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Accomplishments and awards

L to R: National CHR Program Director, Cathy Stueckemann
and Mary Alice Trapp

Mary Alice Trapp, RN at the Native WEB Native American Programs at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN, received a national award from the IHS Headquarters CHR Program for her ongoing and exemplary service to improve the health of AI/AN women through her teaching and training efforts on breast care and cancer awareness to CHRs, RNs and women in native communities.

Blackfeet Tribal CHR Program Awardees, AngelFlight and IHS Staff

It is with great pride that the IHS National Community Health Program recognizes the Blackfeet Tribe’s CHR Program for its exemplary service to patients and community through collaboration and partnerships.

Beginning in 2004, the Blackfeet CHR Program enthusiastically embraced a national CHR initiative involving Angel Flight (then Airlifeline). AngelFlight is a national, non-profit organization of private pilots who donate their time, skills, aircraft and fuel to fly ambulatory patients to receive medical care at no cost to the patient or family.

This initial project required intense coordination with and through a variety of entities including medical and business office staff at the local IHS and destination health facility, other community resources such as American Cancer Society and Ronald McDonald Houses at those destination sites, patients and their families, local airport authorities, tribal officials, and of course staff and volunteer pilots of AngelFlight who are the genius and heart of these services to needy and underserved patients.

Under the guidance of Ms. Mary Ellen LaFrambeoise, Director, and Jolene Potts, CHR, the Blackfeet CHR Program has shown tremendous initiative and dedication to ensure that patients and family member escorts are provided transportation to medical care in such places as Salt Lake City UT, Seattle WA, Portland OR, Rochester IL, etc. The positive impact on families is unforgettable and cherished. This CHR Program has facilitated access to medical care in a number of ways, including but not limited to

• orienting community/hospital/airfield/patient staff to the availability of this service; setting up transportation to/from airfields at the departing and arriving destinations;
• coordinating lodging if necessary;
• ensuring language barriers were overcome;
• assistance with completing forms;
• providing cultural training and information to non-Indian volunteer pilot staff;
• providing points of contact information for patients and pilots;
• acting as communication links between patients and family members back home, etc.

Further, the Blackfeet CHR Program was instrumental in outreach efforts to assist the IHS facility’s Benefits Coordinator to enroll eligible AI/AN children in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) as an alternative billing resource, resulting in an increase of 55% in SCHIP enrollments and reimbursement opportunities for the facility and allowing funds for additional health care services to patients.

For exemplary service and the relentless pursuit of collaborative and cost-effective health care services to tribal members and the community, it is indeed an honor to present the Blackfeet CHR Program with this national CHR Program award.

L to R: Dr. Charles North, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Indian Health Service,
Claudia Bannon, AngelFight
and Cathy Stueckemann, National CHR Program Director

It is with heartfelt gratitude that the IHS National Community Health Representatives (CHR) Program recognizes Angel Flight for its exemplary service to patients and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) patients and communities.

Beginning in 2002, AngelFlight (then Airlifeline) and its outstanding volunteer and paid staff began work with IHS Headquarters CHR Program to develop instructional materials for demonstration projects with local CHR Programs. AngelFlight is a national, non-profit organization of private pilots who donate their time, skills, aircraft and fuel to fly ambulatory patients to receive medical care at no cost to the patient or family. In an extraordinary humanitarian gesture, Angel Flight waived any kind of fees for AI/AN patients.

Angel Flight regional staff served as the pivotal point for service coordination with the primary pilot site, the Blackfeet CHR Program and tribal community located in remote Browning Montana. This initial project required intense coordination with and through a variety of entities including CHR Program staff, the medical and business office staff at the local IHS, local and destination airport authorities, tribal officials and of course volunteer pilots of AngelFlight who are the heart of these services to needy and underserved patients.

Through the knowledge, expertise and dogged determination of Ms. Claudia Bannon, Angel Flight volunteer, necessary guidelines were established and relationships developed. She championed the need for Angel Flight volunteer and paid staff to receive cultural awareness training and early buy-in from tribal community leaders.

Over the course of time, 26 flights have been requested; 18 cancelled due to weather, rescheduling of surgery, patient illness or no available pilots; and 8 flights completed for patients. The cost-savings to patients and their families has been remarkable. More importantly, the opportunity to enhance the time families have to spend with their loved ones has been priceless.

For exemplary service and the relentless pursuit of collaborative partnerships to provide a means for health care services delivery to tribal members and the community, it is indeed an honor to present Angel Flight with this national CHR Program award.

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