Nupuat
In this issue
Serving the Native Peoples of the Chugach Region
Fall 2008 www.Chugachmiut.org
Health Services Division update
T
he Chugachmiut Board of Directors and ExecutiveManagement Team wishes to thank you for your pa-tience as we continue to update and expand our Health Services Division.
The challenging conditions have not affected the divi-sion’s dedication. Our patients continue to have mid-level coverage, a wonderful stable pharmacist, dedicated Com-munity Health Aides/Practitioners (CHA/P), and first-rate dental care on a regular and ongoing basis. We have the benefit of great facilities and a caring staff and the future is exceedingly bright.
Across the nation medical personnel are very limited; this is magnified in rural Alaska. We commend Ms. Phyllis Wimberley, Human Resources Manager, who does an amazing job promoting the Chugach Region and
its wonderful people. Her dynamic approach has at-tracted highly qualified medical personnel to
Chugachmiut.
Today, we are very close to having full medical staffing after a long, persistent search for the right persons:
Doctor David Zetterman, Family
Practitioner-Geriatrics, has arrived in Seward from North Dakota and is now the full time MD for the region.
Cheri Hample, MPH, MSW, a long time Alaskan, joined us in September as the Health Operations Division Director. Cheri was in South Dakota for a year but wanted to return to Alaska and give Seward a try—one community in Alaska she has not lived.
See HEALTH NEWS, page 4
From left: Thelma
Vlasoff, Juanita
Bales and
Charle-magne Active.
The Community Health Aide Program Certification Board recently approved four Chugachmiut
appli-cations. These include Charlemagne Active of Nanwalek certified as CHA II; Juanita Bales of
Nan-walek certified as CHA III; Tania McMullen of Port Graham certified as CHA I; and Thelma Vlasoff of
Tatitlek as CHP.
Breakfast and kids……….………...……….2 Culture and Language Program…….…………..……..3 Health Services Division news………..…………...4-5
Contract Health Care………...6 Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood……….………...6 Behavioral Health Department……….…...7
C o n t a c t N u m b e r s
NUPUAT
is a quarterly publication of CHUGACHMIUT, the tribal
not-for-profit organization serving the Alaska Native peoples of the Chugach Region.
Francis Norman Board of Directors Chair
Patrick Anderson Executive Director
We welcome submissions from Tribal members, councils, and employees. Please share your
comments and suggestions: Jerry Luken Newsletter Editor 1840 Bragaw Street Suite 110 Anchorage, AK 99508-3463 (907) 562-4155 [email protected] Chugachmiut, Anchorage…...………....562-4155 1-800-478-4155 NPR Housing Authority…………..………..562-1444 1-888-274-1444 Chugach Regional Resources Commission…….……..562-6647 Chugach Alaska Corporation…...………...563-8866
1-800-858-2768 Chugach North Technical Services..…………..1-888-833-9288 Skip Richards—Regional Safety and Emergency Response Coordinator………...…...…………....……1-866-235-0577 Jackie Archer—HeadStart Director…………....1-800-478-4155 Taren Klingler—Education Training Coordinator…...………… ………....1-800-478-4155 Lynne Kelsey—Behavioral Health Manager...1-800-478-4155
Chenega Council…….………...………...573-5132 Chenega Clinic…..…...…………...……….…….…...573-5129 Eyak Council………...……....……….424-7738 Ilanka Health Clinic (Eyak)..…………...………...…..424-3622 Cordova WIC Office………...…………..424-5731 Nanwalek Council………...………...281-2274 Nanwalek Clinic…...………...…....….281-2250 Port Graham Council………..…...….…..284-2227 Port Graham Clinic……….………...…...284-2241 Qutekcak Council………...…...224-3118 North Star Health Clinic………..…………...224-3490 Tatitlek Council………...…...325-2311 Tatitlek Clinic…………...…………...…………...325-2250 Valdez Council………...………...…835-4951 Valdez WIC—call the Eyak WIC Office…...……....835-2173
KIDS AND BREAKFAST
W
e’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day whether we take heed or not. But there are good rea-sons to make sure that the kids follow this advice. Kids who eat breakfast:• Do better in school
• Have more focus and energy
• Have better eye-hand coordination
• Are more likely to meet their nutritional needs overall
• Have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight
• Have fewer behavioral issues
If you have time constraints in the morning, fix healthy snacks the night before like peanut butter sandwiches or sliced fruit and take them on the run. Remember to keep the lean protein and fiber high and the sugar low. Oatmeal is still a great breakfast food. It digests slowly so it energizes kids until lunch.
