Alaska's Cardiovascular Health Coalition
Take Heart Alaska is a statewide coalition of agencies, organizations, and individuals working together to improve cardiovascular health in Alaska. Its mission is to increase heart health among all Alaskans by advocating for individual and community-based commitment to healthy lifestyles, and improving access to preventive services, evidence-based cardiovascular treatment, and secondary prevention.
Take Heart Alaska’s primary goal is the ongoing development and implementation of the State Cardiovascular Health Plan (CVH plan). The coalition is in the process of updating the CVH plan.
The Coalition members represent a diversity of organizations:
Organizational sectors
- Healthcare
- Nonprofit
- Government program
- Individual/volunteer
- School/university
- Individuals, technicians and educators
Structure & Funding. The organizational structure of the Take Heart Alaska Coalition includes a Steering Committee and the following three work groups
- Increase Education and Engagement,
- Promote Early Detection (of cardiovascular disease), and
- Support Quality Management and Treatment.
The CDC funds and supports the Coalition through Alaska’s Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program. We are one of 51 state programs participating in the 5-year national CDC program to improve the health of Americans through Prevention and Management of Heart Disease and Stroke, awarded in 2018.
History. The Take Heart Alaska Coalition has existed since 1997 when planning began for a statewide cardiovascular health coalition. In 1998 Take Heart Alaska released “Take Heart Alaska – A Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Plan for Alaska.”
Communication & Participation. The coalition communicates through:
Activities. The Coalition is a forum for like-minded organizations to take collective action. Through group consensus, the Coalition determines common priorities, prevents overlap, maximizes resources, and evaluates impact. The Take Heart Plan guides its priorities and is updated every five years by the Coalition. Recent activity includes community-based low-or no-cost interventions to increase Blood Pressure Self- Management – currently through training at the YMCA in Anchorage.
Contact. For more information, contact the Heart Disease and Stroke program through Ashley Minaei, at heart@alaska.gov