A child receives a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed bandage after getting their Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the Anchorage School District Education Center on Nov. 3, 2021. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
The Alaska Department of Health is cutting 30 positions and shuttering a program meant to improve public health access across the state after the Trump administration cut more than $50 million in previously awarded federal funding.
A dozen federal grants to the Alaska Department of Health were terminated effective March 24 amid broad funding cuts, department spokesperson Shirley Sakaye confirmed Thursday, including funds awarded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that were set to expire by 2027.
“Funds were utilized for time-limited projects that increased public health infrastructure and capacity,” Sakaye said by email.
As a result of the cuts, the department is dissolving the Healthy and Equitable Communities unit, which was launched in 2021 in response to health access and outcome disparities across the state that came into sharp relief during the pandemic.
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The unit focused on “creating partnerships across Alaska to ensure that the conditions in which Alaskans live, work and play support opportunities to lead healthy lives,” according to a department webpage that was removed earlier this week. The program had staff in Anchorage, the Mat-Su region, Fairbanks, Bethel, Nome, Homer, Kodiak, Juneau and Ketchikan.
Now, partnerships established by the department are set to be abruptly discontinued, leading to what could be significant impacts, including in rural communities where access to health services is limited.
The 12 canceled grants originally amounted to more than $185 million, of which $135 million had already been expended, according to a list of canceled grants maintained by the federal Department of Health and Human Services. The state lost out on $50 million in future funding, but because of the sudden cancellation of the grants, the state may also lose out on improvements it was planning to make through previous expenditures because projects will be abandoned midway.
Among the terminated grants was a $96 million award toward improving epidemiology and laboratory capacity for preventing and controlling emerging infectious diseases. More than $24 million from that grant had yet to be spent and was canceled.
The cancellation also impacted a $40 million award for immunization and vaccines for children, of which $16 million had not yet been spent when the grants were canceled.
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Alaska has seen a drop in vaccination rates among children in recent years. For example, a decade ago, about 94% of kindergartners were vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella. As of last year, that rate had dropped to 84%, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The grant cancellations also impacted more than $7 million for a “national initiative to address COVID-19 health disparities among populations at high-risk and underserved, including racial and ethnic minority populations and rural communities,” administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than $1 million out of a $4.7 million grant to address substance use was canceled. Roughly $700,000 in mental health grant funding was canceled.
Julie Cleaton, policy committee chair for the Alaska Public Health Association, said the association opposes the cuts to public health funding.
“We’ve always been underfunded, and this will not help. The state is already feeling the impact of these federal cuts,” Cleaton said in an interview Thursday.
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Cleaton works for the state Department of Health as a data analyst for the Alaska Cancer Registry but was not speaking on behalf of the state, she said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic made it clear to a lot of people in government that we weren’t well-prepared. We’re not working off of a healthy baseline population, and there are a lot of improvements to be made there. So there was some funding that went out because of COVID-19, but a lot of it was to prevent future outbreaks, to improve our systems and to get everyone healthier, not just specifically for COVID-19, but for everything,” Cleaton said.
Cleaton said that the Healthy and Equitable Communities unit — now disbanded — had been “positioned in several communities across the state to try and get to more rural locations that don’t usually see enough public services.”
“We’ve been trying to work to help everyone get on a more even footing, health-wise, and this will just be a setback to that,” she said.
Ingrid Stevens, former president of the Alaska Public Health Association, said that Alaska will also be impacted by other cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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“A primary concern is the supply of data,” she said.
Stevens, who works in the Alaska tribal health system, said that Alaska could lose critical data that the federal government collects and shares with states through surveys, including ones pertaining to mental health and substance abuse.
“Those national bodies are the ones that give us guidance. They do all the research and they relay that down to the states so states can implement that research to help improve public health,” said Cleaton. “If we don’t have that national guidance, who’s going to do that research?”
Cleaton said that impacts of the loss of public health programming may not be felt immediately, but their long-term effects could be significant.
