HUALAPAI HEALTH DEPARTMENT 

The Hualapai Health Department has been in operations since the early 80’s. The Health Department started with the Community Health Representatives in 1969. Since then, the Department has expanded to include the Alcohol Program, Mental Health Program, Women, Infant and Children Program (W.I.C), Tobacco Program, Diabetes/Fitness Program, Cardiovascular Diabetes Program (Healthy Heart) and Medical Transportation. Funding for these programs is provided by the Indian Health Services, the State of Arizona, and the Hualapai Tribe. From time to time, special projects are implemented from various funding sources. Currently, the special projects are the Multi-Systemic Therapy Program funded by the U.S. Department of Justice and the State of Arizona. The other project is a Cancer Education Awareness Program funded by the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona.

The majority of the programs are located at the Hualapai Health Department building on Rodeo Way in Peach Springs. The Diabetes/Fitness Center is located behind the Hualapai Tribal Gym. The Cardiovascular/Healthy Heart Program is located on Diamond Creek Road across form the Multi-Purpose Building.   The Hualapai Health Department serves Hualapai tribal members and other Native Americans living within the area. The user level for the Indian Health Service was 2,506 in 1999 and projected to be 3,084 in the year 2010. The same population is an eligible beneficiary of the Department of Health. Approximately 220 of the user population live in Kingman, located 50 miles west. There are over 2,000 enrolled Hualapai Tribal Members but not all of them live near or on the reservation. 

Program Mission and Objectives

The Mission of the Hualapai Health Department is to provide health, education, and prevention services, assistance in living, cultural and spiritual gatherings to community and tribal members. This shall be accomplished through health programs, workshops, community events, outreach and local newsletters by well-informed staff, elders and consultants. Our goals are to maintain sobriety, honor our culture, and to live like our ancestors in modern times.  

The purpose of the Alcohol, Mental Health and CHR Program is to maintain and enhance their capacity in addressing the needs of the community by providing adequate behavioral and community health care, which is supported by the Indian Health Services. The goal is consistent with the Indian Health’s goal of elevating the health status of the Hualapai Tribe to the highest level possible. The services range from chronic, preventive and crisis intervention. The services include behavioral and home health services, social services, diabetes education/prevention, nutritional for women, infant and children, tobacco services, recreational activities. All of the Hualapai Health Department staff participates in community education, awareness and other supportive needs. 

Alcohol-638 Program - Funded by the Indian Health Services  

The Alcohol/Substance Abuse Program provides individual and group counseling services for walk-in, self referred and referred clients. Areas of services are: Testing & Evaluation; Outpatient counseling; residential treatment placement services; aftercare services; school intervention services and HIV education. Occasionally, the police for assistance in a crisis situation call the counselors. The behavioral health programs attempt to lower the incidence and prevalence of alcohol abuse and alcoholism among the Hualapai. 

The objectives of the Alcohol Program are to:  

1. Reduce the incidence of alcohol and substance abuse and its effects in the Hualapai Community through the provision of a broad base community program.  

2. Provide services that include, but are not limited to individual group and family counseling and psycho-education in regards to alcoholism and addiction as the presenting therapeutic issue on an outpatient basis. 

3. Provide aftercare services when in transition from an alcohol and drug therapeutic facility.  

Behavioral Health-638 Program - Funded by the Indian Health Services

 The Behavioral Health Program provides counseling services for walk-in and referred clients. Areas of service are: adult and youth psychological services, evaluations of individuals, and family counseling; Case-management services for persons with a serious mental illness is a goal that will be addressed this coming year. The program’s counselors work with the schools, police, social services, and other entities on mental health cases as they arise.   

The objectives of the Behavioral Health Program are to : 

1.      Help reduce and alleviate the social and emotional impact/devastation that mental illness imposes on the individual and family through the provision of evaluation,  referral, and support. 

2.      Provide services to enhance social and emotional functioning of individuals and families affected by mental illness/dysfunction. 

3.      Provide services directed toward developing self-awareness and allowing patient participation in the promotion of their own mental wellness. 

Community Health Representatives - Funded by the Indian Health Services

Community Health Representatives (CHR’s) provide services to improve the quality of life for home bound patients and to provide preventive services. Specifically, the CHR’s provide the following services:

1.      Trained in the basic skills health care provision, disease control and prevention, the CHRs use their skills to affect change in community acceptance and utilization of health care resources. 

2.      The CHRs play an important role in the successful implementation of IHS/Tribal health promotion/disease prevention initiatives. 

3.      The CHRs are well positioned within the community to provide the needed educational and related services that can result in healthier lifestyles among their people.

