Friday, May 23, 2025
5/23/2025
Special Diabetes Program for Indians - At the Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center in Douglas County, Oregon we are committed to reducing diabetes risk and its associated complications amongst our Tribal population. The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians began providing diabetes treatment and services to Cow Creek tribal members in 1999 via home visits and a new Tribal clinic. Today the Tribe operates two health centers, one each in North and South Douglas County, OR expanding our reach to Tribal patients and communities in our rural area. Douglas County, OR is the fifth-largest Oregon county. Covering over 5,100 square miles including 98 square miles of water, it spreads from the Cascade Mountain Range to the coast of the Pacific Ocean. We will use a collaborative approach to promote the various services we provide to Tribal members and engage them to become active participants in their health and wellness journeys. Patients will benefit by seeing their Primary Care Provider, Podiatrist, Registered Dietitian and DPP Lifestyle Coach all within the same clinic. To best serve our Tribal patients we plan to imbed a Registered Dietitian (RD) at each of our two clinics. The RD is available at the patient visit for a warm hand-off from the patient’s Primary Care Provider to meet the patient, provide a brief overview of Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) services and answer questions. A referral is made to the Registered Dietitian providing MNT services so the patient may schedule an appointment before exiting the clinic. MNT visits encompass an assessment, food and nutrition education, dietary recommendations, and customized meal planning. Tribal patients will be invited to participate in additional activities and educational opportunities throughout the year such as healthy cooking demonstrations infusing Tribal culture, grocery store tours designed to identify nutritious food choices and locate traditional foods, and when appropriate, will be referred to our Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). Currently, we have two Certified Diabetes Prevention Program facilitators on staff and are recruiting for another. The CDC-recognized program is for our Tribal patients with pre-diabetes and is designed to prevent the disease from progressing to type 2 diabetes. “Prevent T2” is an intensive, year-long program focusing on healthy eating and increasing physical activity to reduce weight and associated risk factors. The Lifestyle Coach assists participants with setting and reaching short-term goals with the result being long-term, sustainable lifestyle changes. Participants track their food intake and physical activity to learn how each affects their weight and overall health. The role of the Lifestyle Coach is not only to educate but also to inspire, motivate and encourage the participants to keep striving toward their goals. Along with healthy eating and exercise to reduce weight and associated risk factors, participants in the DPP will learn how to manage stress, overcome obstacles, shop and cook to prevent T2, get plenty of good quality sleep, and make healthier food choices when at social gatherings or dining out. Partnering with the Tribe’s Behavioral Health Division, we will implement commercial tobacco cessation efforts to further reduce our Tribal patients’ health risks. The SDPI program at Cow Creek Health and Wellness has been and will continue to be supported by our Chief Health Officer, Sharon Stanphill, DrPH, RD, LD. Dr. Stanphill’s years of knowledge and experience will be key to developing the Healthy Heart Program, supporting the clinical and preventive efforts of the SDPI initiative.
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).