Our Story

In July of 1996, the Juneau Family Birth Center was incorporated as a nonprofitorganization to build what had been a long time dream for many families in Juneau and throughout Southeast Alaska; a community birthing center dedicated to the midwifery model of care. The midwifery model of care is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life process and how they occur can affect a family's relationships and parenting abilities. Parents who are empowered by the process make healthier decisions and have more confidence in themselves.

The original Juneau Family Birth Center opened April 1, 1998 and was located at 3225 Hospital Drive. The building was a labor of love, built by over 70 volunteers and with many community donated building supplies. This new birthing center allowed families more options in choosing the type of prenatal care, childbirth education, and, ultimately, the type of childbirth they want.

The Birth Center thrived and grew until, in 2002, we realized that an expansion was necessary to continue our mission. The Executive Director, Kaye Kanne, began to design, plan, and fundraise for the creation of a new building that we could own ourselves.

In July of 2008, we realized our dream and moved into our current location, at 1601 Salmon Creek Lane, overlooking Salmon Creek Falls. This building represents support from all levels of government and community, and a huge committment by our Executive Director and our volunteer Board of Directors. Along with this expansion, we changed our name to Juneau Family Health and Birth Center, to better represent the range of services we offer.