summer 2008 - Association of American Indian Physicians

THE AAIP
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN INDIAN PHYSICIANS NEWSLETTER
SUMMER 2008
Annual Meeting Registration
form available on page 5
AAIP Honors Physician of the Year
feature on page 8
DRUM Project in OKC Schools
updates on page 14
Summer 2008
Contents
AAIP Annual Conference Registration
page 4
Wade Fernandez to Perform at Reception
page 6
NNAYI Conference - June 21-29
page 7
AAIP Names Physician of the Year
page 8
Recap: Cross Cultural Medicine Workshop page 10
In the Spotlight: Indian Country Initiatives
page 13
DRUM Project in OKC Schools
page 14
Registration Reminder
page 16
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2008 AAIP
Annual Conference
registration form
Register Today
The Association of American Indian Physicians will host the 37th Annual Meeting and Health Conference
July 23-29 in Worley, Idaho. Members, students, physicians and other health care professionals are urged to
register now for the conference. Register using the form on the opposite page (page 5).
For more information, visit www.aaip.org or call (405) 946-7072.
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“We will dedicate the focus the annual conference to understanding the root causes of
the issues that our Native youth face. A panel
of Native youth will be incorporated into the
program to share their perspectives and experience. There will also be speakers from many
health and social disciplines, bringing their
respective wisdom and experiences.”
“It will be an exciting time for our Native people in the area. The conference coincides with
our July’amsh Powwow which is the largest
outdoor powwow in the Pacific Northwest. I
believe our youth and Native people will be inspired to see the number of American Indians
who are physicians attending the conference.
They are truly role models for our people.”
— Gerald Ignace, M.D.
AAIP President
— Chairman Chief Allan
Coeur D’Alene
Coeur D’Alene Casino Reso rt Hotel
Worley, Idaho
July 24 – 29, 2008
2008 AAIP Annual Conference
Registration Form
NAME BADGE INFORMATION: Fill out the information below, EXACTLY how you wish it to
appear on your name badge including professional designation -- i.e. M.D., D.O., D.D.S., R.N.,
etc.
Name
Degree(s)
REGISTRANT INFORMATION:
(Check All That Apply)
! Presenter/Speaker
! AAIP Member
! First-time Attendee
! Interested in CME Credits
! Student
! Vegetarian Meals
REGISTRATION FEES:
Title or Residency Year
(Check one)
Registration must be post-marked or
otherwise dated on or before June 26,
2008, to receive the early bird rate.
Organization/Institution
MAILING INFORMATION: A registration receipt will be mailed to you, if we receive your
registration by July 18, 2008. Registrations received after July 18 cannot be processed and
you will be asked to pay the registration fee on-site at the conference.
Regular rates apply to all registrations postmarked or otherwise dated on or after June
26, 2008.
Physicians
! Early Bird Conference Registration $400
! Regular Conference Registration $450
Mailing Address
City
Z ip
State
Fax
E-Mail
Phone
General
! Early Bird Conference Registration $300
! Regular Conference Registration $350
One-day
$150
! ________________________________
IMPORTANT DEADLINES: Early registration deadline: June 26, 2008
Cancellation deadline: July 10, 2008
(Date of attendance)
CANCELLATION POLICY: Registration cancellations must received in writing by July 10, 2008 for a refund. A $100 handling fee will be
assessed. No refunds will be available for cancellations received after July 10, 2008. Cancellations must be faxed or e-mailed to the AAIP
Accounting Department. Cancellation notifications should be faxed to (405) 946-7651 or e-mailed to AAIP_AccountingTech@aaip.org.
METHOD OF PAYMENT:
Registrations can only be processed when accompanied by payment.
Please make checks payable to AAIP. Checks can be mailed to
address below.
Amount $:
! Check #:
SPECIAL EVENTS AT THE CONFERENCE: To ensure adequate
quantities of food orders, we ask that you indicate your attendance
at the following conference events. Please check all that apply.
Friday, July 25, 2008
! Women’s Retreat
Free
! *Golf Scramble
$TBD
* The registration fee includes all special events except the golf scramble.
The golf
! Charge my: ! Visa ! Mastercard ! American Express
scramble fee is $TBD and can be paid on the day of the event.
Name as it appears on card
Sunday, July 27th, 2008
! **Dinner Boat Cruise
Free
**Need extra tickers? Please call the office for information about purchasing
additional guest tickets.