CHUGACHMIUT Nupuat
3
Please join us as we say goodbye to the following mem-bers of the Chugachmiut family. We wish them all every success with their future endeavors.
Local Education Coordinators: Lennette Ronnegard, Cordova Sandra Angaiak, Chenega Bay Rhoda Moonin, Nanwalek Rebecca Norman, Port Graham Gertrude Dotomain, Seward Diane Selanoff, Valdez
Donna Malchoff
, Culture and Language Program
Manager for Chugachmiut, is winner of the Alaska
Head Start Association’s (AHSA) Cultural
Aware-ness Award for 2007-2008. Donna was nominated
for supporting and advocating implementation of
the
Sugcestun
Culture and Language Program in
our Head Start Program as well as the local
schools. She and her team have made and will
continue to make a difference in assisting children
in learning the local language of the region, and
getting to know the importance of their unique
cul-ture.
Culture and Language wraps up successful
program
C
hugachmiut congratulates and thanks everyone who made the Culture and Language Program a success over the past three years. The initiative brought many parties together to ensure that the Sugcestun language of the Alutiiq people will be passed on to future generations.The program developed the following materials as the beginning of a, hopefully, continuing initiative to ensure that the language does not die:
• Alphabet/Numbers DVD (sounds of the Alphabet are recorded and counting to twenty in Sugces-tun)
• 21 Units of Cultural Curriculum will be published
• 2 take-home books (“Occupations in my Commu-nity” and “When We Dance”), written and illus-trated by Chugachmiut staff and local illustrators.
• 1 DVD on Preschool Personal Safety – (in Sug-cestun)
• 2 Levels of Sugcestun Curriculum
• Alphabet poster
• Numbers booklet
Chugachmiut will continue to seek
funding for future
opportunities in the preservation of
language and traditions.
From left: Sandra Angaiak, Gertrude Dotomain, Rhoda Moonin, Rebecca Norman, Diane Selanoff.
Donna Malchoff wins Alaska Head Start Award
By Jackie Archer, Head Start Director Language staff,
clock-wise from top left: Larry Kairaiuak, Donna Malchoff, Helen Loescher, Susan La-Belle (Division Director)
Health Services Division News
from page 1
Ms. Rebecca Moore, Physician’s Assistant (P.A.), came to us from California but has ties to the region through her husband, Ben Patistek. Ben grew up on the Kenai Peninsula and is excited to be back in Alaska. We anticipate that Ms. Moore will assume CHA/P radio medical traffic
(RMT). This means patients will no longer have to wait three to four days for the Southcentral Foundation (SCF) doctor to authorize many of the routine treatments by the health aides.
Because of the severe nursing shortage we’ve de-cided to recruit a mid-level practitioner for Case Manager and to include Diabetes Program management in the po-sition. Our HR staff has switched tactics for that vacancy.
Once staff is in place and fully oriented, we will begin offering more than just acute care. We have a variety of programs in early planning phases:
We will put together a team to plan the implementation of an Electronic Health Records system, including
elec-tronic charting.
We recently received a grant to train two Seward tribal members to be non-professional trainers and work with patients to address chronic health conditions. We are in discussions as to the best methods to spread that demon-stration project across the region. Please contact your local health care provider if you are interested in the pro-ject.
We will look at the feasibility of care teams which will include the doctor, a midlevel assigned to each commu-nity, a CHA assigned to each patient, a behavioral health specialist, a dietician, the pharmacist and others as needed. This is groundbreaking territory for Chugachmiut
“We recently received a grant to train two Seward
tribal members to work with patients to address
chronic health conditions.”
North Star Health Clinic staff, standing left to right: Sue Steward, CHAP Manager; Ramona Rogers, health Administrative Assistant. Seated left to right: Rebecca Moore, PA; Connie Hedrick, Con-tract Health Technician; Glenn Schiff, Pharmacist; Rosaline Lemieux, Receptionist/Medical Re-cords Clerk; and Teresa Swartz, Medical Assistant.
CHUGACHMIUT
Nupuat5
COMMUNITY
DATE
PROVIDER
Tatitlek
Nov 4—Dec 19
James Friedman, NP
Nanwalek
Nov 20—23
Donna Fenske, ANP
Port Graham
Dec 1—5
Optometrist
Seward
Dec 3—4
Dr. Andre
Upcoming health provider visits
so currently there is a lack of policy development and implementation to guide staff. We have been working on those changes as well.Our personnel are working on a cancer care program, statewide coor-dination of care, a statewide Health Information Exchange and improved telemedicine coverage for our regional cancer patients.
