History of the National Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program in Alaska

In 1990, Congress created the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). The NBCCEDP was created so that women with limited income, no insurance or insurance that doesn’t cover breast and cervical cancer screening could access the services they need.

The NBCCEDP provides:
	Breast and cervical health screening services;
	Recruitment, public education and outreach to increase the use of services;
	Education for health professionals to improve the screening process;
	A forum for partners to work together to achieve common health screening goals;
	Program quality assurance and improvement; and,
	Surveillance, evaluation and data management systems

Alaska has had NBCCEDP funding since 1994, when the Arctic Slope Native Association was awarded its first NBCCEDP grant. There are now four other programs screening women with NBCCEDP funding: the State of Alaska (funded in 1995); Southcentral Foundation (1995); SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (1997); and the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation (2001).

In 2001 these five Alaskan programs began looking for ways to work together. Small efforts then have grown exponentially into a formal partnership which now enjoys a shared Clinical Advisory Committee , [ link to page 6 of this document] joint professional development opportunities , [link to page 5 of this document ] and joint public education messages {link to page 4 of this document]. While each of the partners maintain their own separate programs, they also work together as the “Alaska Breast and Cervical Health Partnership” to ensure the best possible breast and cervical health screening services for women throughout Alaska.

For more information about any of the programs in the Alaska Breast and Cervical Health Partnership, click on the area of the state you are interested in, below.