Maniilaq Association
Tribally-operated health, social, and educational services provider.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
* | N/A | Grant | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Maniilaq Association is a non-profit, tribally-operated organization that provides health, tribal, and social services to the residents of Northwest Alaska. It represents twelve federally recognized Iñupiat tribes and serves approximately 8,000 people in the Northwest Arctic Borough and the village of Point Hope, a region roughly the size of Indiana. With a workforce of around 550, it stands as the largest employer in the region.
The association's history began in 1966 with the founding of the Northwest Alaska Native Association (NANA) to address Native land claims. Following the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) in 1971, which created a for-profit corporation, the non-profit was renamed, eventually becoming Maniilaq Association to avoid confusion. The name "Maniiḷaq" is an Iñupiaq word meaning "without money," reflecting its non-profit status. A key milestone was the 1975 merger with the Kotzebue Area Health Corporation, which had been formed in 1973 to manage health needs. This merger consolidated services and led to the construction of a new health facility in Kotzebue, completed in 1981.
Maniilaq's primary service delivery channel is the Maniilaq Health Center in Kotzebue, an 80,000-square-foot hospital that it assumed management of from the Indian Health Service (IHS). This facility provides primary care, emergency services, dental and eye care, pharmacy, radiology, and laboratory services. It also features a 17-bed inpatient wing, an obstetrics department, and a Long Term Care wing called Utuqqanaat Inaat, which offers nursing home services to elders, allowing them to remain close to their families and culture. In addition to the central hospital, Maniilaq operates clinics in 11 outlying villages, staffed by Community Health Aides. The organization's services also encompass behavioral and mental health, senior and disability services, suicide prevention, and tribal assistance programs. As a non-profit, its operations are funded through various sources, including Medicaid revenue and grants.
Keywords: tribal health services, Alaska Native healthcare, social services, rural healthcare, non-profit organization, community health, behavioral health, long-term care, Iñupiat, Northwest Arctic Borough, Kotzebue, tribal government services, public health, primary care, elder care, substance use disorder treatment, suicide prevention, Community Health Aide Program, ANCSA, federally recognized tribes