In 2015 six Iliamna Lake Villages: Igiugig Tribal Village Council, Kokhanok Village Council, Iliamna Village Council, Newhalen Tribal Council, Nondalton Tribal Council, and Pedro Bay Village Council invited SCF to directly provide all health programs, services, functions, and activities funded by Indian Health Service. SCF provides direct health care service to the six Iliamna Lake Villages, in addition to the community of Port Alsworth. 

These Federally Qualified Health Centers offer high-quality services, family wellness and shared responsibility for everyone (regardless of I.H.S. status) at any stage of life. Services are available to all members of these communities on a sliding fee scale depending upon both household income and size. These clinical teams work in partnership with you — and in partnership with each other — to ensure you receive the tools, support, and resources you need to make health related decisions, and that all your health needs are addressed. 

The Council meets 3 times a year to hear operation reports from participating communities and SCF operational teams.  Through these meetings all parties work together to continually improve healthcare in the region.

Advisory committees are local groups that meet to discuss fish and wildlife issues, provide a local forum for those issues, and make recommendations to the Alaska boards of fisheries and game. Their purpose as established by the Joint Board of Fisheries and Game includes:

• Developing regulatory proposals

• Evaluating regulatory proposals and making recommendations to the appropriate board

• Providing a local forum for fish and wildlife conservation and use, including matters relating to habitat

• Consulting with individuals, organizations, and agencies

To qualify for membership on a committee, A candidate must have knowledge of and experience with the fish and wildlife resources and their uses in the area, and have a reputation within the community consistent with the responsibilities of committee membership.

These responsibilities regularly include: 

• Being the ear for the communities fish and game regulatory concerns

• Attending advisory committee meetings (attendance is important because business can not be done without quorum.)

• Joining the rest of the AC in evaluating regulatory proposals, and making recommendations to the appropriate board.

• Taking part in development of new proposals

• Cooperating with interested people and organizations to accomplish the list above.

As authorized by Alaska Statute 16.05.260, which originally passed in 1959, the Joint Board of Fisheries and Game has established 84 advisory committees for the purpose of providing a local forum for the collection and expression of opinions and recommendations on matters related to the management of fish and wildlife resources. The regulations governing the advisory committee are 5 AAC Chapters 96 and 97.

Protecting Our Lands, Waters, and Future . . . Together.

By investing in community relationships and capacity, Guardians will amplify existing environmental monitoring initiatives, revive important dormant activities, and identify novel opportunities to fill data gaps. In the ecosystem that sustains the last global stronghold for wild sockeye salmon populations and the relationships dependent upon them, it takes all of us . . .

 Inspired by thriving Indigenous Guardians programs operating throughout Canada, the Bristol Bay Guardians initiative is centered on the transformative power of Indigenous-led stewardship and collaborative partnerships to enhance regional resilience and well-being. By prioritizing investments in communities and residents, the initiative aims to bridge critical gaps in environmental monitoring and climate adaptation efforts. Leveraging a holistic approach that combines Indigenous knowledge and western science, the Guardians network will foster inclusive monitoring and research, empowering local communities to actively participate in land relationship planning and stewardship activities.

The initiative envisions a future where Alaska Native perspectives are integral to decision-making processes, ensuring that land relationship strategies are both ecologically sustainable and culturally respectful. This shift toward inclusivity and collaboration promises to forge stronger, more resilient strategies for adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change in Bristol Bay and beyond.

By fostering cooperative relationships among diverse regional entities, the Guardians network will contribute to workforce development and economic opportunities, thereby enhancing the broader dynamics of community well-being. The ultimate goal is to unlock historically marginalized regional capacities, establish true co-management pathways, and address inequities in cultural diversity within agency employment practices, leading to a more sustainable and equitable future for all our relations.

https://bristolbayguardians.com/