Card #:
Cardholder Signature
Expiration Date
Monday July 28, 2008
! 5K Fun Run/ 1 Mile Walk
Free
Date
Fax oR mail this form and payment to:
AAIP, 1225 Sovereign Row, Ste. 103, Oklahoma City, OK 73108
PHONE: 405-946-7072 " FAX: 405-946-7651
5
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award-winning native
will perform at conference
Wade Fernandez to be featured at Presidential Reception
As an award-winning musician,
songwriter, and storyteller, Wade
Fernandez knows how to captivate an audience. He will do
so this summer as the featured
entertainer at the Presidential
Reception during the Association
of American Indian Physicians Annual Meeting in Worley, Idaho.
“Music is a very powerful gift to
be returned and shared in a good
way,” said Fernandez.
Born in the Menominee Indian
Reservation in Wisconsin, Fernandez has been playing music
since he was a young boy. He is
known for his talent of blending
traditional rhythms with versatility
using vocals, guitar, Native flute
and drumming. His music takes
on a number of genres, from pop
and rock to jazz and blues.
Fernandez has earned several
awards and honors. Besides the
Medal of Honor from the Menominee Nation, he was named Nanny
Winner - Best Male Artist of the
Year in 2006. His CD recording,
“4 the People” won the 2007 Best
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Contemporary Instrumental and
Best Country from the North
American ISMA awards. It was also
listed in the Top 5 for best classic
rock, pop, flute, and blues recording of the year. The recording even
made it into the GRAMMY voting
process for Best Rock Instrumental
Performance, Record of the Year,
and Best Contemporary Folk/
American Album.
“We are looking forward to having
Mr. Fernandez to help us celebrate
the festivities,” said Margaret
Knight, AAIP Executive Director.
“He is very talented and we’re
honored to have him perform his
award-winning music.”
Fernandez will be the featured
performer at the Presidential Reception scheduled for the evening
of July 25 at the Coeur d’Alene
Tribal Wellness Center.
Besides performing, Fernandez
has a degree in music education.
He teaches and conducts workshops to inspire music in the lives
of young people.
annual meeting
SPECIAL EVENTS
AAIP is planning several
activities during the
annual meeting.
Look for these special
events during the
conference:
• Women’s Retreat
• Golf Scramble
• July’amsh Powwow
Grand Entry
• Family Night Boat Cruise
• Fun Run
NATIVE
STUDENTS
EXPLORE HEALTH CAREERS THIS SUMMER
Patty Iron Cloud National Native American Youth Initiative
Native students from 18 states across the country
unite in Washington, D.C. this summer. They were
selected to attend the annual Patty Iron Cloud National Native American Youth Initiative, a week-long
program that exposes students to health careers and
Native health professionals.
“This is a vital program that AAIP helps organize for
the students,” said Lucinda Myers, NNAYI Program Director. “The students get to visit health organizations
and learn about health care opportunities. Most importantly, they get to hear from Native health professionals who serve as mentors and role models.”
Of the 165 applicants, 65 have been selected to attend the conference June 21 – 29. Thirteen counselors will also participate in the program. The counselors represent a variety of fields, including health
professionals, college students, social workers, and
educators.
AAIP member physicians are participating in the program to help inspire and share their knowledge. The
AAIP Executive Board will take part in a panel discussion, talking about their experiences as
medical school student to practicing physician.
Students will learn about health careers, including
dentistry, family medicine, pediatrics, and biomedical research.
The program will include visits to national health
institutes: Office of Minority Health, Indian Health
Service, National Institutes of Health, Food and
Drug Administration, and the National Indian Health
Board.
“Besides seeing and hearing about these careers, the
program is designed to help prepare the students
– what to expect in medical school, tips on business
etiquette, and leadership skills. We hope that all of
this helps guide them as they pursue their career
goals,” explained Myers.
“This is a vital program
that AAIP helps organize
for the students,”
— Lucinda Meyers, NNAYI Program Director
7
Indian
AAIP Honors 2008
physician of the year
Dr. Ted Mala Recognized Internationally for His Work
Dr. Ted Mala views life as a journey. As a physician and public
servant, he has traveled the globe
from Mexico to Siberia. He soaks
in the people, places, and experiences.
“I love meeting people, “explained
Dr. Mala. “I enjoy learning about
people and making life-long
friendships.”
And – people love him.
Dr. Mala has earned scores of
honors and awards for his work in
public health and administration.
