Community Health Aide Appreciation Day

The Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation is proud to recognize and celebrate the dedication and contributions of nearly 200 community, behavioral and dental health aides working in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region. These healthcare professionals are essential to delivering much-needed healthcare services to the communities within our service area. As one of the largest Tribal Health Organization in Alaska, YKHC employs the largest number of BHAs, CHAs, and DHAs in the state.

Alaska House Bill 78 recognizes September 10 as Alaska Community Health Aide Appreciation Day. This is a significant milestone for health aides at the state level, acknowledging the roles health aides play in our healthcare delivery system in remote Alaska.

One of the greatest advantages of YKHC's health aide programs is our ability to hire local individuals from the villages within our service area. By hiring and training locally, YKHC delivers high-quality, culturally relevant care closer to home, ensuring our patients receive care from healthcare professionals who understand their cultural, traditions and community. Culture plays a significant role in healthcare delivery. Patients are often more receptive to care when they see providers who know where they're from, share family connections, or live in their community. This familiarity makes patients more comfortable and willing to listen to their healthcare providers, resulting in better health outcomes.

Each behavioral, community and dental health aide employed by YKHC undergoes extensive training, ranging from two to four years, to complete their program in each discipline. These rigorous trainings prepare each of our health aides to address a wide range of health concerns, from traumatic emergency response to routine and preventative care in the field of medical, dental, and behavioral health. Each health aide program utilizes a tailored approach to meet the wide range of needs of the YK region, reinforcing YKHC's vision: "Through Native self-determination and culturally relevant health systems, we strive to be the healthiest people."

BHA, CHA and DHAs are without a doubt the heart of care in the remote villages of the YK Delta. Health aides are beacons of hope and lights in the darkness for many of our communities. Their efforts contribute significantly to the overall success of YKHC.

Asela Calhoun, YKHC's Director of Community Health Aide Program & Education shared, "If any one of us found ourselves or our families in a very remote area, miles from the nearest hospital or facility, suddenly faced with illness, ailment or unexpected injury, it would be comforting to know that our close neighbor is a qualified, trained healthcare provider who can assist, stabilize, or even save our life, while truly caring for us personally. This is a fitting description of what the BHA, CHA, and DHA do, day in and day out, for their communities."

As YKHC celebrates Health Aide Appreciation Day, we extend our deepest gratitude to all our health aides.