The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) is located on 372,000 acres (approximately 600 square miles), 25 miles south of Phoenix, Arizona. GRIC Members are comprised of two distinct peoples: the Akimel O’odham—the River People—(Pima Indians) and the Pee Posh (Maricopa Indians). The GRIC members reside both within seven (7) distinct Community districts as well as outside of the community boundaries in local urban areas. The diabetes prevalence rate among GRIC patients is 25.3%, compared to 10.7% of Arizonans (GRHC NextGen; American Diabetes Association, The Burden of Diabetes in Arizona, 10/2021).
By resolution, the Gila River Indian Community authorizes the Gila River Health Care Corporation to apply as primary grantee for the SDPI grant on behalf of the Community.
As such, the purpose of the Gila River SDPI is to provide services to GRHC patients and GRIC members in order to reduce diabetes onset, reduce risk factors associated with diabetes, and eliminate and/or reduce complications associated with diabetes.
There are four health care facilities operated by GRHC: Hu Hu Kam Memorial Hospital, Komatke Health Center, Red Tail Hawk Health Center, and Ak-Chin Clinic in the provision of clinical-based services. The Gila River SDPI works collaboratively with all four facilities. Clinical SDPI services are closely linked to the GRHC medical providers and active referral systems are used daily for SDPI services.
The Gila River SDPI supports and collaborates with two distinct Tribal Partners: The Genesis Program under the Tribal Health Department and Tribal Recreation and Wellness under the Community Service Department in the provision of Community–based services. Active partnerships between SDPI staff, GRHC, and Tribal Partners are crucial elements to effective patient recruitment and retention.
This Gila River SDPI has selected the best practice of Chronic Kidney Disease Screening and Monitoring and will monitor the required key measures related to this best practice on the selected target population.
In addition to the best practice, activities will include: other clinical activities not related to the best practice such as blood pressure and diabetes–related education and Community-based services focused on maternal and newborn nutrition, school-aged nutrition and physical activity and fitness activities including all ages from youth through Elders.