‘American Diagnosis’: When Indigenous People Move to Cities, Health Care Funding Doesn’t Follow

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Episode 12: Indigenous and Invisible within the Huge Metropolis

Over 70% of Indigenous folks in the US stay in city areas. However city Indian well being makes up lower than 2% of the Indian Well being Service’s annual price range.

Whereas enrolled members of federally acknowledged tribes can entry the Indian Well being Service or tribally run well being care on their reservations, Indigenous individuals who stay in cities can discover themselves with out entry to the care they’re entitled to.

“Though we’re residing in city areas now, that doesn’t imply that our advantages ought to depart us,” stated Esther Lucero, president and CEO of the Seattle Indian Well being Board.

The Seattle Indian Well being Board is one in every of many city clinics throughout the US that opened to handle the discrimination and lack of companies Indigenous folks face in cities. These clinics work to fulfill the cultural and ceremonial wants of the populations they serve.

“We’re far more than a group well being heart or place that gives direct service. We’re a house away from house,” Lucero stated.

Episode 12 explores the obstacles Indigenous folks face to accessing high quality well being care in cities and the efforts of city Indian clinics to fulfill the wants of this inhabitants.

Voices from the episode:

• Esther Lucero, president and CEO of the Seattle Indian Well being Board
• Dr. Patrick Rock, CEO of the Indian Well being Board of Minneapolis
• Douglas Miller, an affiliate professor of Native American Historical past at Oklahoma State College
• Richard Wright, a religious well being adviser with the Indian Well being Board of Minneapolis

Season 4 of “American Prognosis” is a co-production of KHN and Simply Human Productions.

Our Editorial Advisory Board contains Jourdan Bennett-Begaye, Alastair Bitsóí, and Bryan Pollard.

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