Behavioral Health Resources
Presentations from Story Board Session at the National Combined
Councils Meeting on February 3, 2008
Behavioral Health Graphical User Interface Patient Chart
Patient Chart is a graphical user interface (GUI) to RPMS designed for use
by providers and other facility and program staff in all IHS-direct, tribal,
and urban (I/T/U) behavioral health programs. The Patient Chart GUI is intended
to be the first component of an integrated, user-friendly graphical user interface
to existing RPMS clinical and administrative applications. With the existing
version of Patient Chart, a clinical user can display or print patient data,
and in some cases edit or add it, in a Windows-based format. 
More
information
Residential Treatment Center Consortium
There are 12 Youth Regional Treatment Centers located in 10 of the IHS
Areas. Two Areas, Billings and Bimidji opted to use contract care
as opposed to having their own Youth Regional Treatment Center.
The YRTC's serve the ages of 12-18 for alcohol and drug treatment. The
Centers serve both male and female clients. There is a strong spiritual
component to the programs which make them unique and valuable to the Native American
Youth they serve.
Top of Page
Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services Initiative
The Health Care Financing Initiative was established to initiate discussions
with the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) regarding the provision
of health services to federally recognized tribes based on the federal government's
unique relationship with tribes and the need for consultation with tribal governments
by federal and state agencies on actions that affect them.
In recognition of the need for a more collaborative working relationship,
the IHS and CMS hold regularly scheduled meetings to discuss program, payment
policies and legislation that effect IHS, tribal, and urban Indian programs.
We anticipate an ongoing working relationship with CMS, including the establishment
of a formal committee between the IHS and CMS.
Top of Page
IHS National Suicide Prevention Initiative
Dr. Grim, Director of IHS and Assistant Surgeon General, announced the Indian
Health Service National Suicide Prevention Initiative to address the tragedy
of suicide in our American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities, on September
9, 2003. The IHS National Suicide Prevention Initiative will build on the foundation
of the HHS “National Strategy for Suicide Prevention” and the 11
goals and objectives for the Nation to reduce suicidal behavior and its consequences,
while ensuring we honor and respect our people’s traditions and practices.
IHS is sponsoring a National Suicide Prevention Initiative Committee to guide
the development of a National American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) strategy
to reduce the impact of suicide on AI/AN communities and individuals. A National
Suicide Prevention Network website/toolkit is also being developed.
Emphasizing the importance of drawing community members in as a source of
support and prevention by training lay-persons as QPR (Question, Persuade and
Refer) Gatekeepers and partnering with PREVENT to hold PREVENT Workshops: Moving
Towards Violence Prevention.
Top of Page
National Indian Child Welfare
AI/AN Child
Health - Issues related to child health care for Alaska Native
and American Indian patients.
AI/AN Child
Care - Issues related to child health care for Alaska Native
and American Indian patients.
Top of Page
HIV Center of Excellence
The HIV Center of Excellence (HIVCOE) is a clinically based center for HIV
care, treatment, research, and intervention. The center is an Indian Health Service
program at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center serving the tribal and IHS facilities
in the Area.
The goal is to provide the highest quality culturally competent HIV services
including clinically based intervention and medically appropriate care and treatment.
The mission is to provide a culturally competent, comprehensive model HIV health
care delivery system in the context of the existing continuum of services for
native people.
Top of Page
Indian Children and Adolescent Initiative
The American Indian and Alaska Native Children and Adolescent Initiative,
referred to as the "youth initiative," demonstrates the Director's
commitment to addressing the challenges facing the health status and quality
of life of Indian children and adolescents. Many objective indicators show an
alarming disparity in the health status and the general well-being of Indian
youth as compared to that of other American youth. The indicators focus interest
on the broader quality of life issues for Indian children and adolescents, encompassing
their physical, mental, social, educational, environmental, economic, cultural,
and spiritual well-being. The agency is promoting a multi-agency approach to
addressing the disparity issues.
Top of Page
Children’s Health Insurance Program
Very few Indian people have access to or can afford private health insurance.
