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Abstract #156855

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Kate Landis¹, Roz DeRensis, MPH², Anne Gore³, Luke Vanasse⁴, Josita Slatton⁵, and Susan Merrick³. (1) Southcentral Foundation, 4320 Diplomacy Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, 907-729-8891, kslandis@scf.cc, (2) Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Corporation, 222 Tongass Drive, Sitka, AK 99835, (3) State of Alaska Division of Public Health, PO Box 240249, Anchorage, AK 99524, (4) Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Consortium, PO Box 287, Pouch 3000, Bethel, AK 99559, (5) Screening for Life, Arctic Slope Native Association, P.O. Box 29, Barrow, AK 99723

Background: Alaska is a geographically challenged state with many small rural, remote communities that have unique community and health care needs. Conflict and competition abound between tribal and state entities on health services and health education as these entities compete for the same limited funding. Over a series of years, the Alaska Breast and Cervical Health Partnership has developed into a statewide partnership with membership that includes both state and tribal members and has effectively maneuvered through state and tribal politics and turf battles to offer statewide mammography services, public education, and provider education. Methods: Based on a common goal and through monthly teleconference with annual face to face trainings, the tribal and state partners, non-profit and media partners have been able to discuss, create, fund, and distribute breast and cervical health focused statewide public education and screening campaigns, early detection services and follow-up and provider education. Results: Working with multiple partners allows an increase in local access to mammography screening to women throughout Alaska, increasing screening for women hard to reach due to distance/monetary issues while strengthening the skills of clinical and lay health providers as well as coordination of health services, and data management. Conclusions: The Partnership has allowed for relationship building moving entities from non-speaking competitors to collaborators.

Learning Objectives:

• • Describe the lessons learned by the Alaska Breast and Cervical Health Partnership in overcoming political and geographical barriers.
• • Discuss how the Alaska Breast and Cervical Health Partnership has developed statewide public education and training opportunities and increased access to care.
• • Describe the mentoring processes that occur between the state and tribal programs.

Keywords: Breast Cancer Programs, Partnerships

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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