4.      The CHRs are considered effective outreach health care providers and have established an efficient network through which health/disease prevention initiatives can be delivered to the people.  

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program - Funded by the State of Arizona through the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona 

The objectives of the WIC program are to: 

1.      Decrease the rate of obesity in children ages 3-5 years of age residing on the Hualapai Indian Reservation.

 2.      By the end of the fiscal year, 100 additional Hualapai Indian Community WIC children between the ages of 3-5 will have participated in the FIT WIC program. 

3.      Knowledge of the parent-child feeding relationship will increase for at least 100 Hualapai Indian community WIC clients. 

4.      Increase the number of participating mothers at six months postpartum to 50 to 60 percent.  

5.      Reach expectant mothers and their partners and encourage mothers to breastfeed exclusively for six months.  

Diabetes/Fitness Program - Funded by the Indian Health Services  

The objectives of the Diabetes/Fitness Program are to: 

1.      Maintain the prevalence of breast feeding to 65% as a means to preventing diabetes risk factors in neonates. 

2.      Increase the number of normal pregnancies to 90% as a means to reducing diabetes risk factors in youth. 

3.      Increase the number of opportunities for physical activities for youth as a means to reduce diabetes risk factors specifically low levels of physical activity in youth.  

4.      Provide an intensive diet-activity intervention for youth that provides health information and opportunities for physical activity. 

5.      Provide regular physical activity classes and programs for adults as a means to reduce inactivity, a diabetes risk factor. 

Cardiovascular/Healthy Heart Program - Funded by the Indian Health Services  

The objectives of the Healthy Heart Program are to: 

1.      Develop a case management system to track standards of care compliance of 150 patients with diabetes over three years to decrease the chances of them getting heart disease.  

2.      Develop a less intensive tracking system for individuals in the community that participate in health promotion activities.  

3.      Develop a local recruitment and retention of participants who participated in the case management Health Heart Activities.  

Transportation Program - Funded by the Hualapai Tribe & Arizona Dept. of Transportation 

 The objectives of the Transportation Program are to: 

1.      Provide transportation services for non-emergency medical patients. 

2.      Provide transportation to the general public to go shopping and other essential activities for a small charge.  

3.      Develop a process to bill AHCCCS for medical transportation services.  

NARCH 5 "Each One, Reach One"

1.   New grant project involving youth, radio, physical activity to reduce community cardiovasular disease and diabetes.

2.   Located at the Healthy Heart Building.

Administration                                                  Sandra Irwin, Health Dept. Director

                                                                        928-769-2207

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Behavioral Health Program                               Antone Brummund, Behavioral Health Program

                                                                        Manager

                                                                        928-769-2207

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Cancer Program                                               Gloria Susanyatname

                                                                        928-769-2207

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Community Health Representatives                   Denise Sine, Community 

                                                                        Health Representative

                                                                        928-769-2207

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                                                                        Mina Crozier, CommunityHealth

                                                                        Representative

                                                                        928-769-2207

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Multi-Systemic Therapy                                    David Brehmeyer 

                                                                        928-769-2466

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                                                                        Teresa Hutchens

                                                                        928-769-2466

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                                                                        Paula DeNicola

                                                                        928-769-2466

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Strategic Prevention Program                            Sherry Counts, Project Coordinator

                                                                        928-769-2207

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                                                                        Lyndee Hornell

                                                                        928-769-2207

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Tribal Motor Vehicle Crash                              Thomas Siyuja Jr.

Injury Prevention Project                                  928-769-2207

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Women, Infant and Children (WIC)                  Mary Imus, WIC Coordinator

                                                                        928-769-2207

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Youth Services                                                 Pete Imus, Coordinator

                                                                        928-769-2207

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Diabetes/Fitness                                               Emma Clark, Diabetes Program Manager

Exercise and Nutrition                                      928-769-2644

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Cardiovascular/Healthy Heart                           Karen Hayes, Case Manager

                                                                        928-769-1630

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                                                                        Data Coordinator/Health Educator

                                                                        928-769-1630

                                                                        Andrea Bahnimptewa, Personal Fitness        

                                                                        Manager

                                                                        928-769-1630

                                                                        Alyce Crozier, Receptionist

                                                                        928-769-1630

Non-Medical Transportation                             Doris Butler, Lead Driver

Services                                                           928-769-2207 

NARCH 5 "Each One, Reach One"                  Terri Hutchens BSW, JD, Project Coordinator

                                                                        928-769-1630

                                                                        Candida Hunter, BH - Project Assistant/Youth Mentor

                                                                        Nicky Teufel-Shone, Phd., University of AZ, Research Coordinator

                                                                        928-769-1630