S moke S ignals
january 15, 2014
Help needed identifying plots
The Facilities Department is asking for help identifying veteran’s
plots.
If your family member’s or friend’s plot is a veteran and we do not
have a veteran’s flag present on holidays, please inform us.
We will do our best to mark all plots of veterans. Contact Adam
Leno at 503-879-5525 or adam.leno@grandronde.org. n
Cover Oregon assister to visit Portland office
A Cover Oregon certified application assister will visit the Portland
satellite office, 4445 S.W. Barbur Blvd., from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday,
Jan. 22.
Contact Loretta Meneley at 503-879-1359 or 800-775-0095 to make an
appointment to apply for or discuss Cover Oregon. n
Official Tribal Facebook pages
• Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde:
www.facebook.com/CTGRgov
• Grand Ronde Tribal Council:
www.facebook.com/TheConfederatedTribesOfGrandRondeTribalCouncil
• Grand Ronde Higher Education:
www.facebook.com/grand.r.ed
• Grand Ronde Youth Education:
www.facebook.com/CTGRYouthEducation
• Spirit Mountain Community Fund:
www.facebook.com/SpiritMountainCommunityFund
• Grand Ronde Station:
www.facebook.com/GrandRondeStation
• Grand Ronde Royalty:
www.facebook.com/TheConfederatedTribesofGrandRondeRoyalty
• Spirit Mountain Stampede:
www.facebook.com/SpiritMountainStampede
Committee & Special Event
Board meeting days and times
Below is the most current information on the meeting days and times for
Tribal Committees and Special Event Boards:
• Ceremonial Hunt Board meets as needed. Chair: Marline Groshong.
• Cultural Trust Board meets at 4 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month
at the Elders’ Activity Center. Chair: Perri McDaniel.
• Culture Committee meets at 1 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month in
the Land & Culture Department conference room. Chair: Betty Bly.
• Education Committee meets at 5:15 p.m. on the first Monday of the
month in the Adult Education Building. Chair: Tammy Cook.
• Elders’ Committee meets at 1 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month in
the Elders’ Activity Center. Chair: Gladys Hobbs.
• Enrollment Committee meets quarterly in Room 204 of the Governance
Building. Chair: Robert Schmid.
• Fish & Wildlife Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of
the month at the Natural Resources building. Chair: Harold Lyon.
• Health Committee meets at 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of the month
in the Tribal Wellness Center. Chair: Patti Tom-Martin.
• Powwow Special Event Board meets at 5 p.m. the first Thursday of the
month at the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Dana Ainam.
• Rodeo Special Event Board meets at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of the
month at the Tribal Rodeo Office. Chair: Harold Lyon.
• Social Services Committee meets at 4 p.m. the second Monday of the
month in the Social Services conference room. Chair: Jenny Sanchez.
• Timber Committee meets at 5 p.m. the second Thursday of the month
at the Natural Resources building. Chair: Bob Mercier.
• Veterans Special Event Board meets at 5 p.m. the first Tuesday of the
month in the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Gene LaBonte.
To update information on this list, contact Publications Coordinator Dean
Rhodes at 503-879-1463 or dean.rhodes@grandronde.org.
Clinic strategies increase
revenue, create savings
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
The Tribe’s Health and Well-
ness Center has been working on
a number of strategies to promote
healthy individuals, families and
community.
The strategies are in response to
the Tribe’s 2010 Strategic Plan that
focuses on government improve-
ment by implementing measurable
goals.
In the last six years, the clinic has
doubled annual revenue to almost
$10 million. One strategy for con-
tinuing to increase clinic revenues
is going after new or increased
reimbursements from Medicaid,
Medicare and private insurance.
Added to these is a Tribal agree-
ment with the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs. Previously,
veterans were required to obtain
medical care at Veterans Affairs
hospitals and clinics. The federal
government now reimburses the
Health and Wellness Center for
services Native veterans receive at
the clinic. The reimbursement for
services helps increase Health and
Wellness billing revenues.
With almost 200 veterans identi-
fied so far, this creates a significant
new stream of revenue for the
clinic, says Tresa Mercier, Health
and Wellness Business Office man-
ager.
A second strategy to increase
revenue is adding new services.
Last year, the clinic added physi-
cal therapy and massage services.
This year, the Tribe will employ
Elizabeth Bush as the new men-
tal health provider for depression
screenings and follow-ups. Added
to alcohol and drug services will
be eligibility for the families of
patients.
“We opened Behavioral Health
services to the whole family,” says
Julie Davis, Clinical Services direc-
tor, “so we can serve parents who
might need counseling. We added
family (as eligible for these ser-
vices) with the goal of making the
whole family well.”
Later this year, a women’s tran-
sitional center for eight women and
their children will open.
Also adding to the clinic’s income
is the addition of the Pharmacy’s
mail order service.
The other side of increased rev-
enue is increased savings. Part of
that strategy is to offer assistance
to Tribal members and the commu-
nity in applying for Cover Oregon
marketplace products made avail-
able by the Affordable Care Act.
“We feel that assisting our pa-
tients and Tribal members apply
for these health coverage products
will not only increase revenue for
the Health and Wellness Center,
but also decrease costs for the Skoo-
kum Health Assistance Program,”
says Mercier.
Loretta Meneley, Certified Ap-
plication Assister, is located in
the Health and Wellness Center
and able to assist Tribal members,
families and community members
in applying for health care cover-
age through Cover Oregon. She
can be reached at 503-879-1359 or
800-775-0095 for information and
assistance.
Mercier credits her staff – Melody
Baker, Barbara Steere, Tauni Mc-
Cammon, Erica Mercier, Amber
Yates, Meneley, Kayla Leno and
Desiree Allen – for bringing these
new sources of revenue to fruition.
“They work directly with the
membership and patients at the
clinic in applying for Cover Or-
egon,” Mercier says.
Savings across the board will
come from preventive activities,
including individualized education,
identifying at-risk individuals and
using resources and outreach to
improve outcomes, and further de-
velopment of fitness programs.
Mercier says it is also important
to maintain the clinic’s accredita-
tion from the American Association
of Ambulatory Health Care.
The Health and Wellness Center’s
annual budget has always been
covered by grants from a variety of
sources, including Indian Health
Service, Medicaid and Spirit Moun-
tain Casino dividend dedicated to
the program.
For questions about insurance
coverage that you might be entitled
to, or any others concerning clinic
programs, contact Tresa Mercier at
503-879-2008, Julie Davis at 503-
879-2299 or General Manager Mark
Johnston at 503-879-4638. n
ATTENTION TRIBAL MEMBERS
COMMITTEE AND SPECIAL EVENT BOARD VACANCIES
The following Committees and Special Event Boards have vacant
positions.
Social Services Committee
1 Vacancy
Please send completed applications to Stacia Martin, 9615
Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347.
Community resources
Ad created by George Valdez
The Clothing Closet on the Tribal campus.
• 10 a.m. to noon Monday;
• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.
Grand Ronde Food Bank, 9600 Hebo Road, Grand Ronde.
• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday;
• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday.
• Contact: 503-879-5731. n