Volume XV No. 4 • April 15, 2010 Gathering— Regional tribes come together to review health care improvements and determine priorities for the future Page 5 Photo by Rhonda Vanover, YKHC Public Relations. INSIDE: Health Reform, p. 3 • Priorities, p. 9 • RPC in Kodiak, p. 12 • Botulism, p. 13 Volume XV No. 4 • April 15, 2010 YKHC Board of Directors Unit 1 Unit 5 Raymond F. Waska, Sr. Bill Kristovich Chuloonawick P.O. Box 46 P.O. Box 1037 Kotlik Unit 11 Emmonak Billmore Slough Alakanuk Hamilton R Emmonak, Alaska 99581 Bethel, Alaska 99559 Grayling E Nunam Unit 1 I V 907-949-1514 907-543-4151/2212 Iqua R O McGrath Anvik K Paula Ayunerak Glen Watson, Sr. Mountain Village Shageluk O St. MaryÕs N P.O. Box 5 P.O. Box 1874 Scammon N Paimute I Bay PitkaÕs Andreafski Point Alakanuk, Alaska 99554 Bethel, Alaska 99559 Chevak Pilot Station Hooper Bay Holy Cross 907-238-3212 907-543-4625 Marshall YUKON RIVER Unit 9 Unit 2 Russian Mission Ohogomuit Crooked Gloria Simeon Creek Georgetown Unit 2 Unit 6 Upper Kalskag Aniak Stony River P.O. Box 308 Lower Chuathbaluk Newtok Kalskag Red Sleetmute Unit 8 Napaimute Devil Ray Alstrom Bethel, Alaska 99559 Nunapitchuk KUSKOKWIM RIVER Tuluksak R Tununak Kasigluk Akiak E P.O. Box 8 907-543-5676 Mekoryuk Toksook BayAtmautluak Bethel Unit 3 Umkumuit Akiachak Unit 4 I V Lime Village Marshall, Alaska 99585 Nightmute Napakiak Kwethluk R Chris Larson Oscarville A Napaskiak N 907-679-6320 Unit 5 T P.O. Box 6051 I Chefornak Tuntutuliak L O James C. Landlord Napaskiak, Alaska 99559 Eek Unit 10 Kipnuk H P.O. Box 32168 907-737-7910 Kongiganak Unit 7 Kwigillingok Mt. Village, AK 99632 Quinhagak 907-591-2531 Unit 6 Unit 3 Esai Twitchell, Jr. P.O. Box 121 Goodnews Bay Wayne Morgan Kasigluk, Alaska 99609 Platinum P.O. Box 234 907-477-6309 Aniak, Alaska 99557 907-675-4264 Unit 7 Unit 9 Unit 11 George S. Morgan David O. David Patrick Tall Marvin Deacon P.O. Box 54 P.O. Box 78 P.O. Box 196 P.O. Box 45 Upper Kalskag, Alaska 99607 Kwigillingok, Alaska 99622 Chevak, Alaska 99563 Grayling, Alaska 99590 907-471-2490 907-588-8484 907-858-7613 907-453-5195 Unit 4 Unit 8 Eric Olson, Sr. P.O. Box 163 Honorary Board Member James Nicori James R. Charlie, Sr. Hooper Bay, Alaska 99604 Paul John P.O. Box 41 P.O. Box 37012 907-758-4068 P.O. Box 37067 Kwethluk, Alaska 99621 Toksook Bay, Alaska 99637 Unit 10 Toksook Bay, Alaska 99637 907-757-6837 907-427-7114 907-427-74l4 Moses Peter James Sipary Sam W. Alexie P.O. Box 57 P.O. Box 37134 P.O. Box 57 Tuluksak, Alaska 99679 Toksook Bay, Alaska 99637 Eek, Alaska 99578 907- 695-6426 907- 427-7816 907-536-5428 Numbers to Call YKHC Main Operator ..................................................543-6000 Subregional Clinic Appointments Toll Free ......................................................... 1-800-478-3321 Aniak .........................................................................675-4556 Public Relations ............................................................543-6037 Emmonak ..................................................................949-3500 Media Services .............................................................543-6038 St. Mary’s ..................................................................438-3500 Office of Environmental Health & Engineering .............543-6420 Toksook Bay..............................................................427-3500 Technology Help Desk ..................................................543-6070 Public Health Nursing ...................................................543-2110 Human Resources ........................................................543-6060 Pharmacy .....................................................................543-6382 Administration ...............................................................543-6020 Travel Management Center ..........................................543-6360 Hospital.........................................................................543-6300 WIC Program ................................................................543-6459 Emergency Room .........................................................543-6395 Health Services ............................................................543-6024 Hospital Community Relations .....................................543-6350 Village Operations ........................................................543-6160 Social Services .............................................................543-6225 CHAP ........................................................................543-6160 Family Medicine Clinic Appointments ...........................543-6442 ICEMS .......................................................................543-6080 1-800-478-3321 Community Health & Wellness .................................543-6190 Dental Appointments ....................................................543-6229 