Community Resources

From Guide to YKHC Medical Practices

Tundra Women's Coalition (TWC)

TWC primarily functions as a resource for domestic violence victims. TWC currently includes a 30-bed shelter, a 24-hour crisis line, administrative offices, a Legal Advocacy program, a Community Education Program with a village outreach component, a youth violence-prevention program called Teens Acting Against Violence, a Children’s Program, Irniamta Ikayrviat (Children’s Advocacy Center), an Engaging Men and Boys Program, a Housing Program with Transitional Houses, and a Thrift Store.

Coordinator: Eileen Arnold

TAAV (Teens Acting Against Violence) meets at TWC on Thursdays at 4:30 pm.

Office of Children's Services (OCS)

The Office of Children’s Services works in partnership with families and communities to support the well-being of Alaska’s children and youth. Services will enhance families’ capacities to give their children a healthy start, to provide them with safe and permanent homes, to maintain cultural connections and to help them realize their potential.

Contact: 543-3141

Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC)

CACs stress a child-focused multidisciplinary approach to investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child sexual abuse cases. The CAC that serves the YK Delta is called the Children’s Center. They respond to children and caregivers when there is a report of child sexual abuse to provide evaluation services in a safe, child-friendly environment. Located at TWC and can be incorporated into your TWC tour.

Contact:

Public Health

Bethel PHC collaborates with partners in coordinating local health fairs, emergency preparedness exercises, and various health promotion and community awareness activities, including Wellness Wednesday Radio Shows on local radio network, KYUK. Public health nursing plays a major role in infectious disease surveillance and investigation. They partner with State of Alaska Epidemiology through local public health nursing case investigations of tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), foodborne illnesses and other reportable diseases such as giardiasis.

Contact: Penny Pieper, 543-2110

Bethel Youth Facility

The Bethel Youth Facility consists of a Detention Unit with a design capacity of eight residents and a Treatment Unit with capacity of 11 residents, and currently expanding. Residents are primarily Alaska Native.

Superintendent: Daryl Garrison (main 543-5200)

ONC (Orutsararmiut Native Council)

The Orutsaramiut Native Council is a Federally recognized governing body for the community of Bethel, Alaska. The council is comprised of a Traditional Chief, Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary and four Council Members.

Contact: Eleanor Miller (main number 543-2608)

Social Services Program

Director: Robin Charlie

Offers: Healthy Families- The Yup’ik Way every Monday from 5:30-7:00 PM at TWC, childcare is provided; Healthy Relationships every Wednesday from 6:00-7:30PM at the Senior Center, no childcare is available; 10 week Subsistence and Cultural awareness summer camp for kids ages 2-18 at the ONC tribal fishcamp.

Bethel Family Clinic

Bethel Family Clinic is a community health center that was established in 1979. They provide acute and chronic outpatient clinical care at a clinic in Bethel, travel to many of the villages to perform sports physicals, have basic lab services, and basic pharmaceuticals available.

Contact: LaTesia Guinn, Executive Director or Kyle McGrath, Operations Director