OKMVLKE, Oklv. – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Health Department is the recent recipient of a $200,000 Native Public Health Resilience Planning Program grant through the Indian Health Service. The competitive grant is part of a larger program, the Native Public Health Resilience Program, that aims to enhance access to essential public health services.
According to the IHS, the goal of the grant is to help tribes, tribal organizations, and Indian organizations establish goals and performance measures, assess their current management capacity, and determine if developing a public health program is practicable. The grant program seeks to build on and strengthen community resilience by supporting wider access to the 10 Essential Public Health Services in Indian Country.
In a statement, IHS Director Roselyn Tso shared, “At the Indian Health Service, we recognize that tribal leaders and members are in the best position to understand the public health needs and priorities of their communities. These grants will support our core strategic goal of ensuring that comprehensive, culturally-appropriate personal and public health services are available and accessible to the American Indian and Alaska Native communities that we serve.”
Other Oklahoma-based tribes and Indian organizations receiving awards in the Native Public Health Resilience Program include the Chickasaw Nation, the Choctaw Nation, the Cherokee Nation, the Osage Nation, and the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board Foundation.