“We’ve been seeing declining vaccination rates for several years — and now we’re getting measles outbreaks. So it may take time to really feel the impact, but it will hurt what we do,” Cleaton said.
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‘A general sense of anxiety’
Broad cuts to federal spending — led by tech billionaire Elon Musk — are set to have a disproportionate impact on Alaska, which receives a large share of federal funding per capita, economists, union leaders and nonprofit leaders have said.
Already, 230 Alaskans in the federal workforce had filed for unemployment insurance since February, when mass firings began, according to Alaska’s Director of Employment and Training Services Paloma Harbour.
But this is likely the first time that Alaska state employees have lost their jobs due to federal funding cuts under the current Trump administration, according to Heidi Drygas, director of the Alaska State Employees Association, a union representing most state employees, who said the terminations impacted both permanent and non-permanent positions.
Department of Health staff were laid off in communities including Anchorage, Juneau, Wasilla, Fairbanks, Homer, Valdez and Petersburg, she said.
Drygas said the Department of Health was proactive in involving the AlaskaDepartment of Labor and Workforce Development to help impacted employees find other jobs with the state, which has a high vacancy rate across departments.
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But Drygas said that state employees are anxious — not just about layoffs that occurred this week but about potential imminent impacts of federal funding cuts, including future layoffs.
“There is a general sense of anxiety,” said Drygas. “Especially with employees that work under federal grants or they have federal counterparts that they work with on a daily basis.”
“What we’re worried about is what comes next,” she added. “It’s just a really difficult time for state employees.”
Drygas said she anticipates future impacts, and hopes Alaska’s congressional delegation will do “whatever they can to protect our federal funding.”
Alaska’s two Republican U.S. senators said earlier this week that they were in touch with the Trump administration over the funding cuts to the Department of Health.
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U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan has been “working with state health officials to gather more information about how these reorganization efforts impact Alaska,” spokesperson Amanda Coyne said Wednesday.
Coyne said that Sullivan had “an extended phone call” with Trump’s Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which “focused on extending some of the grants at issue, and on larger solutions as part of HHS’s reorganization efforts that would address Alaska’s unique health care needs and challenges.”
None of the canceled grants have since been reinstated, the Alaska Department of Health confirmed late Thursday.
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is “tracking the grant funding cuts, and her office is engaging with the administration,” spokesperson Joe Plesha said. “The sudden loss of funding and the loss of these positions will make a real impact in Alaska, and the Senator is focused on finding solutions to continue the progress that has been made with these funds.”
The office of U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III “is monitoring these funding cuts and the direct impacts on Alaskans,” spokesperson Silver Prout said in a written statement.
Home › Active Wildland Fire ›Ninetyeight Fire Evacuation Level downgraded to Level 1 (READY); little heat found near structures
By BLM Alaska Fire Serviceon
Thanks to the strong work of fire crews and cooperative weather conditions on the Ninetyeight Fire (#218), the Fairbanks North Star Borough is downgrading the Salcha River corridor (Upper, Middle and Lower Salcha River evacuation zones) to a Level 1 (READY) alert level. Level 1 means “BE READY” for potential evacuation. Residents should be aware of danger in their area and monitor emergency services websites and local media outlets for information.
The evacuation map and other information can be found on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Emergency Operations website at https://www.fnsb.gov/180/Emergency-Operations.
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On Thursday, fire managers conducted a reconnaissance flight over the Ninetyeight Fire, which showed that the area near structures and Alaska Native allotments was quiet and not showing heat. There is some heat and slight fire movement on the northern side, and the fire perimeter is currently at 4,340 acres.
Fire behavior on Thursday included creeping and smoldering, but no torching. The fire did not receive any precipitation Thursday night. Some warming and drying could occur over the weekend.
Today, smokejumpers will continue work to extinguish hot spots further into the control lines, working from the eastern side of the fire to the north and to the west. Firefighters will continue protection structure protection work and will evaluate and implement options for reducing risk to nearby Alaska Native allotments. They will improve line and mop up inside the fire perimeter from River Mile 35 towards the west.
