The COVID-19 pandemic underscored many strengths of the Alaska Tribal Health System (ATHS) and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), however it also brought to light opportunities for improvement in Tribal public health infrastructure throughout the state and emphasized the need for ANTHC and the ATHS to be better prepared for future public health emergencies.

Supported by TECPHI funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Alaska Native Epidemiology Center (ANEC) contributed to ANTHC’s efforts to invest purposefully in infrastructure to improve public health and strengthen its capacity. Using Tribal public health assessments, ANEC staff worked throughout FY23 and FY24 to evaluate the ATHS’s capacity to deliver the essential public health services and inform ANTHC’s efforts to align its public health initiatives with its strategic direction.

As a result of the information gained in these assessments, ANTHC identified areas for which an immediate was response was possible including funding additional positions in Emergency Preparedness, establishing Tribal public health infrastructure sub-award funding opportunities, creating a Research Advisory Network, and strengthening partnerships and networking relationships with partners such as the State of Alaska. Additional work continues on these assessments, and the results continue to provide valuable insights for the Alaska Native EpiCenter, the ANTHC Division of Community Health Services, and the organization as a whole.

Maria Caruso presents on Tribal Public Health Assessment processes and results and the 2023 EpiCenter Scientific Advisory Council.

---