On Saturday, a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Seward to mark the start of construction for the Chugachmiut Regional Health Center.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by three members of the Chugachmiut Board: Director Arne Hatch, Chair Fran Norman and Vice Chair Larry Evanoff; two representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development: Alaska State Director Julia Hnilicka and Alaska Director of Community and Business Programs Robert Chambers; and a representative from Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office, Special Assistant for Rural Affairs Cordelia Kellie.

That facility, which will be tribally owned and operated, will cost $20 million and cover 15,475 square feet, a release from the department says. It will serve as “a regional hub” providing medical, dental and behavioral health care to Alaska residents in seven tribal communities.

Chugachmiut is a consortium that “seeks to improve health and achieve health equity through access to quality services, a skilled workforce, and innovative programs,” the release reads. The seven tribes are Port Graham, Chenega, Valdez, Nanwalek, Qutetcak, Eyak and Tatitlek.

A separate release from Chugachmiut says they’ve operated the Seward’s North Star Health Clinic since 1987, which is set to be replaced when the new facility is opened by January 2025.

Services will include urgent, emergency, primary, diabetes, pharmacy, dental, nutrition, health education, case management and tobacco prevention, the release says, to better provide for “under-served populations.”

Funding for the facility will in part be provided by an $11 million grant from the Emergency Rural Health Care Grant Program through the department, as well as by $2.5 million secured by Murkowski.

For more information about Chugachmiut or the Department of Agriculture Rural Development, visit chugachmiut.org or rd.usda.gov/ak.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.

Chugachmiut Board Director Arne Hatch from Qutekcak, Vice Chair Larry Evanoff from Chenega, and Chair Fran Norman from Port Graham broke ground for the Chugachmiut Regional Health Center in Seward, Alaska, Saturday, June 3. The occasion marked the start of construction of the $20 million facility. The 15,475 square foot Tribally owned and operated health clinic will serve as a regional hub providing medical, dental, and behavioral health services for Alaskans in seven Tribal communities. (Photo provided by United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development)