Ketchikan’s local tribe was recently awarded a $5 million grant to help develop an addiction healing center north of town. It’s part of about $250 million distributed to projects across Alaska through the Rural Health Transformation Program. That’s a federal initiative formed last year that aims to strengthen rural health systems around the country.
Alaska’s Department of Health announced the rural funding for over 250 projects around the state on Thursday. The Ketchikan Indian Community’s healing center received more funding than most of the other projects.
Tribal administrator and CEO Emily Edenshaw said the funding will be used for facility renovations and IT updates.
“I’m really, really grateful for this incredible gift,” Edenshaw said. “And you know, now the real work begins.”
The tribe purchased the former Salmon Falls Resort last year after the 11-acre facility was foreclosed on. It’s equipped with a restaurant, boat dock, bunkhouses and guest rooms that can sleep more than 50 people. There’s also space to grow the facility.
And unlike some tribally-led healing centers, which are only open to tribal members, KIC’s facility will be open to everyone. Edenshaw said the tribe is hoping to start peer support groups at the healing center next year. She said that will be dependent on construction at the facility.
“We’re just really excited that this gift allows us to really put into action the dreams of our council, as well as several prior council leaders, our tribal leaders, as well as our tribal citizens,” she said.
Edenshaw said the tribe is going to seek more funding from the federal rural health program to further develop the facility. She said the tribe is also working on a website to post information about the center in real time.
The healing center project received pushback from north end residents earlier this year when the tribe asked to rezone the property. Ketchikan’s borough assembly ultimately approved the rezone request.
The Ketchikan Indian Community isn’t the only local group who received funding through the program. PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center was awarded nearly $7 million to develop robotic assisted minimally invasive surgery. Mobile integrated health units, pharmacies and nonprofits in Ketchikan and Prince of Wales Island also saw funding.
Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution.
