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Tribal Chairwoman cites 'severe' funding shortage for Indian health care and its effect on Native peoples
"The CHS program only covers
those services provided to patients
who meet CHS eligibility and regu
latory requirements, and only when
funds are available. Nationally, the
CHS program represents 19 percent
of the total health services account.
In the Northwest, the CHS program
represents 30 percent of the Portland
Area Office's budget."
According to the Indian Health Ser-
See KENNEDY
continued on page 6
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A.
Kennedy, a health adminis
trator for 30 years, testified
about the "severe under-funding"
of Contract Health Services and
the significant effects that has on
terminated Tribes before the House
Committee on Appropriations' 14
member Subcommittee on Interior,
Environment and Related Agencies
on Wednesday, March 25.
"The Contract Health Services
budget is the
most impor
tant budget
item for the
Grand Ronde
Health & Well
ness Center as
there are no
hospitals in
the Portland
area, unlike
f
Cheryl A. Kennedy
most other Indian Health Service
areas," Kennedy testified.
"This is significant because inpa
tient hospitals are able to provide
services that outpatient clinics can
not. The gap in services is otherwise
borne by a Tribe's CHS funds. Due
to lack of facilities to deliver health
services, Grand Ronde has no choice
but to purchase specialty care from
the private sector.
"It is important to understand that
the CHS program does not function
as an insurance program with a guar
anteed benefit package. When CHS
funding is depleted, CHS payments
are not authorized.
L y sJ'A Grarr. yjc Summer
By Ron : i
Smok Stgnalt Hk..,' unUir
When you feci the sun returning, baseball
fans know the Doys of Summer can't be
far behind. And that' been true in Grand
Ronde for more than 80 years as welL
1 always liked the sound of the ball hitting the
mitt," says Tribal Elder Marcellus Norwest, 79. "I
was too young to play, but I used to go and watch
them."
Tribal teams played on Sunday afternoons, Nor
west says, on a field where Willamina Middle School
date back to early 20th century
is in Grand Ronde today.
"With the cars all circled around," Norwest re
calls. Norwest says he would walk from where he lived
under Spirit Mountain to the ball field. The area was
known as "New Town," Norwest says, because the
reservation was up in the hills. Near St. Michael's
Catholic Church, above Hobo Road, where the agency
office used to be, was known as "Old Town."
See BASEBALL
continued on pages 8-9
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