The latest recognition will come
this summer at the Association
of American Indian Physicians’
Annual Meeting and Health Conference. AAIP will name him the
organization’s 2008 Physician of
the Year.
“As a public health physician,
Ted Mala has no single group of
‘patients’ that is easily defined to
say that he’s impacted. The whole
state of Alaska, the international
community, and AAIP are his
‘wards’,” said Dr. Theresa Maresca
who nominated him for the honor.
“He has done an exceptional job
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of caring for us for decades, particularly our spirits.”
Dr. Mala learned at an early age to
make friends on his own. He was
just six when his father, Ray Mala
– the first Native American movie
star – died of heart disease. His
mother passed away the following
year.
Despite the heartache and hardship of his youth, Dr. Mala became
a trailblazer. He is the first Alaska
Native male physician.
“I didn’t have Native role models
in my life,” recalled Dr. Mala. “The
right people came into my life at
the right time. While I was in college, I worked at a hospital as an
orderly. I knew then that I wanted
to help people – help them get
well.”
Dr. Mala studied medicine at
Autonomous University in Guadalajara, Mexico. He later earned
his Master of Public Health degree
from Harvard.
In 1990, Governor Walter J. Hickel
appointed Dr. Mala - and the
Alaska State Senate unanimously
confirmed him - to serve as Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. He managed a department
of more than two thousand staff
members and a budget of more
than $1 billion.
Prior to serving that cabinet
post, Dr. Mala established several
research programs, including the
Institute for Circumpolar Health
Studies, the Alaska-Siberia Medical Research Program, and the
Magadan (Soviet Far East) Medical
Research Program.
Today, Dr. Mala is the Director for
Tribal Relations and Traditional
Healing Clinic at SouthCentral
Foundation in Anchorage, AK. His
work focuses on traditional healing and mentoring future health
professionals. His dedication to
helping others earns him the honor of AAIP Physician of the Year.
“I’m surprised, humbled and
honored. This is one of the greatest recognitions because it comes
from my peers,” said Dr. Mala.
“…This is one of the greatest recognitions because
it comes from my peers.”
— Ted Mala, M.D., 2008 AAIP Physician of the Year
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CROSS CULTURAL
MEDICINE
WORKSHOP
HELD IN SANTA FE
Creates Bridge between Western and Traditional Medicine
Mexico – the Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque. After a full day of presentations, conference
participants attended the event that drew more than
15,000 people representing more than 500 tribes.
The following were the featured speakers who provided excellent information and presentations:
Thomas Larson Medicinehorse, Sr. (Crow/Sioux/
Mexican), an elder of the Big Lodge Clan of the Apsaalooke Nation, gave an insightful presentation on
“Communication and Understanding.”
AAIP Executive Director Margaret Knight is
shown here with Thomas Larson Medicinehorse, Sr. As a speaker, he provided insight
on the roles and relationships between
traditonal healers and medical doctors.
The Association of American Indian Physicians
hosted the 16th Annual Cross Cultural Medicine
Workshop April 24-27 at the Hotel Santa Fe in Santa
Fe, NM. The conference provided physicians, medical
students, faculty, minority program staff, counselors,
and other health professionals with a greater understanding of Western and Traditional medicine. The
program also encouraged understanding and collaboration between Western-trained physicians and
Native traditional healers.
Nearly 100 participants attended the workshop,
including AAIP Board Members, member physicians,
students, traditional practitioners, and other tribal
health officials.
The workshop coincided with a major event in New
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Donald Warne, MD, MPH (Oglala Lakota) is President
and CEO of American Indian Health Management &
Policy and an adjunct clinical professor at Arizona
State University. His presentation was on “Cultural
Competency in Indian Healthcare.”
Kibbie Conti, MS, RD, CDE (Oglala Sioux) operates
Northern Plains Nutrition Consulting. Known for promoting an eating style that keeps with historic food
patterns, Conti spoke on “A Return to Balance: Eating
in Keeping With Our Heritage.”
Annie Kahn is a traditional practitioner of
Navajo medicine. She specializes in herbal
remedies and spoke on “Making Medicine.”
Participants at the Cross Cultural Medicine Workshop were exposed to herbal medicine. The
workshop helped bridge a better understanding between Traditional and Western medicine.
Vincent Knight (Ponca), Executive Director of the
National Tribal Justice Resource Center and General
Counsel for the Association of American Indian Physicians, among many other positions, presented on
“Traditional Medicine and Peacemaking.”
