TOR FY2023-2025 - Southern Indian Health Council, Inc. (SIHC) is a Tribal Organization comprising of seven American Indian (AI) Tribes, which covers the service area of 1,490 square miles that spans into the rural southeast of San Diego County, California. This service area is 33% of San Diego County’s 4,526 square miles. The extent of the problem within our service area is apparent with the death rate remaining the same, but in the last several years, we have made strides to provide services to the community. The continued need to serve the active patients we serve and educate the community that harm reduction is helping, will show a decrease in the death rate numbers for all races. We are also expanding our treatment services to include patients with any stimulant addictions (legal or illegal) to reach a larger population of patients in need. There are those that will seek services, or those that we may need to be refer to other intensive outpatient or inpatient services. Most importantly for the program to be here for the patients to help them continue their support to remain drug free or support their harm reduction modifications. Outreach at SIHC events and external partnering events will provide the educational, statistical, resources, and tools to help fight the OUD epidemic. A comprehensive strategic plan will be developed for the new staff to work within the parameters of this program make necessary changes to the strategic plan may un-cover. The Office-Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT) Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) will continue to support the SAMHSA suggested Technical Brief number 28 of the Medication-Assisted Treatment Models of Care for Opioid Use Disorder in Primary Care Settings. This approach will support the integration of the importance that opioid use disorder (OUD) is not just a chemical dependency it also involves psychological and behavioral issues. New approaches that have been tested and those that are reliable will be incorporated as needed. Therapy is fluid, meaning it changes as the client/patient changes their behaviors and the SIHC team have the responsibility to help that client/patient through the process of recovery and after-care as well.
Inevitably, the program will progress and change to fit the needs of the community. The long-term outcome is to see a decrease of opioid use/abuse with an increase of maintenance through the interventions of medicine and behavioral health support. The behavioral part will use the approaches mentioned above, measurement tools of the Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression (PHQ-9), and the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE). Southern Indian Health Council, Inc. (SIHC) has over 40 years of experience to manage, oversee, analyze, follow the terms & conditions of awarded funds, and assure accurate and timely reporting for both program performance and financial reports. SIHC is a Federally Qualified Health Center and has adequate infrastructure in place at our four locations: Alpine Clinic, Campo Clinic, Kumeyaay Wellness Center, and Boys & Girls Club of Kumeyaay Nation Wellness. SIHC provides medical services, complete dental services, family planning, prenatal care, pediatric care, preventative care, minor surgeries, chronic disease management with co-morbid diagnoses, coordination of care with specialists, and community referrals. SIHC consists of seven Federally recognized Tribes of the Barona Band of Mission Indians, Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians, Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians, Jamul Indian Village of California, La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the La Posta Indian Reservation, Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians, and the Viejas Band of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Viejas Reservation.