. Now he’s training through the Alaska WWAMI program—with a deep commitment to eventually practicing in his home state.

He’s currently in Kotzebue for a clinical experience and is excited to learn how medicine is practiced in a small, close-knit community with limited resources.

Fun fact: Matt’s a big fan of backcountry skiing and summer frolfing (yes, frisbee golf!). “I wish I’d known Kotzebue had a frolf course!”

07/18/2025

🎉 Alaska WWAMI welcomes its largest class ever!

This year, 30 future physicians are starting their medical school journey in Anchorage — the biggest class in program history.

From just 9 students in 1971 to 30 in 2025, this growth reflects Alaska’s ongoing investment in building a homegrown physician workforce.

With expanded clinical space, new faculty, and outreach programs like the revitalized Della Keats Health Sciences Summer Program, Alaska WWAMI is shaping the next generation of doctors for our communities.

07/16/2025

📣 Calling all Native nursing students!

The FLIP Nursing Scholarship is now open for Fall 2025. This opportunity supports Indigenous students pursuing bachelor’s or associate’s degrees in nursing who are committed to serving Native communities and addressing health disparities.

Since 2023, FLIP has supported 6 students — and this year, they’re excited to support 4 more.

🗓️ Apply by July 21!
📍 Learn more and apply: https://www.the-flip.org/pathways/flip-nursing-scholarship-program
📧 Questions? flip@partners.org

07/15/2025

📢 Reminder: The Anchorage Fire Department still has helmets — available to kids and teens at no cost — at all Anchorage fire stations.

Please keep in mind that:
🚲 Kids must be present to have the new bike fitted and adjusted.
🚲 Supplies are limited to the stock on hand.
🚲 Free helmets are intended for those who could not otherwise obtain bike helmets.

This program is made possible by Safe Kids Alaska, the Anchorage Fire Department and Anchorage Firefighters Union, IAFF Local 1264.

For more information, call at 907-212-3194 or email safekidsak@providence.org.

07/11/2025

Discover Forensic Healthcare in Alaska

📢 What does forensic healthcare look like in Alaska?
The Alaska Comprehensive Forensic Training Academy (ACFTA) trains healthcare, justice, and advocacy professionals to respond with expertise, compassion, and collaboration—tailored for Alaska’s unique communities.

🎥 See how ACFTA is shaping trauma-informed care across the state: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPL4tE9lEFM

🗓️ Fall 2025 registration is open—don’t miss your chance!
🔗 Learn more & register: aana.thinkific.com/courses/ACFTA

In a vast and geographically challenging landscape, Alaska grapples with a unique obstacle in delivering essential and equitable care to victims of violence....