More than a year after Typhoon Halong changed lives across the Yukon-Kuskokwim region, many people and communities are still recovering.
YKHC’s support for those affected began in the earliest hours of the disaster. Our teams led local efforts to evacuate residents and provide food, water and shelter. YKHC providers and maintenance workers traveled to villages. We worked with local partners to stand up an emergency shelter in Bethel and collaborate on an emergency response. Over the next weeks, our travel team worked directly with those affected to book more than 700 trips to help people travel from short-term shelter to longer-term housing.
By early 2026, response efforts had shifted from emergency operations to long-term recovery and rebuilding. YKHC continues to support by doing what we do best—caring for the physical and mental health of our customers and communities, and supporting our member tribes.
YKHC’s Case Management team worked to ensure continuity of care for displaced patients from Kipnuk, Kwigillingok and other affected communities by coordinating transfers, replacing medications, and arranging needed medical equipment. Women’s Health Case Managers supported displaced pregnant patients and gynecology patients, ensuring they had continued care, even while navigating displacement and travel.
The pharmacy followed up with patients, coordinated with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and modified policies to help customers maintain access to their medications wherever they were living, in the region or state. They adjusted the way medications were shipped to Kipnuk to ensure people who chose to return could continue to receive their prescriptions, even with significant infrastructure and staffing challenges in the community.
YKHC’s Behavioral Health team supported displaced residents through a range of services tailored to their needs. From offering supportive group activities, such as Calricaraq gatherings and beading circles, to providing individual therapies and immediate crisis support, the behavioral health team helped people move along the path towards healing.
This storm affected each of us personally. Many of our employees provided housing and support to family members from affected communities. We cared for each other and offered extra support to our employees affected most directly.
YKHC worked closely with employees at impacted clinics, including Kipnuk, Kwigillingok and Nightmute, to facilitate transfers and/or create new positions in Bethel or another community so employees could maintain their employment. We also provided opportunities for displaced health aides and office assistants to temporarily return to their home communities on work-related trips.
YKHC’s housing department offered housing, where people could stay until they found a new location. They helped people access rental assistance by providing written receipts for rental deductions and providing employees with copies of rental agreements.
To help ensure communities had support with their infrastructure recovery, Remote Maintenance Workers (RMWs) worked with communities through 810 calls, 16 trips to affected villages, and 72 meetings dedicated to village recovery planning and coordination. They spent countless hours helping local operators restore water and wastewater services. Village Health Clinic Maintenance staff repaired clinics damaged by flood water and strong winds.
Our teams at YKHC took steps to prepare now for the next emergency. We increased the inventory of food and water on hand in Bethel, prepared ready-to-deploy bedding packages, and enhanced our communication with Red Cross about inventory of emergency supplies. These initiatives will ensure we are in a position of strength to respond to future crises.
While response and recovery efforts remain important, YKHC also recognizes the need for long-term solutions that help tribes and communities prepare for the impact of climate-related changes, such as storms, flooding and erosion. In May, YKHC hosted a Senate on Indian Affairs Field Hearing led by Sen. Lisa Murkowski that brought together government agencies and community partners to enhance federal disaster response and secure resources for communities facing climate-related threats. We are in communication with affected tribes and stand ready to support their future plans.
The impact of Typhoon Halong on the YK region was life changing. While more than a year has passed, many individuals, families, and communities are still recovering. YKHC remains committed to supporting our customers, employees, tribes and communities for as long as that recovery takes.