For immediate release
Contact: Diana Campbell, 907-452-1648, ext. 6236 or dcampbell@fairbanksnative.org
May 16, 2025
Fairbanks, Alaska —Melissa Charlie, FNA Executive Director, spoke before a Senate committee that federal health and education funding is critical to FNA’s early childhood development, behavioral health services and community services.
“We assist individuals in times of great need,” Charlie testified to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. “Whether they are facing homelessness, substance abuse, mental health challenges, or griefs. From womb to the end of life, FNA is here to serve.”
Charlie was one of five Indigenous women invited to speak to the committee. The hearing was held May 14, 2025, in Washington D.C. Its purpose was to examine U.S. Health and Human Services delivery of essential public health and social services to Native Americans.
She discussed how programs like Head Start are not just educational initiatives, they are comprehensive support systems that strengthen families and build healthier communities. Head Start has been a long-standing cornerstone of FNA’s efforts to support Native children and families.
FNA behavioral health and community services are also critical to the wellbeing of youth, families, individuals and Elders, she said.
Charlie’s remarks underscored the necessity of sustained and increased investment in these areas, emphasizing that federal partnerships and the fulfilment of the federal trust responsibility are vital to addressing disparities and ensuring that Native populations receive equitable access to essential services.
She added that FNA, and other tribal organizations, are ready to work with the current administration, and the U.S. Congress to streamline and strengthen these programs.
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