The Chickasaw Nation's Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country Project - The CN’s proposed project pursues Component 1 of the funding opportunity. This project aims to strengthen community engagement and build chronic disease resiliency through shared cultural experiences and increased connections between clinical and social program resources. Year one of the proposed project will take place in Ada, Oklahoma and will focus on Chickasaw Nation Medical Center (CNMC) patients transitioning from pediatric to primary care, as well as First Americans transitioning from adolescence to young adulthood within the CN’s treaty territory. The project will coordinate CN Department of Health (CNDH) resources to provide culturally appropriate programming to support resiliency to chronic diseases and build connections between the CN community, family and culture. By linking First Americans to modern clinical and social support services, morbidity and mortality due to chronic disease and their risk factors (such as obesity, tobacco use, etc.) have the potential to be reduced. In pursuit of this goal, the CN proposes the establishment of a student-led advisory committee (AC) in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. During year one of the project, partnerships will be established with local high schools to recruit students to select and participate in traditional activities for community events that promote social and cultural connectedness. All offered activities will promote the use of Chickasaw culture to increase healthy habits in efforts to reduce the rate of chronic diseases within the CN’s treaty territory. In addition, to advance referral systems, CN project staff will collaborate with multi-disciplinary care teams within the treaty territory to develop a social support program resource directory that lists clinical and social support partnerships that can be shared to prevent, manage and control chronic diseases. Partnerships with non-CN clinical and social resources will be established during the project period. This directory will categorize available resources by health and social determinants of health (SDOH) concerns. Project staff will screen patients, students and community members with both a Prediabetes Risk Test and SDOH survey, which will allow referrals to appropriate medical and social support resources to address identified chronic diseases and risk factors. Test results from the Prediabetes Risk Test may lead to referrals to the type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DMII) prevention program, LifeRx, at the CNMC for treatment. The CN will utilize numerous internal resources and departments as a multi-disciplinary approach, ensuring project activities are implemented using an array of qualified professionals. Planned project outcomes include, but are not limited to, the following: increased referrals to CNDH clinical, social and community services; increased cultural and social connectedness through participation in cultural activities to prevent, manage and control chronic diseases; increased referrals to LifeRx to treat DMII. Through this project, the CN strives to increase cultural connectedness, wellness and resiliency while decreasing obesity, high blood pressure, oral disease and diabetes throughout the CN’s treaty territory.
