Saturday, May 24, 2025
5/24/2025
Oyate Health Center Special Diabetes Program for Indians - Founded in 1986, the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board (GPTLHB) stands as a formal representative board of the seventeen tribal nations and one service unit in the Great Plains area (GPA) of South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa. The mission of GPTLHB, a 501(c)(3) community-based tribal entity, is to work with tribal communities and provide quality public health support and healthcare advocacy to improve the health status and eradicate health disparities among the region's estimated 265,837 tribal members (according to provisional 2020 U.S. Census data). In 2019, the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe authorized GPTLHB to manage their shares of the IHS health care facility in Rapid City, South Dakota. GPTLHB assumed administration of IHS’ Sioux San facility, renaming it Oyate Health Center (OHC). In 2022, GPTLHB assumed the Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s IHS health care shares and began the development of a tribally managed health system that serves as a specialty care referral site for urgent care and primary preventative services, including the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI). The OHC SDPI program has provided diabetes treatment and prevention services to the Rapid City AI/AN community since IHS released the first SDPI funding in 1998. Diabetes is one of the most prevalent health issues facing AI/AN in the Rapid City area. According to the most recent OHC GPRA report run in August 2023, 1,040 AI/AN of the health center’s patient-relatives were diagnosed as diabetic. Based on the current SDPI program’s 2022 Diabetes Audit, 60% of patient-relatives with diabetes suffer from obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0), and 26% are overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9). 12% of patient-relatives with diabetes have an A1c level of 11.0 or higher, and 11% do not have a recent A1c level (not tested or no valid result). Additional diabetes-related health issues include meeting standards of care due to missed dental appointments. Health habits impacted by poverty, high prices, access to traditional foods, lack of access to fruits and vegetables, and poor dental hygiene lead to poor nutrition, high obesity rates, and chronic disease in Great Plains tribal communities. The OHC SDPI Program recognizes the need for increased and improved diabetes education to address these issues. By hiring a Registered Dietitian, the program will offer individualized Diabetes Management education for each program participant, focusing on dietary choices and physical wellness. Lifestyle Coaches will utilize OHC’s Okiciyapi Fitness Center to provide physical activity training, fitness activities, and physical activity education. The program will also partner with the Fight Against Diabetes: SD Produce Prescription Program to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to patient-relatives who present as at-risk for diabetes. Additional instruction will address the impact of dental hygiene on diabetes and the importance of maintaining oral health. Program staff will work to increase awareness of the adverse effects of missing provider appointments so that patient-relatives understand the importance of attending all clinical services. The OHC SDPI program will continue participating in the Joslin Vision Network (JVN) and performing retinopathy screening eye exams for patient-relatives with diabetes. A JVN Acquisition specialist (Lifestyle Coach) will provide diabetes education based on findings from the completed exams.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).