Alaska Native Epidemiology Center
Our Mission is to contribute to the wellness of Alaska Native people by monitoring and reporting on health data, providing technical assistance, and supporting initiatives that promote health.
The Alaska Native Epidemiology Center (EpiCenter) is located within the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s (ANTHC) Community Health Services, in Anchorage, Alaska. ANTHC provides the highest quality health services for Alaska Native and American Indian people at the Alaska Native Medical Center and across Alaska through training, health education, disease and injury prevention, and rural water and sewer construction. ANTHC, along with the regional Tribal health organizations, comprise the Alaska Tribal Health System, which has the primary goal of improving the health of Alaska Native people.
Established in 1996, the Alaska Native Epidemiology Center (EpiCenter) is one of the twelve Tribal Epidemiology Centers established by the Indian Health Service Add Strategic Plan. The EpiCenter provides public health and epidemiologic services to Alaska Tribal Health Organizations and the Tribal communities they serve.
Alaska Native Epidemiology Center Strategic Plan
Core Purpose
Providing epidemiologic and other public health services to Tribal health organizations and the Tribal communities they serve.
Core Functions
- Data dissemination and translation
- Technical assistance and training
- Disease surveillance
- Epidemiological and applied studies
Operating Principles
- Cultural Responsiveness
- Excellence
- Service
- Data-driven Approaches
- Capacity Building
- Sustainability
Long-term Goals
Target: 2032
- Be the epidemiological resource for data analysis, translation, and dissemination for the Alaska Tribal Health System.
- Be recognized as a trusted public health training and technical assistance resource in the Tribal Health System.
- Obtain recognition of ANTHC as having limited public health authority at the state level for the purposes of data sharing.
Short-term Goals
Target: 2027
1. Improve Tribal public health by identifying gaps and opportunities
- Objective 1: Conduct assessment to identify gaps and opportunities.
- Objective 2: Select and address gaps and opportunities.
2. Increase EpiCenter’s internal effectiveness and strengthen our infrastructure
- Objective 1: Foster a work environment where staff are encouraged and have opportunities to share their expertise.
- Objective 2: Foster an empowered workforce and cultivate development opportunities for staff.
- Objective 3: Incorporate cultural responsiveness into work throughout the department.
- Objective 4: Determine how to measure and track internal effectiveness and infrastructure.
3. Build EpiCenter’s external relationships and reputation to expand our reach across the Alaska Tribal Health System
- Objective 1: Implement the communications plan to share our value and expertise across the public health system.