The Sitka Health Summit has pinpointed two goals for 2023 aimed at caring for some of the youngest and oldest Sitkans. The health summit is a community coalition that meets once a year to brainstorm two initiatives focused on community wellness.

Doug Osborne is a facilitator for the summit. He joined KCAW’s Brooke Schafer for the morning interview on September 16 to discuss the goals that were chosen. Listen to their conversation here:


He said the first goal the group selected was improving local elder services and facilities. 

“When you think about COVID, that certainly a population in our town that was very affected, and has had a lot of challenges in the pandemic,” said Osborne. “And so the idea was to bring people together and say, ‘What can we do?’ You know, respecting elders is a traditional tribal value. And so that goes back 10,000 years here, and what can we do to kind of show that.”  

The second goal of the health summit is to create sustainable and affordable childcare in Sitka. 

“The childcare system in Sitka, as many places in the country, is in crisis,” Osborne said. “And this affects families, this affects the people that work there. There is a lot of issues. It’s complicated. And the exciting thing is, is that there’s communities that have taken this issue, there’s a lot of good ideas, and there’s a lot of potential to revamp.”

Last year’s goals spurred a community recreation project and expanded the Sitka Homeless Coalition’s long-planned initiative to build a shelter or other housing in Sitka– plans for a tiny cabin community are making headway.

“A lot of progress has happened there,” Osborne said. “And that’s still going. This is kind of a critical time — they’re turning in an application on [October] 3 to Alaska Mental Health Trust for a proposal for the land. And so the more community support they can show in their proposal, the more of a chance that they’re able to get the land they need to build on. It’s a big parcel up on Jarvis Street, and they want to build the cabins that are be warm, dry, safe places.”

Kickoff events for each of the new health summit goals are scheduled for October.

Editor’s Note: KCAW’s Brooke Schafer contributed to this story.