MVSKOKE RESERVATION – On Sept. 8, the Health, Education, and Welfare Committee held an in-person meeting. Passed legislation will go on to the next full council meeting, unless otherwise noted.
The committee addressed the following legislation, the interpretation of which is attributed to language in the bills:
NCA 26-128 A law of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation authorizing the expenditure of grant funds awarded from the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Education for the benefit of the Eufaula Dormitory in the amount of $805,561 passed 4-0. Representative Darrell Proctor sponsored the bill.
Rep. Proctor clarified that the funds will be used during the 2026-2027 school year.
NCA 26-129 A law of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation authorizing the expenditure of grant funds awarded from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for children and families for the benefit of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Children and Families Services Administration (CFSA) in the amount of $321,196 passed 4-0. Representative Charles McHenry sponsored the bill.
According to the bill, the grant funds will be used to design, validate, and implement a predictive analytics model built entirely from the MCN’s case data, paired with a structured intervention pathway, referred to as Peacemaking or Circle Processing, and is grounded in holistic and culturally-relevant healing practices frequently used in child welfare systems.
During the discussion, Michelle Bender, director of MCN Children and Family Service, clarified that the grant funds would be used to restructure the data system of Children and Family Services to predict analytics on how cases should be addressed, based on history and family dynamics.
Bender also said that the second half of the grant would be used to incorporate a peacemaking program and to create the data collection system.
“How can we assist this family to move forward and heal, and then break cycles of dependency and so forth?” Bender said.
NCA 26-130 A law of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation authorizing the expenditure of the State of Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management EMPG 2025 grant for the benefit of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Emergency Management Department in the amount of $18,780, passed 4-0. Rep. Proctor sponsored the bill.
During the discussion, Keith Underwood, director of MCN Emergency Management, clarified that the funds will be used towards first responder training.
Representative Thomascene Osborn questioned whether the HEW committee should hear this bill, as the Department of Public Safety is proposed in the rules and procedures, which have not yet been approved.
It was clarified that Emergency Management is under HEW as a standing committee.
OTHER BUSINESS:
In other business, Timothy Hicks gave an update from the Department of Health on behalf of Secretary Shawn Terry. The update contained highlights from the August 2026 data.
Hicks informed the committee that the Council Oak Express care experienced an all-time high in clinic visits in August. He also emphasized that signs of respiratory illness have been appearing early this year and encouraged caution and hand hygiene.
Hicks also announced that the on-demand virtual clinic is now fully staffed and available to all MCN citizens and employees of the tribe on the Native Blue health insurance plan.
In another announcement, Hicks said for the first time in the history of the MCN Department of Health, pediatric dentistry will be available at the Okemah location, as well as offering pediatric operations at Council Oak. The Department of Health is looking into offering pediatric dentistry in the surgery department at Okemah.
Rep. Osborn questioned Hicks about a disparity in the pay rates of scheduling clerks in Okemah and Okmulgee, stating that the council recently approved a wage increase for employees, but the Department of Health was not included in that increase. She asked what the Department of Health planned to do for an increase in wages for their employees.
Hicks addressed the question regarding the scheduling clerks, stating that the Department of Health has its employees on pay scales that correspond to the shifts and locations where they work. He also clarified that if two employees work the same shifts and positions but at different clinics, their pay should be equal.
Rep. Osborn also questioned if the Department of Health had any plans on addressing the high cost of medication for diabetics. Hicks responded, saying that many of the GLP-1 medications given to diabetic patients are being replaced by generic oral medications. He also emphasized that, with the progress made toward diabetic patients, losing any momentum would be detrimental for citizens.
“Our goal, as well as our CFO’s goal,” Hicks said, “Is to be able to provide the same level of service; to continue to go above and beyond for our citizens when it comes to diabetic care.”
Representative Golden asked for clarification on the availability of physical rehabilitation for citizens. Hicks clarified that the current physical rehabilitation facility is outpatient only. Hicks also stated that the facility is no longer licensed to provide acute rehabilitation, but it is providing inpatient rehabilitation on the swing-bed units.
Brenda Crawford, Chief Financial Officer of Health Systems Finance, updated the committee that from Oct. 2025 to June 2026, Health Systems had 1,141 patient encounters in 273 days. Over those 273 encounters, they collected $1,232 per encounter. Of that money, 69% of it is being billed to insurance companies. The net revenue per patient encounter is $291.
To view the full agenda, visit mcnnc.com.
