Smoke Signals
April 1993
Paoe 10
Chemawa Health Clinic's New
Optomotrist: Jerry Sherer
Chemawa Health Clinic in Salem, Oregon has
recently hired an optometrist Jerry Sherer.
Dr. Sherer recently moved to Oregon from
Browning, Montana, where he was an optometrist for the
Blackfcct Service Unit. He has been associated with Indian
health Service for over 13 years.
Dr. Sherer began seeing patients in October.
"So far, I have screened all the Chemawa students,
and currently they are being scheduled for exams," he said.
Chemawa Indian School students are eligible for
one pair of glasses per year. Other tribal members have been
coming to Chemawa Health Clinic as well. Said Sherer, "We
can give patients a full exam, checking the eyes for cataracts,
glaucoma, as well as their vision. We give out prescriptions
for lenses and the patient can select the place to get them."
Currently, frames and lenses are not available at
Chemawa Health Clinic, but they will probably have some to
choose from in the future.
Deborah Hawkins is the Optometry Technician,
whoworkswithDr. Sherer. She is responsible for pre-testing
patients.
Dr. Sherer wants potential patients to know the
Chemawa clinic may be closed for a short time this summer
in order to remodel, so make appointments soon. Sherer may
also be visiting Grand Ronde within the next few months.
"My family and I wanted a change from Montana,"
he said. "The whether is much milder here. So far we really
like Oregon."
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' J -111.
Jerry Sherer and Deborah Hawkins
Tribal Member's Advice:
Use Child Car Seats!
By Teresa Bailey
Every year thousands of people are involved in
motor vehicle accidents in Oregon. Last Year my baby
daughter and I became two more.
On August 10, 1992,Iwas stopped in the middle of
a road, waiting for the car in front of me to make a left-hand
turn, when I was rear-ended by a motor home and pushed
into the other lane where I was hit head-on by another car.
As an E.M.T. in the past, and currently an R.N. with
the Grand Ronde Quick Response Team, I have responded
to many motor vehicle accidents. I never imagined that I
would be involved in one myself. I am very grateful that I
have had the chance to work with ambulance service,
because prior to experience with them I was never very good
about wearing my seatbelt. I was involved in an accident
many years ago and I was not wearing my seatbelt. I broke
the windshield with my head, but wasn't seriously injured.
Even that experience didn't convince me to buckle up. It
wasn't until I began working in the medical field that I really
saw what car accidents could do to people, and I finally
started buckling up. Up until this time, I was pretty good
about putting my children in their car seats, but I'll admit that
sometimes I didn't. It seemed like such a waste of time,
especially if I wasn't going to be driving very far. If any of
you reading this feel the same way, please consider the facts
of my accident.
At the time of my accident last year I was less than
three miles from my home. It was a clear, sunny afternoon.
I was wearing my seatbelt and my fifteen month old daughter
was in her car seat. Even though we were both seatbelted in,
we were both injured. I was taken by lifeflight to Portland
while my daughter was taken to a local hospital. She suffered
a broken collarbone, bruises, and abrasions. I have seen
many doctors since my accident and every one is of the
opinion that if we weren't belted in, it is very unlikely either
of us would have survived the accident.
The impact of the crash caused my daughter's
buckle to break, but the car seat probably saved her life.
Please buckle yourselves and your children. No matter how
far you are going, it is never a waste of time. How would you
ever tell someone, "I'm sorry, but I didn't take the time to save
your life"? The car seat provided by the Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde is one of the best things we can do for our
children, and I thank them for the car seat they gave me
before and after the accident.
Nanitch Sahallie
Receives Accreditation
Sacred Uses of Tobacco
Tobacco is used by many Native Americans
in spiritual ceremonies, and has been for hundreds
of years.
Tobacco can be used to show respect for
what the Creator has made. In Indian Country,
tobacco was never meant to be chewed up and spit
out. Traditional people may use tobacco for other
reasons:
To give thanks to the Creator
To help our thoughts and prayers reach the
Creator
To show respect for Mother Earth
To honor four-legged, flying, swimming, or
crawling beings we have hunted
To seek advice from an Elder or respected
person
To seek protection in our daily journeys
Every Native American does not use
tobacco the same way. Some consider it to be very
personal, while some share their beliefs and prayers
with others. Each of us must consider how we will
use tobacco, and whether or not we will be
honoring life and the Earth, or harming it.
some info taken from "Traditional Use of Tobacco" Larry Smallwood
American Indian Health Care Association
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Marvin Fragua and Jeanne Larsen display the
CARF certificate.
Nanitch Sahallie Youth Treatment Center in Keizer,
Oregon recently received accreditation as a rehabilitation
facility viable for the next three years.
The Commission on Accreditation ofRehabilitation
Facilities (CARF) is a private, not-for-profit organization
that establishes standards of quality for services to people
with disabilities. It is one of only two such organizations in
the nation.
Accredited facilities are usually given more merit
for services because they have demonstrated substantial
compliance with standards.
Said JoAnna Rogers, Program Director at Nanitch
Sahallie, "CARF has high expectations of rehabilitation
lacilities. Not only are they concerned with the quality of care
a client receives, but they care about their records and how
carefully their treatment and personal needs are being
documented."
Ms. Rogers explained the importance of client
assessment.
"When a clients come here, they receive assessments
in many different areas. Most of our information comes from
the client themselves, but we are still responsible for
conducting other assessments which may be nutritional,
legal, educational, cultural, spiritual, and psychological."
CARF has accredited Nanitch Sahallie based on the
organization and employee's ability to competently and
completely serve the client's needs. In short, CARF is
concerned with the consumer's best interests.
Considering most accreditation periods only last
six months to one year, JoAnna Rogers considers a three
year accreditation an accomplishment. "It really means a lot
to us," she said. "It's a big deal."
Nanitch Sahallie is a fairly new facility which is
funded by Indian health Service and the state. However, the
Grand Ronde Tribe is the gatekeeper for most of these funds.
It is one of the only Indian youth treatment facilities in the
Northwest.
Also, a new Clinical Manager has been hiredBill
Carrigan, who will be featured in the May newsletter.