The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB, Grand Traverse Band) became restored as a federally recognized Indian Tribe on May 27, 1980 and achieved self-governance status on October 1, 1992. GTB is organized under a Tribal Constitution approved by the Secretary of the Interior on March 29, 1988. GTB?s reservation and six-county service area is an area of 2,562 square miles. The GTB land base (including federal and fee simple acreage) is 2,980 acres throughout the six-county service area, and the GTB service area is identified rural. The Grand Traverse Band?s six-county service area is located in rural northwest Lower Michigan, which includes Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, and Manistee Counties. The administrative offices and GTB Health Clinic are located in the village of Peshawbestown in Leelanau County, with satellite offices located in Benzie, Charlevoix, and Grand Traverse Counties. The Grand Traverse Band has 4,191 enrolled members, with 1,929 residing in the GTB six-county Service Area. Most GTB services are provided to any Native American residing in the six-county service area, a total of 5,108 people (U.S. Census, 2010 Population).The purpose of this funding request is to provide support to the GTB Health Clinic and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The GTB Work Plan will specifically focus on strengthening its capabilities in the areas of lab capacity and countermeasures. Increasing lab capacity will enable GTB to rapidly diagnose COVID-19 infections closer to home, isolate patients, and take actions to further limit the spread of COVID-19. Contracting with additional medical staffing will allow for the continuity of critical services during a surge in COVID-19 cases to GTB Tribal Membership via a face-to-face visits or telehealth format.The GTB expects to achieve the following outcomes by the end of the project period:? Increase in telehealth visits and face to face visits.? Incre
ase in patient care activity (lab testing, patient visits) at outreach locations in Benzie, Charlevoix, and Traverse City. ? Increased COVID-19 testing through the purchase and implementation of the test analyzers in all locations. ? Increase in the number of elders living in 6-county service area with 1-year life alert service activated. ? Increased disinfection of patient care areas and extension of critical PPE where appropriate.? Ability for the main clinic to maintain power in the event of power loss to support patient care and serve as an aid station. ? Increased ability to protect susceptible patients and staff from airborne pathogens in the main clinic. ? Decrease in risk of transmission of airborne pathogens at the main clinic.