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A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe
www.grandronde.org
MOLALLA
ROGUE RIVER
KAIiAPITYA
CHASTA
Director cites streamlined processes, new
providers for bringing back Tribal members
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Tribal Health Executive Direc
tor Mark Johnston, a little
more than a year on the job,
has a message to Tribal members
who were frustrated by scheduling
issues, significant wait times and
a revolving door of health care pro
viders at the Grand Ronde Health
& Wellness Center.
Give it another chance.
"Those are issues that have been
aggressively pursued," Johnston
says in his second-floor office.
And, based on patient numbers,
the Health & Wellness Center is re
ceiving better word of mouth among
the Tribal community. Client count
has increased from about 1,500 pa
tients in 2003 to about 1,700 now.
Among issues Johnston was
asked by Tribal Council to address
upon his hiring in the summer of
2007 were access to care and timeli
ness of that access.
When he started, clinic providers
were seeing about 12 to 14 patients
daily, appointments stretching out
to 40 minutes to an hour in length.
Frustrating wait times were as
See CLINIC
continued on page 5
Photo by Michelle Alalmo
Susan Wright has been a family nurse practitioner at tha Grand Ronde Health
& Wellness Center since October 2007. The clinic has seen an increase in
patients partly due to the recruitment of health care providers, like Wright,
who are committed to staying in Grand Ronde.
' I
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Photo by Michelle AlaimoGtaphk created by George Valdel
Members of the
Grand Ronde
and Chinook
Canoe Families
paddle down
the Swinomish
Channel as
they arrive at
the Swinomish
Indian Tribal
Community in La
Conner, Wash
for a stop on
the 2008 Canoe
Journey on
Monday, July, 21.
More photot on
pagt 9.
Turn lb dl una ties $4,5Q)(D tin cattdh eUi hMevs
-1
Photo courtesy of Oregon State Police
This elk is one of seven trophy bull elk killed in
southwestern Oregon. The Tribe donated $4,500
to catch the person or persons responsible.
By Dean Rhodes
Smohe Sinmiln editor
The Confederated TribcH of Grand Ronde
donated $1,500 on July 23 to n reward
fund that has been established to help
catch whoever has shot seven trophy bull elk and
left them to rot in southwestern Oregon.
The Tribal donation increases the reward fund
to $17,500.
"The reward fund will pny for information lead-
inR to the arrest and conviction of the individual
or individuals who illegally shot and killed seven
trophy bull elk," said Tribal Public Affairs Direc
tor Siobhan Taylor.
"The Grand Ronde Tribe recently (on April
18) had its ceremonial hunting and fishing
rights restored. Our rights were restored, in
See ELK
continued on page 6