Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition, Inc. (NUIHC) was incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit in Lancaster County, NE. on May 28, 1986. NUIHC was founded by a forward thinking group of Native Americans who identified the need for culturally appropriate health care and substance abuse treatment services to serve the urban Indian population in Lincoln and Omaha Nebraska and Sioux City, Iowa. The mission statement, “to elevate the health status of urban Indians and other underserved population reflects the original goal, values, and the on-going commitment of the organization.
NUIHC employs both a vertical and horizontal management structure. Governance is provided by a seven member Board of Directors which meets on a quarterly basis. The annual meeting is held in January during which time elections are held. During the annual meeting the Board reviews and approves organizational policies and procedures, position descriptions and property inventory.
All The President has served 10 on the NUIHC Board of Directors. The Board President provides leadership to the board members. The Chief Executive Officer reports to the board and is responsible for the day- to-day operations of the business. Each program component is managed by a program director.
The primary area of focus for NUIHC is the Inter-Tribal in-patient treatment, Outpatient Counseling Services and the Eagle Heights Transitional Living Program to provide access to culturally and linguistically appropriate substance use disorder and mental health (SUD/MH) services, in-patient treatment, out-patient treatment along with sober living and job readiness training for American Indian/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) men and women aged 18 and older that reside in the Great Plains Area (North and South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa) as designated by Indian Health Services (IHS).
In accordance with the Indian Health Service (IHS) mission to raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level, these existing programs attempts to lower the incidence and prevalence of substance use disorders among AI/AN adult men and women to a level at or below that of the general population in the U.S.
Inter-Tribal in-patient treatment is a 10-bed facility for those with SUD/MH and those with co-occurring disorders who identify as AI/AN in the Great Plains Area of the IHS. Clients receive in-patient treatment on an average of 60 – 90 days. During the COVID-19 pandemic Inter-Tribal has reduced the bed access to 5 so that social distancing can be achieved.
NUIHC out-patient counseling services are generally done on-site by 3 dually licensed counselors that also spread their time across in-patient, out-patient and transitional housing clients. During the COVID-19 pandemic out-patient counseling services are being transitioned to tele-behavioral health and NUIHC is in the process of contracting with a reputable tele-health platform. This may not be appropriate for all clients which will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Eagle Heights is a non-medical transitional living program designed to facilitate the rehabilitation of SUD/MH clients by placing the client in a structured therapeutic environment. Eagle Height’s serves chemically dependent AI/AN who are accepted on the basis of an approved program plan, who are capable of self-care and self-support, are ambulatory, are not in need of acute medical care, and who now need assistance in making the transition back to independent living in the community.
Eagle Heights regards itself as a part of the continuum of care for the chemically dependent provided in the community. The therapeutic environment of Eagle Heights is a long-term (120+ days) highly-structured program including diagnostic services; access to individual and group counseling; SUD/MH education: psychological self-awareness: decision-making skills development; and building self-esteem.