Behavioral Health Services ..........................................543-6100 Optometry Appointments ..............................................543-6336 Phillips Ayagnirvik .....................................................543-6700 Audiology Appointments ...............................................543-6466 Village Services ........................................................543-6740 Home Care Services ....................................................543-6170 2 Volume XV No. 4 • April 15, 2010 Health care reform includes passage of Indian Health Care Improvement Act By Andy Teuber Reprinted by permission of Alaska Newspapers No matter your feelings on the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, it is clear that its inclusion of the Indian Health Care Improvement Reauthorization and Extension Act is a positive step toward better health for Alaska Natives. Andy Teuber is President For the past 11 years, leaders in the Alaska Tribal Health Sys- and almost four times as many and Chair of the Alaska Na- tem have worked tirelessly to pass these amendments to the suicides. Yet until now, there tive Tribal Health Consortium Indian Health Care Improvement Act. The law has promoted a has been little or no increase in and President and CEO of wide range of improvements over the years, but it was in need of federal funding for tribal health. the Kodiak Area Native As- sociation. updates, and the authorization to appropriate funds expired sev- Meanwhile, our population has eral years ago. These new amendments remove the first hurdle to continued to grow and health care costs have continued to rise. seeking additional funding from Congress, and require the Indian At the same time, our understanding of comprehensive health Health Service to consider care has evolved to focus on the whole person. For example, the adjustments for medical amendments now address services for behavioral health — the inflation rates and popula- IHS has funded programs for alcohol and substance abuse for 2010 Board tion growth. some time, but behavioral health programs now include services These changes are sig- for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and domestic violence. Meetings nificant because the IHS The amendments streamline the youth suicide prevention grant has been dismally April 21 – 23 process for tribes — underfunded for These changes are significant Semi-Annual Full critical in Alaska, where basic services, and Board one Native person dies funding to expand because the IHS has been by suicide every eight or improve services May 19 & 20 dismally underfunded for basic days. Alaska Native has been extremely Governing Body males ages 15-24 are limited. The new act services, and funding to expand nearly nine times more improves the health June 23 & 24 likely to die by suicide status of Alaska or improve services has been Executive Board than other U.S. males Natives and Ameri- extremely limited. in the same age group. can Indians by elimi- July 21 & 22 The new act also facili- nating health disparities Governing Body tates the creation and expansion of programs for long-term care, through specific goals, pro- home health care, assisted living, and community-based care, grams and resources. August 18 & 19 especially important in rural Alaska. It allows escort travel to be Executive Board The health disparities covered for patients who need assistance during medical travel. between Alaska Native The new Indian health care act improves access by increasing September 21 & 22 people and the rest of the support for recruitment and retention of health care profession- Governing Body U.S. population are strik- als and incentives to use innovative cost-saving health facility ing — 30 percent more construction methods, which could make funding available for October 20 cancer, twice as many other long-awaited projects. Nearly $100 million in backlogged Executive Board unintentional injuries, twice November 17 – 19 as many infant deaths, see IMPROVEMENT ACT, p. 16 Full Board of The Messenger is produced by the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation’s Public Relations Department as a Directors report to Tribal Members. It is published monthly on-line at www.ykhc.org/messenger and printed quarterly. For questions, comments, submission of articles, or subscription information, write to Public Relations Senior Editor, Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation, P.O. Box 528, Bethel, Alaska 99559; or call 907-543-6038. E-mail: mes- December 15 & 16 [email protected]. Deadline is the last day of the month preceding publication. Publication is on the 15th of every Executive Board month. Anchorage Office: 4700 Business Park Blvd. Suite E25, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. 907-677-2232. Please