Wednesday, February 5, 2025
2/5/2025
The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation received funding from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) Community Directed grant in 1998 to establish the Yakama Nation Diabetes Program (YNDP). Initially, the program was located within the Yakama Indian Health Service clinic and provided services and education to address the treatment and prevention of diabetes. The YNDP employed a certified diabetes educator registered nurse for over ten years along with community health aids to address the health issues. In 2009 per community request, the YNDP opened doors to a new facility with access to an exercise facility and focused the majority of services toward physical activity for treatment and prevention of diabetes in the community. Due to the continuing burden of diabetes on the health care system, the Yakama Indian Health Service received funding from the SDPI Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction Healthy Heart Demonstration Project and implemented the Yakama Healthy Heart Program (YHHP) in 2004. The main objective was to decrease the disease morbidity and mortality in the AI/AN diabetic population. The implementation of the program utilized pharmacists as clinical case managers under collaborative practice agreements to remedy a decline in the number of primary care family practice medical providers available to improve access to care, education in diabetes treatment and prevention, and improve clinical outcomes. The YHHP resulted in improved clinical outcomes in all categories on the diabetes audit. The YHHP received accreditation in 2011 from the Association of American Diabetes Educators and became a CDC recognized Diabetes Prevention Program in 2018. Currently, over half of the patients with diabetes have consented to receive the majority of their diabetic care through this program. The YHHP has been a leader within the SDPI community and Indian Country through dissemination of program implementation and presentation of clinical outcomes utilizing pharmacists as clinical providers. With the FY 2016 change in the SDPI C-D funding opportunity, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation recognized that both programs are extremely valuable in the treatment and prevention of diabetes in our community. The two programs were merged, with the YNDP as the grantee and YHHP as a sub-contract within the grant to continue clinical services. The YNDP provides the majority of efforts towards providing physical activities, educational events and community driven requests to the community while the YHHP provides intense clinical case management services for patients with diabetes. This approach has allowed the programs to continue key services in the prevention and treatment of diabetes. With increased partnerships and collaboration and the negative connotation associated with diabetes, YNDP changed their name to Yakama Nation Wak’ishwi Program. Wak’ishwi means “to be healthy” or “to become healthy” in Ichishk’iin, the language of the Yakama Nation. The name change opened the doors for more community members to feel welcome and utilize the services. It is the mission of the merged programs to provide greater access to quality care to AI/AN patients with diabetes or those with risk factors for diabetes to improve clinical outcomes and provide safe and effective physical activities to treat and prevent diabetes in our community using culture and traditional values.
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).