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The Nation |
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Tribal Report of the Northern Cheyenne Nation (August/September 2006 Vol. I No. 9) |
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Page 6 |
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Tribal,
Regional & National Health Care Priorities
Pictured (back row: Garland Stiffarm, Billing
Area IHS Staff; Pete Conway, Billings Area IHS Director; Tony Prairiebear, Tribal Health Planner) (front row: N.C.
Councilman L. Jace Killsback; Dr. Charles Grim, IHS
Director; Debbie Bends, N.C .Service Unit Director; Joetta
Bearcomesout, N.C. Board of Health) |
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Physical, mental, social, and spiritual health are a priority for
Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council Tribal Report Staff The Montana-Wyoming Tribal
Leaders Council hosted a meeting in August 2006 to discuss and prioritize the
Billings Areas health care issues.
Tribal Councilman L. Jace Killsback was
appointed by MT-WY TLC to serve as both the National Indian Health Board
Representative and the Direct Services Tribes Advisory Committee
Representative for all the Tribes in On August 2nd, 2006, the
Northern Cheyenne Tribe sent a governmental delegation to meet with IHS
Director Dr. Charles Grim as part of the federal government’s tribal
consultation efforts. The Tribe’s
delegation included Tribal Health Board member Joetta
Bearcomesout, Tribal Health Planner Tony Prairiebear and Councilman L. Jace
Killsback. Also in attendance were
Northern Cheyenne Service Unit Director Debbie Bends, IHS Billings Area
Director Pete Conway, and IHS Staff Garland Stiffarm. Tribal Health Board member Bearcomesout opened the dialog with Dr. Grim with a
statement identifying the Tribe’s regional area health concerns and local
health care needs. Board member Bearcomesout further discussed the Tribe’s high rates of
cancer, morbidity rate of adults, escalating needs for eldercare and the
specific need for financing a dialysis center. Tribal Health Planner Tony Prairiebear talked about the Tribe’s declaration of the
“War on Meth” and described the various meetings,
marches, events and collaborations that have happened as an outcome of the
crystal methamphetamine problem.
Finally, Councilman Killsback pointed out issues with the recruitment
and retention of medical staff and providers who come and go with no real
commitment or concern for the Tribal members they treat and serve, and the
apparent need for cultural sensitively training on tribal customs, laws &
policy for non-Indian IHS staff to learn and understand as a response to the
Dr. Steven Sonateg exclusion case. Health care issues are very
important to the Northern Cheyenne Tribe.
Tribal members today are affected by a number of health care issues
that range from accessing basic services, treating substance abuse, managing
chronic pain and preventing diabetes.
In addition to these various issues, Tribal members are faced with a
number of cultural and historical circumstances that are unique and need
specialized attention. The Tribe is not only concerned
with the physical aspect of health but also the emotional, mental, behavioral
and spiritual aspects as well that are equally important in treating all
forms of illnesses and diseases. Due
to the reservation’s socio-economic status as an impoverished rural
community, Tribal members continue to live risky lifestyles in bleak living
conditions with little to no access to educational or job opportunities at a
much higher rate compared to the vast non-Indian mainstream society and
off-reservation population. Too often the federal
government, the Department of Health & Human Services and the Indian
Health Services neglect to provide the Tribe with sufficient funds and
resources to service and treat our community’s health needs. Year after year the Tribe is required to
make due with an operating budget that is 40%-60% under funded. It is said that in terms of health care
funding, the federal government spends about $1500 per Indian person verses
an estimated $4500 per federal prisoner each year. Maybe it is no wonder Indian people have
the highest per capita for any racial or ethnic group incarcerated in prison
systems throughout the nation, it is the only place Indians can receive
adequate health care. This is wrong
and unjust. |
Tribes are sovereign nations
that signed treaties with the federal government and gave up large portions
of land in return for goods and services.
