“I am grateful for the opportunity to highlight my tribe’s important work, and I am committed to advocating for the healthcare access our people deserve.” – Lizzie Barnett
OKMULGEE – Mvskoke citizens Lizzie Barnett and Mackenzie Cullinan recently completed the Center for Disease Control Tribal Health Experimental Student Internship Seminar (THESIS). According to Muscogee Creek National Council Representative Dode Barnett, Lizzie Barnett and Cullinan are believed to be the only citizens ever chosen to participate in the internship. The program is facilitated by the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board. College of Muscogee Nation Dr. Monte Randall served as an advisor for the program.
Lizzie Barnett is a third-semester nursing student. During her time with the program she worked under Robert Chavis, who served as her mentor. Her focus of study was maternal mortality, an issue that disproportionately affects Native American women at higher rates compared to white women. According to Lizzie Barnett, this is an issue that affects women on the Mvskoke Reservation as well.
“I found that within our reservation, American Indian women had an average Maternal Vulnerability Index (MVI) score of 80, double the rate for white mothers,” Lizzie Barnett said. “A high MVI score is a serious disparity that we must address because it signals a community where mothers lack access to the resources and support needed for a safe pregnancy and birth. This problem hit home for me because in our matrilineal society, our children are our future, and mothers are their guides.”
In addition to selecting a research topic and identifying an issue affecting minority communities, THESIS interns were also tasked to find a solution to the issue they identified. Lizzie Barnett chose tribal sovereignty as a solution and learned about the services MCN offers for citizens through the Mother Baby Program. She believes the program is thorough and effective for mothers.
“This tribally-led initiative addresses a mother’s well-being beyond just medical care, focusing on issues like domestic abuse and food insecurity,” Lizzie Barnett said. “The program’s success demonstrates how culturally appropriate, community-led health systems can help heal the historical trauma that has contributed to these disparities.”
The Mother Baby Program is a partnership between the Tribe and Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health. It serves mothers who are Tribal citizens, as well as mothers who are raising infants who are Native American. Through the program recipients have access to prenatal care, infant care, breastfeeding resources, child development as well as parenting and life skills. The program even provides trained maternal health nurses to make monthly visits during the infant’s first year of life. For more information on the program, call 918-758-5112.
Applications for the 2026 THESIS Virtual Internship Program are now open and are due on January 23, 2026. Next year’s program will start on May 18, 2026 and will run through July 10, 2026. Preference is given to those with Indigenous culturally-relevant knowledge or skills. For more information on how to apply, visit the official THESIS website, thesis.spthb.org.
