About SEARHC
Our History
SEARHC is a non-profit tribal health consortium of 18 Native communities which serves the health interests of the Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, and other Native people of Southeast Alaska. We are one of the oldest and largest Native-run health organizations in the nation.
SEARHC was established in 1975 under the provisions of the Indian Self-Determination Act. The intent of this legislation was to have Indian Health Service programs and facilities turned over to tribal management. Our contracting with IHS began in 1976 when we took over management of the Community Health Aides Program. In 1982, we took over operation of the IHS Juneau clinic and in 1986 we took over operation of Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital.
Interested in SEARHC history? Read Gumboot Determination for the complete story.
The Consortium
We are a consortium of 18 Native communities in Southeast Alaska, and our highest priority is to be responsive to the needs of those communities. Our board representatives are selected by the tribal governing body in each community. We maintain strong ties to the communities, to our culture, and to our elders. Wherever possible we incorporate traditional Native cultural practices and values into our health care delivery system.
Our Focus on Quality
At our Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital and Juneau Medical Center we offer services that meet established national standards of excellence as demonstrated in our accreditation reviews by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. We were one of the first health care organizations in Alaska to adopt Total Quality Management principles. Under our brand of TQM (which we call SEARHC Quality Management) staff teams continually evaluate and refine our operations to assure that we are delivering the highest quality of care to our patients. By adopting SQM , we have made a commitment to work toward excellence in every part of our organization - from our medical and nursing services to our housekeeping and food services.
About SEARHC
Our Board
The communities we serve and the board members that represent them
Angoon
Harriet Silva, Treasurer
Angoon Community Association
Craig
June Durgan
Craig Community Association
Douglas
Vacant
Haines
Jan Hill
Chilkoot Indian Association
Hoonah
Veronica Dalton
Hoonah Indian Association
Hydaburg
Jolene Edenshaw, Chair
Hydaburg Cooperative Association
Juneau
Sue Ann Lindoff
T&H Indians of the City & Borough of Juneau
Kake
Lincoln Bean, Sr.
Organized Village of Kake
Kasaan
Frederick Olsen, Jr.
Organized Village of Kasaan
Klawock
Patty Cottle
Klawock Cooperative Association
Klukwan
Kimberley Strong
Chilkat Indian Village
Pelican
James Phillips
Pelican T&H Community Council
Petersburg
Mary Katasse Miller
Petersburg Indian Association
Sitka
Rachel Moreno
Sitka Tribe of Alaska
Skagway
Delia Commander, Vice Chair
Skagway Traditional Council
Tenakee
Edna Paddock
Tenakee Springs Indian Community
Wrangell
Lavina Brock, Secretary
Wrangell Cooperative Association
Yakutat
Beverly Bremner
Yakutat Tlingít Tribe