As we implement improvements and work toward a world class health organization, you may encounter problems. Throughout our Lean journey we have found that 94% of problems can be traced back to process and/ or system errors and only about 6% are ‘people’ errors. Keep that in mind and ask your provider to note the problem for attention. Please feel free to provide possible solutions as well.
We look forward to becoming partners with you in your health and well being.
North Star Dental Clinic staff, left to right: Sarah Benjamin, Dental Hygienist; Gala Davis, Dental Assistant; Melody Wallace, Office
Manager. Dr. David Zetterman.
These steps are issued by:
The United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs
West-Central Alaska Agency 3601 C Street, Suite 1258 Anchorage, AK 99503-5947 (907) 271-1745, 3517, 3519 1-800-645-8465, Option #1
If you are a descendent or are adopted you need to have these papers:
Original biological birth certificate Original adoption birth certificate Original adoption decree
Completed application with biological Alaska Na-tive parent(s) information
If you are already enrolled you need to provide the follow-ing information:
Birth Date
Social Security Number
ANCSA Regional Corporation name to which you are enrolled
Full name and any names you had during the original ANCSA enrollment
Completed Application
HELPFUL INFORMATION: If you are American Indian, you must contact BIA agency or office nearest your tribe. Call the BIA Alaska office at 1-800-645-8465 and you will receive telephone contact numbers for your tribe or affilia-tion.
E
ligibility criteria for Contract Health Care Funds (CHC) is considered and approved by theChugachmiut Board of Directors. Proof of eligibility must be on file, at the Chugachmiut CHC Office. Documents accepted as proof are:
• A Certificate Degree of Indian Blood from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
• A Membership card/certificate from a federally recognized tribe.
CHC Funds are restricted to residents of the Chugach Region except for Alaska transients that present to a non IHS facility for true emergencies.
Newborn Chugach Region residents may receive re-ferred care or short-term emergency treatment for up to six (6) months after the date of birth. After the age of six (6) months, proof of eligibility must be on file in order for the child to receive CHC benefits.
Non-Native women pregnant with the child of an eligi-ble Alaska Native/American Indian are eligieligi-ble for pre-natal care, delivery and six weeks post-partum care as long as they meet Chugachmiut’s eligibility requirements.
In cases of joint custody, children of eligible
Chugachmiut residents are entitled to CHC Funds during
the period of time that the child is living within the
Chugachmiut Region. A copy of Joint Custody documen-tation must be provided to the Chugachmiut CHC Office. Non-Native children adopted by an eligible Alaska Na-tive/American Indian parent may receive CHC Funds until their 19th birthday. Adoption or other court order
docu-mentation must be provided.
Alaska Native and American Indians that have relo-cated to our service area have 6 months (180 days) with the intent to stay before they become eligible for CHC funds. At least two (2) of the following must be provided to the Chugachmiut CHC Office as documentation of resi-dency:
• Rent or Mortgage receipts
• Employer paycheck
• Utility bill receipts
• Airlines or moving expense receipts
• Alaska voters registration
• Alaska drivers license or Alaska ID card
• OR, if unable to provide the above proofs, sub-mit an affidavit signed by the Village Tribal Ad-ministrator, verifying Six months of residency in the Chugachmiut service area.
Contract Health Care and Certificate of Degree of
Indian Blood
CHUGACHMIUT
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C
hoosing to start a SUPPORT GROUP in your com-munity is the right thing to do. In Chenega Bay we chose to start a Self-Help Group where we meet weekly. Setting a date and time and being consistent is very im-portant. Besides bringing people together who share spe-cific needs, problems and concerns, a SUPPORT GROUP provides a way for all to get the social and emo-tional support needed in times of uncertainty.Guidance in behavior is also a focus of self-help groups. At the conclusion of our time together, we dis-cuss a topic that we would like more information on and the facilitator will have that information for the next group meeting. All participants take turns sharing their feelings
From the Behavioral Health Department
and no one present is allowed tobe judgmental. Ground rules are discussed at the first meeting and a public record is kept for how meetings are held. One of the most important factors of getting together is the rule of CONFIDENTIALITY. We build on our strengths by sharing with others.