Many living on reservations depend upon IHS-funded health care. IHS per capita
spending is only one third the amount spent on health care by the average American.
IHS direct care, and IHS-funded Tribal and urban Indian health programs provide
mostly primary care services. IHS funds used to pay other health care providers
for specialty care are extremely limited, estimated to meet only about 60 percent
of the need for such services.
Approximately half or more of Indian people live off reservations in other
rural and urban areas and often lack access to affordable, culturally appropriate
care. IHS is able to fund 33 urban Indian programs for a total of only about
$25 million. Many of these urban programs are only able to provide limited behavioral
health services and information and referral rather than comprehensive services,
leaving many unmet needs. Thus, CHIP presents a unique opportunity to maximize
the potential for Federal and State funds to help fill some of the large gaps
in health care for uninsured, low-income Indian children by expanding the provision
of child health assistance in an effective and efficient manner.
Top of Page
Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Prevention
In response to growing concerns about violence against women and child abuse
and neglect in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, the Director added
the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Prevention Initiative in October 1996.
The initiative's purpose is to improve the IHS, tribal, and urban Indian health
care response to domestic violence by providing education, training, and support
to health care providers. The goal is to improve health care providers' capability
to provide early identification and appropriate, culturally competent responses
to victims of violence against women and related issues of child abuse in American
Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Top of Page
Office for Victims of Crimes Child Abuse Project
It is estimated that one in every four girls and one in every seven boys
will be a victims of sexual abuse in Indian Country. The immediate and extended
family will also suffer the pain that the child victim feels, but it may not
be openly discussed. One of the inherent strengths that Native people have is
their natural support system (culture) that can assist in victim recovery. Quality
of life and the quality of medical care available to American Indian and Alaskan
Native child victims of abuse can be influenced. Since 1989, the Federal Crime
Victims Division within the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has provided funding
to American Indian Tribes to improve the investigation, prosecution, and handling
of child abuse cases (particularly sexual abuse cases) that limits additional
trauma to the victim.
In 2002, this organization also funded the Indian Health Service and Office
for Victims of Crime (IHS/OVC) Child Abuse Project, which provides training for
medical providers in Indian Country in the area of child maltreatment with emphasis
on sexual and physical abuse. Beginning in 2005, the Indian Health Service will
provide funding for this training program now called the Indian Health Service
Child Abuse Project.
Top of Page
Student Health Professions Assistance
IHS heavily recruits health professionals. "Health Professions means
family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, geriatric medicine, obstetrics
and gynecology, podiatric medicine, nursing, public health nursing, dentistry,
psychiatry, osteopathy, optometry, pharmacy, psychology, public health, social
work, marriage and family therapy, chiropractic medicine, environmental health
and engineering and allied health professions". IHS provides loan forgiveness
and scholarship assistance in exchange for service contracts with IHS.
Top of Page
Department of Justice
Message to Parents
Dear Parents, Teachers, and Community Members:
McGruff the Crime Dog® and his nephew Scruff® appear in this new
story-comic-activity book to help Indian children learn how to make healthy decisions
when confronted with alcohol or other drug use, gang involvement, or sexual abuse.
We know that children trust McGruff, an adult figure who cares about them
and offers helpful advice. Scruff, a child figure, gets into situations that
children may encounter or worry about. He uses his uncle McGruff's good advice
to handle these problems.
This book uses traditional Native American tales to teach important messages
and decision-making skills about alcohol, drugs, gangs, and abuse. Stories are
part of the traditional way that we can help protect children. Read the traditional
stories with children then discuss what they should do if they face situations
similar to the ones in the book.
The stories may be similar to stories your tribe knows and tells. Teach children
your tribe's stories so that they can learn from your traditions.
Thanks for helping to Take a Bite Out of Crime®.
We hope you enjoy the book!
The National Crime Prevention Council and the U.S. Department of Justice
For more information, visit the Division
of Behavioral Health web site
Questions
or comments, contact the Behavioral Health web
site administrator
MS Word
Acrobat
PowerPoint