Education, health care and hunting & fishing are a few of these
obligations the federal government promised to Tribes when forced onto
reservations. However, health care for
Tribal members remain to not be considered as an entitlement and is not
guaranteed to the Tribes. This is
troubling for Tribes who rely on the federal government to provide direct
health care services for their members. There are a number of topics
related to health care that the Tribe deals with on a daily basis. In order to be more effective, Tribes have
shifted their energy and resources towards prevention and rehabilitation
measures rather than spending and wasting resources on treating symptoms of a
disease or illness. By focusing on the
root of a health problem, Tribes can begin to be more proactive in improving
their health and productively solve ongoing health problems before they reach
crisis mode. For example, by
constructing or allowing access to gym space, weight rooms and walking trails
for Tribal members to regularly use, Tribes will promote health lifestyles
and habits and can dramatically reduce inactivity, obesity and substance
abuse. In the long run Tribes could
see less dialysis patients, less heart attacks, less diabetes and less
emergency room visits all while decreasing expenses for surgeries, treatments
and medications. That is why Tribes in
Our Tribe is currently
constructing the “People’s Park” next to Sweet Medicine subdivision which
will finally end the 8 year drought of not having a recreational area with
softball fields and basketball courts on the reservation. Prevention is the new solution for Tribes
in combating their health care needs for their communities. There is a strong movement occurring within
Tribes to rebuild their reservations into healthy communities because of the
far reaching affects that improved health and wellness will have in
revitalizing the tribal culture, enhancing the social environment and
creating sustainable economic development. It is critical for Tribes that
they not neglect the health issues and social problems of their community in
pursuit for economic development.
Tribes must have health communities and Tribal members first before
the creation of jobs or new businesses because it will take a healthy
workforce to carry out the needed business services and duties. Tribes must make huge investments into the
health and well-being of each and every Tribal member in order to accomplish
this goal. This is why Tribes need to
slow down and take care of their Tribal members who suffer with illnesses and
diseases before they move forward in economic development. If Tribes want to develop, they
should pursue community development and construct facilities that will
encourage health prevention and awareness.
This is near impossible for Tribe who receive direct funds from IHS to
provide services. It is not the
Tribe’s fault that when it comes to health care for Tribal members Indian
people are the only people who have be in a “life or limb” situation to
received proper medication, treatment or surgery. The saying is true, “Don’t get sick after
June,” because that is when Tribes usually run out of funding. As a result of not having enough funds to
deal with chronic illness and pain, Tribal members are constantly being over
medicated with aspirin, antacids and painkillers. Tribes are replacing one health problem
with another and this seems to the norm in working with the federal
government’s health care policy for Indian people. To truly be a sovereign nation, Tribes not only need
financial independence but must be able to provide the needed health care for
all it Tribal members without the federal governments help. Tribal
Report of the |
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Tribal
Council Vote, Elect to Put CBM on this Year’s Ballot Tribal
Report Staff On August 21, 2006, Terry Beartusk and Diana Mclean presented a resolution that
requested that the tribal membership be allowed to decide whether or not coal
bed methane development (CBM) should be allowed on the Northern Cheyenne Indian
Reservation. These are the same people
who presented a resolution to allow the tribal membership to decide whether
or not coal development should be allowed on the Northern Cheyenne Indian
Reservation. The motion was made by
Councilman Charles Yellow Fox, Jr. to place a question of CBM Development on
the General Ballot in November. It was seconded by Aljo
Strange Owl. The motion passed by a
6-4 vote. Those who voted to put CBM development on this November’s ballot
were Charles Yellow Fox, Jr., Matthew Two Moons Sr., Aljo
Strange Owl, Allen Fisher, Alberta Fisher, and Elrena
Whitedirt.
Those who voted not to put CBM development on this November’s ballot
were Joe Fox, Jr., George Standing Elk, Judith Spang,
and Rick Wolfname.
Councilman L. Jace Killsback was absent and
had to attend an emergency Northern Cheyenne Economic Development Committee
Meeting. |
CBM development has been
popular with non-Indian Montanans and The Tribal Report of the |
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