Jeff Iron Cloud (Oglala Sioux) has worked extensively
with children who have gone through harsh living
environments. He states that working with youth is
his passion. He spoke on “Healing Aspects of Sage and
Spirituality.”
Ella-Faye Horse (Kiowa), an Elder-advisor and healer
who has practiced traditional medicine for more
than 60 years, presented on “Aw-Thom Healing.”
Johnson Dennison (Navajo), a Navajo Medicine Man
practitioner specializing in the Navajo Wind Way and
a Navajo story teller, presented on “Navajo Cultural
Beliefs & Practices in Health & Illness.”
Annie Kahn (Navajo), a traditional practitioner of Navajo medicine, specializing in herbal remedies, spoke
on “Making Medicine.”
Herbert Sam (Anishinaabwe, Ojibwe), a traditional
healer serving Native Americans form several tribes,
presented on “Understanding Traditional Healing.”
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Dr. Donald Warne is President and CEO of American Indian Health Mangement and Policy. He is also an
adjunct professor at Arizona State University. He provided great information regarding health disparities in
Native communities and how participants can restore confidence and balance to their communities.
Albert Laughter (Dine), who is employed with
Prescott Veteran Health Care System as a Native
American Counselor and Dine Traditional Practitioner, spoke on “Din’e Traditional Ceremonies & Herbs
as Medicines.”
Terry Maresca, MD (Mohawk), a clinical Associate
Professor at the University of Washington School
of Medicine and a faculty member at Seattle Indian
Health Board’s family medicine residency program,
presented “Hands on Herbal Medicine Workshop:
Syrup Making.” and enjoyable.
Richard Two Dogs (Oglala Lakota), a Traditional Healer for 33 years, presented on: “Lakol Wicohan Etan Pi
Kte (Wellness Using the Traditional Ways).”
Carol Locust, Ed.D. (Eastern Band Cherokee) has
worked through the Indian Health Service to provide
traditional healing services for tribal members in
the cardiac unit of the University of Arizona College
of Medicine. She spoke to workshop attendees on
“Traditional and Modern Medicine.”
Janice Osife Nachie (Pima) is with the Sacaton Hospital and enjoys integrating western medicine with
traditional practices. She presented on “Traditional
Approaches to Working with Native American Patients.”
Pictured here are staff members who helped
organize the four-day workshop.
Cross Cultural
Medicine Workshop
GOALS and OBJECTIVES
• Identify strategies to improve communication between American Indian and Alaska
Native patients and health professionals.
• Describe current health issues affecting
Indian communities in both reservation
and urban settings.
• Compare and contrast western and Traditional Medicine views of health.
• Improve understanding of the role of
Traditional Healers.
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In the
Indian Country Methamphetamine Healthier Indian Country Initiative
Initiative (ICMI) – Year II
(HICI)
Beginning in 2006, the Indian Country Methamphetamine Initiative (ICMI) brought together a number
of federal, tribal and community partners to address
the multiple components that increase public health
issues such as suicide, a higher risk for infection of
HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C, associated with methamphetamine abuse in Native American communities.
The overall project goal was and continues to be to
address the awareness, education and needs of Native American communities regarding methamphetamine abuse.
The strategy employed was to create a multi-agency
task force consisting of federal, tribal, community,
organizational resources and coordinate funding
and program design and accountability through this
task force. AAIP as the lead organization through its
cooperative agreement with the Office of Minority
Health partners with NCAI, USET, NWPAIHB, One Sky
Center, and 5 tribes (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma,
Navajo Nation, Winnebago Tribe, Crow Tribe and
North Arapahoe regarding the ICMI. We are now
entering our 2nd year for the ICMI and added some
new tribal partners – Yakama Nation, San Carolos
Apache, Rocky Boy Chippewa Cree and Salt River
Pima. The ICMI is a community response to a very serious methamphetamine problem in Indian Country.
At a recent meeting in Reno, Nevada, the federal partners discussed the future of the ICMI project and the
direction of the initiative in years II and III. The initiative has also received increased funding for all tribal
partners at $100,000 each for the project year II.