So, grab a friend, a coffeepot and call another friend. Understand that there is always someone who cares.
Start a support group in your community
By Gail K. Evanoff, Behavioral Health Aide, Chenega Bay
“A long time ago when the world was first born, it was al-ways dark in the north where the Inuit people lived. They thought it was dark all over the world until an old crow told them about daylight and how he had seen it on his long journeys. The more they heard about daylight, the more the people wanted it.”
This introduction to the Inuit story “Crow Brings Day-light” reflects the natural human desire for increased day-light after enduring extended periods of darkness. The story ends with the Crow flying south and returning to bring daylight back to the Inuit people, much to their de-light and appreciation. The challenges of dark winter days are also reflected in the words of Dr. Frederick Cook who noted, “the light of the Arctic summer is an efficient tonic to the mind and body; but before the night begins the stimulation is replaced by a progressive depression.” These quotes speak to the powerful influence of sunlight on mood in extreme northern latitudes and serve as a springboard for discussion of a condition commonly known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.
SAD is a condition characterized by depressed mood, anxiety, lack of energy, oversleeping, overeating, weight gain, and craving for carbohydrates. Beginning usually around October or November and ending in March or April in the northern hemisphere, SAD is a distinct winter phenomena. SAD was officially classified by psycholo-gists in the early 1980s and much research has been con-ducted since this time. A 1992 study by the University of Alaska Fairbanks found that 9% of those studied met the criteria for SAD and 24% for S-SAD (a milder version of SAD). Additionally, the study found that women were nearly 3 times as likely to experience SAD. Likewise there
was a greater prevalence of SAD in adults under the age of 40. Although there is some debate as to the exact bio-logical causes of SAD, research has indicated that levels of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep cycles, are important. During winter, when days are shorter and sunlight is diminished, melatonin levels increase contrib-uting to symptoms associated with SAD.
Some ways to counteract SAD include keeping your workplace and home bright, getting outside during mid-day, exercising and eating sensibly, maintaining a consis-tent sleeping routine and taking a vacation to a sunnier locale in winter, if possible. If these steps seem ineffective then light therapy is another alternative. Light therapy in-volves exposure to specially designed SAD lights that assist with reducing the production of melatonin in our systems. More specifically, sitting in front of SAD lights for 20 minutes or more per day seems to simulate the effects of sunlight. When sunlight enters through our eyes, it sig-nals the gland that produces melatonin to suppress pro-duction, thereby waking up our body and mind. Numerous studies have indicated light therapy is one of the most effective treatments for reducing symptoms of SAD.
Our physical and mental processes are directly influ-enced by seasonal changes and these changes are simi-lar to what the plants and animals of our area are also experiencing. Trees and shrubs losing their leaves and going dormant, bears beginning hibernation and whales and songbirds migrating south to Hawaii and Mexico. Un-derstanding our own rhythms is an ongoing process, as is learning about what works for us in adapting to these cy-cles. In considering the changes we go through with the
Seasonal Affective Disorder
By Sidney Shaw, MA, LPC, Chugachmiut Behavioral Health Clinician
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 595
Anchorage, AK 99508
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
CHUGACHMIUT
Chugachmiut Nupuat
1840 Bragaw Street, Suite 110 Anchorage, AK 99508-3463
CHUGACHMIUT BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
Port Graham
Francis Norman,
Chair
Nanwalek
James Kvasnikoff,
Vice Chair
Tatitlek
Ron Totemoff,
Treasurer
Valdez
Benna Hughey,
Secretary
Eyak
Robert Henrichs,
Director
Chenega Bay
Michael Vigil,
Director
Qutekcak
Arne Hatch,
Director
Chugachmiut is the tribal consortium created to promote self-determination to the seven Native communities of the Chugach Re-gion. We provide health and social services, education and training, and technical assistance to the Chugach Native people in a way which is acceptable to Native cultural values and tradition in order to en-hance the well-being of our people by continuing to strengthen the tribes and increase self-determination opportunities for community operated tribal programs.
seasons here in Alaska, it may also be helpful to consider other factors unique to our area. Seasonal fluctuations in the occupational, social and economic areas of our lives also in-fluence how we think, how we feel and what we do as well. Social and natural causes interact reciprocally as part of sea-sonal changes and developing deeper understanding our own personal fluctuations can help us chart a healthy course with the ebb and flow of extreme seasons. Contact the Chugachmiut Behavioral Health Department if you would like more information on SAD.