Text WILDFIRES to 67283 to receive text notifications or go to: https://www.smart911.com/smart911/login.action?lpse=1
Additional information on wildfires across Alaska, including the Ninetyeight Fire, can be found at: https://akfireinfo.com/ or by calling: (907) 356-5511.
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Learn more at akfireinfo.com, and on Facebook (@BLMAFS).
Evacuation Status Map: The evacuation level for the Ninetyeight Fire was downgraded to a Level 1 (READY) by the Fairbanks Northstar Borough on June 27
Download a PDF copy of this update.
‹ Crews and supplies arrive to support firefighting efforts at the Twelvemile Lake (#220) and Sand Lake (#292) fires
Additional single engine water scoopers arrive at Nelchina Glacier Fire (#226) to assist with suppression efforts ›
NHL forward John Hayden, right, talks with young hockey players as part of Anchorage Hockey Academy summer camp’s Seattle Kraken week at Dempsey-Anderson Ice Arena in Anchorage on Thursday. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Toward the end of last July, Reuben Seidl and his wife, Liz, noticed that their 2-year-old son Caleb wasn’t quite himself.
He was suffering from chronic fevers and fatigue, so they decided to take him to a medical provider to be evaluated. After getting some labs done, they received the news no parent ever wants to hear.
“We ended up being asked to go to the (emergency room) and he was diagnosed with leukemia a couple of days later,” Seidl said.
Caleb’s specific diagnosis is acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and his dad said that he has been “a trooper through the whole thing.”
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Caleb Seidl enjoys a slice of pizza with his Seattle Kraken hat on. (Photo provided by the Seidl family)
Following the initial diagnosis, they spent 33 days in the hospital with their son. Now 3 years old, Caleb is almost at the tail end of the intensive part of his treatment, which is taking a full year, then he has to undergo 18 or so months of additional treatment. His current prognosis is “really great,” Seidl said.
Caleb’s current treatment plan has included visits to the hospital three or four times a week and getting different forms of chemotherapy and medication.
With his form of cancer and treatment plan, Caleb’s social interaction with others is limited — which is why when the opportunity to partner with the Make-A-Wish Foundation came up, the family welcomed the opportunity to uplift his spirits in whatever way they feasibly could, from a health standpoint.
“Make-A-Wish is a fantastic organization, and Caleb qualified for Make-A-Wish and they told us his wish is granted,” Seidl said. “Two of their ambassadors (in Alaska) came to our house and tried to see what a 3-year-old would really wish for because it’s really important that he gets something that he wants.”
Since his son has always loved hockey and the Seattle Kraken are his favorite team, they ultimately decided to partner with the team. The Kraken just so happened to be planning to come to Alaska for the annual Kraken Week youth hockey camp.
Caleb was the honored guest at a meet-and-greet with team officials Thursday morning at the Fly Trampoline Park in Anchorage. He was able to meet and play with Kraken forward John Hayden and team mascot Buoy.
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Caleb Seidl, 3, poses with his family during a Make-A-Wish event with the Seattle Kraken on Thursday at Fly Trampoline Park in Anchorage. (Josh Reed / ADN)
“The timing worked out, they showed up and they’re going to host him at a game and let us do a lot of fun things down in Seattle next season,” Seidl said.
Caleb’s full wish will be granted when he and his family travel down to meet the whole team and tour Climate Pledge Arena this fall during the regular season.
Reuben and his son are regulars at Anchorage Wolverines home games — at least through the second period before it gets too close to Caleb’s bedtime. The only professional hockey game Reuben has ever attended in person was a matchup between the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche back in 2010. For his next pro hockey experience to be his son’s first makes it all the more special.
“It’s going to be awesome and I am so stoked,” Seidl said. “The Kraken is a great organization, the new stadium that they built is absolutely wild and I’m pumped to see it in person.”
Their family feels fortunate that Caleb has been able to get all the care and treatment he needs within Alaska instead of having to travel out of state, as some parents and families have needed to do.
“We were very lucky with that and were able to get some top-tier new immunotherapy for him that just got passed and out of the clinical trial stage for him a month before he was diagnosed,” Seidl said.