In 2007, Secretary Leavitt began a bus tour across
the country that promoted “A Healthier US Starts
Here” initiative which was aimed at promoting prevention and healthier living. Throughout this tour
the bus stopped at over twenty sites in Indian Country. During these stops it was noted by HHS that
tribes are providing unique, innovative and successful programs that are contributing to their members
living in a healthier community. The tour gave HHS
the opportunity to see first hand the issues that
tribes are facing and what they are doing to combat
those issues. As a result the Healthier Indian Country
Initiative was developed.
Following the Public Health Summit, the group met
to review goals and objectives. They also participated in a self-evaluation training conducted by
Michelle Chino-Kelly, Ph.D., Associate Professor at
the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
The AAIP/OMH national umbrella cooperative agreement is the prime mechanism that the federal partners use to fund this project. AAIP takes the lead on
this initiative and works in partnership with all of
the national Native organizations and tribes. AAIP’s
primary role in the project is financial and reporting. AAIP is responsible for both the products and
accountability of the funds provided for the project.
AAIP acts as a financial sponsor and disburses the
federal funds to organizational and tribal partners.
The organization understands the tremendous
responsibility in its role – and is dedicated to serving
the Native community.
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OKLAHOMA INDIAN EDUCATION PROGRAM
ADOPTS NEW PROJECT
DRUMS Project motivates students and teaches responsibility
The Family Wellness and Youth in Distress Program
is partnering with the Oklahoma City Public Schools
Indian Education program to implement the DRUMS
project. DRUMS stands for Developing Responsible,
United, and Motivated Students.
fully funded and may have died as a concept. We
were able to become a part of it and add to it. Now,
I believe the DRUMS Project will become a hallmark
program. I can see how this could lead to other
schools and tribes emulating this project.”
The concept behind the DRUMS Project is to have
Native American male students under the guidance of a traditional drum maker. By learning how
to make their own drums, the students are instilled
in them the lessons of being a drum keeper and the
responsibilities of that duty.
The program is designed with two main components.
“It is our hope that through the DRUMS Project we
can develop life lessons into our young Indian males
at a young age. The lessons will carry on into their
teenage years and retain them in school,” explained
Star Oosahwe, Administrator for Native American
Student Services with the Oklahoma City Public
Schools Indian Education Program.
The idea is the collaboration of elders, educators,
and families in the Oklahoma City area to give Native
American male students an alternative to gangs and
other negative influences. Graham Primeaux with
the Native American Student Services with the Oklahoma City Public Schools Indian Education Program
was instrumental in getting the program launched.
Primeaux is also a member of the Blackbird Southern
Drum Group.
The Administration for Native Americans along with
the Association of American Indian Physicians and
the Family Wellness and Youth in Distress Program
helps provide support for the DRUMS Project.
“This is a great project and truly demonstrates the
objectives of the Administration for Native Americans (funding agency),” says Robert Whitebird, the
Director of Family Wellness and Youth in Distress
Program. “Here is a wonderful project that was not
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First, students will be taken out of their environment
to a retreat or camp in order to focus on the task of
building their drum. During the two to three day
process, these will be the expectations for each of
the students:
• Increase self esteem and
cultural pride
• Motivate participants to become
leaders and develop a sense of
responsibility to their community
and family
• Unite to become their own sense of
family or group
• Set the goal of becoming high
school graduates with Native
values and leadership aspirations
The second component of the
program will involve family members. They will attend a three
to four hour program aimed at
developing parenting skills such
as communication, responsibility,
and support.
“This family component is so important. If we can relay to the family the importance of supporting
the child in being a drum keeper,
then it is our hope that they will
support them in all areas of their
life,” said Whitebird.
The DRUMS Project will be officially announced at the Association of American Indian Physicians’ Family Wellness and Youth
The Oklahoma City Public Schools in Distress quarterly meeting on
Indian Education program and the June 25, 2008 at the Embassy
AAIP Family Wellness Department Suites in Oklahoma City, OK. For
hope to develop similar initiatives more information or to register for
for female Native students. Several the meeting, contact Anna Cahill
ideas are now being reviewed for
at acahill@aaip.org or call (405)
future programs.
946-7072.
“…I believe the DRUMS Project will be a hallmark program
— Robert Whitebird, Director of Family Wellness and Youth in Distress Family Program
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REGISTER NOW!
AAIP 37th Annual Meeting
& National Health Conference
Association of American Indian Physicians
1225 Sovereign Row, Suite 103
Oklahoma City, OK 73108
www.aaip.org
Registration Form INSIDE (see page 5)
Non-Profit Org.
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Oklahoma City, OK
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