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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2020)
6 FEBRUARY 15, 2020 Smoke Signals General Council briefed on health plans for 2020 By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor CLACKAMAS — The Tribe’s Health & Wellness Department has many goals for 2020: expand the medication-assisted treatment program, concentrate on Elder den- tal care, launch a new Pharmacy computer application and continue striving for zero complaints. Those were just some of the goals outlined by Health Services Exec- utive Director Kelly Rowe during a 45-minute presentation before a well-attended General Council ses- sion on Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Mon- arch Hotel & Convention Center. Rowe surveyed all of the different departments offering health care at the clinic: Medical, Dental, Behav- ioral Health, Optometry, Pharmacy, Community Health, and Adminis- tration and Business Office. No matter the department, how- ever, they are all judged on the same criteria: quali- ty care, patient access and, perhaps most im- portantly, patient sat- isfaction. “Our complaints went down 20 percent from 2018 to 2019,” Rowe said, adding that the goal is zero complaints. “If we don’t shoot for the best …. We have to meet the needs for everyone who comes to Health Services Executive Director Kelly Rowe us for care.” Rowe said the Tribal gave the main presentation during the Sunday, clinic in Grand Ronde Feb. 2, General Council meeting held at the treats approximately 65 Monarch Hotel & Convention Center in Clackamas. percent Native Ameri- Rowe surveyed the 2020 goals for every can patients and 35 per- department within the Health & Wellness Center. cent non-Native, which clinic has reached an 87 percent would include Tribal employees screening rate with patients and and community members. There 39 people were identified as being are about 16,000 patients annually, positive. A new regimen of drugs although that number may include can cure the disease. duplication of patients visiting mul- “The faster we catch it, the sooner tiple departments within the clinic. we can stop that process and make Within the Medical department, people well,” she said about the Rowe said the recent push to elim- effort led by Dr. Randy Blome. inate hepatitis C within the Tribal In 2020, the Medical department community has paid dividends. The Sewing class participants wanted The sewing classes that have been held at the Elders Activity Center have been canceled due to lack of participation. Classes could resume if at least six people commit to attending. To commit or find out more information, contact Elders Activity Assistant Virginia Kimsey-Roof at 503-879-2233. Volunteers Wanted! We are seeking volunteers for two of our programs: Court Appointed Special Advocate ☐ Tribal Member Review Board ☐ (open to all community members) (must be an enrolled CTGR Tribal Member) Visit our website for more information and the qualifications for each program: https://www.grandronde.org/government/tribal-court/court-programs/ If you would like to volunteer: 1) Indicate which program you are interested in (mark one of the boxes above) 2) Fill out the form below with your contact information 3) Mail, drop off, or e-mail the completed form to Tribal Court Programs Coordinator Full Name: Phone Number: Address: _________________________________________________________________________ Street/PO Box Email Address: Tribal Court Programs Coordinator Attn: Ramona Quenelle 9615 Grand Ronde Rd. Grand Ronde, OR 97347 (503) 879-4623 CourtPrograms@grandronde.org City State Zip Photos by Dean Rhodes Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris Mercier gifts 96-year-old artist Dorothy Vandiver with a dentalium necklace in appreciation for her donation of “Flute Player” to the Grand Ronde Tribe. Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. George, left, and daughter-in-law Maria Vandiver, right, look on. Vandiver, who lives in hospice care, donated the paintings to the Grand Ronde Tribe in honor of its purchase of the Blue Heron Paper Mill site in Oregon City in August 2019 and the Tribe’s return to Willamette Falls. also will continue to expand the medication-assisted treatment effort that helps drug-dependent people get off opioids and will work with Behavioral Health to integrate their specialties into patient medi- cal care. Currently, the clinic has 18 patients enrolled in medication-as- sisted treatment, Rowe said. Regarding the Tribal Pharmacy, Rowe said a new computer appli- cation will go live on Tuesday, Feb. 25, requiring the Pharmacy to close for the day on Monday, Feb. 24. She estimates that the new system may slow down production for a week to 10 days as staff members become more familiar with it, but she said the positives to the new system will include a direct link to the U.S. Postal Service for mailing of prescriptions and allow app-based communication. Other highlights include Den- tal obtaining a new panoramic X-ray machine and focusing on improved Elder dental health care, the Behavioral Health addition that is scheduled to open in late February, a new optometrist in Optometry, possible expansion of medical transportation provided by Community Health and expanding pediatric services offered by Tribal member Dr. Allison Empey to a weekly basis in March. In closing, Rowe announced that Senior Administrative Executive Assistant Holly Snodgrass was selected as the 2020 Health & Well- ness Center Employee of the Year for her work in 2019. “She is always helpful and goes above and beyond in all interac- tions,” Rowe said. “She is a positive, resourceful and excellent team member.” Following her presentation, Rowe fielded four questions and com- ments from the audience. In re- sponse to an inquiry from Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris Mercier, Rowe said the Tribe is prepared for any possible coronavirus cases should the disease reach Oregon. “We have been getting informa- tion from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), and Polk and Yamhill county health departments and have shared it with our provid- ers,” Rowe said. The respiratory illness, which started in China, has reached the United States with a reported case in Washington state. In other action, Mercier gifted 96-year-old artist Dorothy Van- diver with a dentalium necklace after she donated two 88-by-82-inch canvasses to the Tribe in honor of Grand Ronde purchasing the Blue Heron Paper Mill site in Oregon City in August 2019. The Lakota legend-inspired paintings, collectively called “Flute Player,” show Okaga, the South Wind, playing the instrument. Vandiver, who lives in a hospice care home, was accompanied by her children, Robert Vandiver and Bon- nie Espe, and their spouses, Maria Vandiver and Paul Espe. “This is a profound act of gener- osity,” Mercier said. “We are really thankful for this.” Tribal members also lined up to individually thank Vandiver for the donation, which will hang in a yet to be determined location. The door prize winners were Ed Larsen, Brian Bean and Greg Archuleta, $100 each; and Char Michelle-Westley, Donna Sanders, Erin Bernando, Robert Vandiver and Lisa Archuleta, $50 each. Also raffled off were Health & Wellness goodie bags and 2020 vote T-shirts. The next General Council meet- ing will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 1, at the Tribal Community Center in Grand Ronde. In addition, Fish & Wildlife Pro- gram Manager Kelly Dirksen and Aquatic Biologist Brandon Weems attended the meeting to distribute salmon to Portland-area Tribal members. Following the General Council meeting, about 20 Tribal members stayed for the first of three Commu- nity Input meetings that are seek- ing advisory vote topics to possibly be placed on the September Tribal Council ballot. General Manager David Fullerton and Tribal Council Chief of Staff Stacia Hernandez facilitated the session. The next two Community Input meetings will be held after the Gen- eral Council meetings in March and April in Grand Ronde and Eugene, respectively. After a list of topics is compiled, Tribal Council will select the ques- tions to be placed on the ballot. To view the entire General Coun- cil meeting, visit the Tribal govern- ment’s website at www.grandronde. org and click on the Government tab and then Videos.
