White House Tribal Nations Summit

Interior Alaska made a significant mark at the 3rd Annual White House Tribal Nations Summit, hosted by the Biden administration, which emphasized the region’s commitment to advancing Tribal interests on the national stage. Chief Nancy James of Gwichyaa Zhee contributed to the discussions by participating in a panel titled ‘Protecting Tribal Homelands in the Era of Climate Change.’ Her insights …

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December Head Start News

Continuous Staff Development In October, Head Start brought all of our employees to Fairbanks for an in-person training from the 13th to the 17th. We provided additional training on various skills related to social emotional growth and handling difficult behaviors. It was a very busy but fun week, and it’s always wonderful to see our village staff face-to-face. Celebrating the …

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TCC Congratulates Tanana on IHS Land Transfer

On October 27, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) leadership, which included Chief/Chairman Brian Ridley, Vice-President Sharon Hildebrand, and Secretary/Treasurer Charlie Wright, traveled to Tanana to participate in the Annual Shareholders meeting alongside First Chief Julie Roberts-Hyslop, Second Chief Curtis Sommer, and the local community. The Native Village of Tanana recently achieved a successful negotiation with the Indian Health Services (IHS) for …

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National Congress of American Indians Annual Convention

Last month, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) leadership attended the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Annual Convention in New Orleans. This year’s Convention included several important elections including President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Area Vice-Presidents and alternate Area Vice-Presidents. During the Alaska Caucus, Chief Brian Ridley was elected to serve as the Alaska Area Vice-President for NCAI alongside Tlingit & Haida …

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Gateway to Recovery Made More Accessible with Extended Hours, Eligibility

On October 25th of this year, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) assumed management of Gateway to Recovery, formerly operated under Fairbanks Native Association (FNA) as FNA Detox. In order to ensure that the detox program remains accessible for those who need it, TCC expanded operating hours for the inpatient withdrawal management program and it is now accessible 24 hours a day, …

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Finding Health & Healing Through Cultural Practices – Old Minto Family Recovery Camp

The Old Minto Family Recovery Camp is owned and operated by Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) and is a traditional alternative to substance abuse treatment—a place to begin healing in a traditional setting.   For many Alaska Natives today, alcohol and drug use became a toxic way of coping with a loss of traditional Native values, cultural patterns, identities, relationships, and …

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TCC Congratulates this Year’s
Behavioral Health Aide Forum Winners

Join us in congratulating the recipients of this year’s Behavioral Health Aide (BHA) Forum awards. Ann Neglaska, Kaltag BHA, received the Shining Star AwardThe Shining Star award is given to a BHA/P that has worked for 5 or more years and demonstrates excellence in their role by continuously delivering exceptional Client care, has somehow improved the behavioral healthcare delivery system …

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New Options at TCC for Lung Cancer Screening

Lung cancer is the second most common form of cancer in Alaskan Natives and the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Eighty percent of lung cancers are caused by smoking. Due to the fact that Alaska Natives smoke at twice the rate of white populations in the state, we are at a higher risk for developing lung cancer. The best …

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Coping with Holiday Grief

By Roxanne Frank, Substance Abuse Prevention Program Manager Holidays can be very difficult for people who have experienced death of a loved one. Memories are a constant reminder of the loss in our lives. It can be painful and overwhelming, particularly in the first year after a death. I found out, as we grieve, it is important to acknowledge that …

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Representative Mike Prax Visits the Edgar Nollner Health Center

In November, Representative Mike Prax of District 3 of the Alaska House of Representatives, toured the Edgar Nollner Health Center (ENHC) and met with staff members in Galena. He made the visit seeking a better understanding of our health services and how they function, so that he can better represent District 3’s rural areas. He was impressed by the services …

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