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Caleb’s resiliency through this adversity at such a young age has been inspiring to those around him.
“He is the most resilient and happy kid with everything that’s going on,” Seidl said. “He doesn’t want to go and get all these treatments and all these shots and pokes, but he makes the best of it. We play at the places, say ‘hi’ to all the nurses and brighten up their day.”
Inspiring the next wave of Alaska players
This trip marked the first to Alaska for Hayden, who has thoroughly enjoyed himself so far.
“It’s awesome (and offers) a little bit of everything,” he said. “Meeting Caleb today, going to a hockey camp, and yesterday we were on a fishing trip, so it’s been great.”
NHL forward John Hayden, right, waits on the bench with young hockey players as part of Anchorage Hockey Academy summer camp’s Seattle Kraken week at Dempsey-Anderson Ice Arena in Anchorage on Thursday. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Coming to Alaska in itself was a treat, but being able to do so for reasons like making a 3-year-old fan’s dream come true and giving back to the next generation of youth hockey players made it even more special and meaningful.
“It’s amazing and very inspiring to see Caleb’s demeanor,” Hayden said. “He’s been through a lot at a young age but all he does is smile and have a good time, so it’s really good perspective to be here and it’s special to be a part of it.”
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Growing up in Denver, Hayden recalled attending hockey camps as a youth, skating with college and professional players from that area and how it “definitely had a big impact” on him. He hopes his presence will have a similar effect on the kids he interacted with during Thursday’s camp at Dempsey-Anderson Ice Arena.
“If we can help push and inspire the next wave of Alaskan hockey players, it’d be great, so (I’m) just here to encourage them, have some fun and be out there on the ice with them,” Hayden said.
Blake Kullberg will be a freshman next fall at Grace Christian School and was the youngest coach in the camp.
Getting the chance to share the same sheet of ice as Hayden was a great experience for coaches and campers alike.
NHL forward John Hayden, right, talks with a young hockey player as part of Anchorage Hockey Academy summer camp’s Seattle Kraken week at Dempsey-Anderson Ice Arena in Anchorage on Thursday. (Marc Lester / ADN) Buoy, the sea troll mascot of the Seattle Kraken, skates with young players as part of Anchorage Hockey Academy summer camp’s Seattle Kraken week at Dempsey-Anderson Ice Arena in Anchorage on Thursday. (Marc Lester / ADN)
“Honestly, if I had this experience as a little kid, I would’ve absolutely lost my mind,” Kullberg said. “I would’ve been up all night and wouldn’t have been able to sleep. Just being on the ice with someone who is at that level of the game is probably so cool for these kids.”
Kullberg opted to assist with the campers instead of being one himself all week despite his dad being the director of Anchorage Hockey Academy. Kullberg said he wanted to have fun with and help develop the younger kids, like his little sister, who was a camper.
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She is a big fan of Buoy but was scared of the Kraken sea troll mascot initially when he first got on the ice. She warmed up to him after some encouragement from her big brother and other camp coaches.
Buoy sat down with ADN for an interview, but since he only speaks troll via nose squeaks, Hailey Robinson — an entertainment assistant with the Kraken — served as his official translator.
“Buoy absolutely adores getting out in the community and getting to see the fans,” Robinson said.
Buoy, the sea troll mascot of the Seattle Kraken, chooses a stick as part of Anchorage Hockey Academy summer camp’s Seattle Kraken week at Dempsey-Anderson Ice Arena in Anchorage on Thursday. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Robinson asked Buoy if his favorite thing about working with the Kraken is the number of kids he gets to bring joy to with his appearances. He nodded in approval.
“Especially something like this where (Caleb’s) life isn’t super fun when he’s in treatment, but for a day like today, we get to bring a lot of joy and that’s what Buoy is best at,” Robinson said.
The final event of Kraken Week will be a community skate at the Ice Chalet at Destination Dimond, inside the Dimond Center at 800 E. Dimond Blvd., from 3-7 p.m. Friday.