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Lumbee Tribe Assumes Indian Health Care ClinicThe Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina will assume the operations of the Indian Health Care Clinic previously of 304 N. Cedar Street of Lumberton. The new clinic will re-open as part of the Lumbee Tribe’s Department of Health and Human Services. The clinic will continue to operate as a non-profit and will move to the Native Exchange complex located in ComTech off NC Highway 711 in Pembroke. Indian Health Care (IHC) first opened in March 2004. According to Fred Rogers, founder and Executive Director, IHC’s mission has been to provide primary health care to the American Indian population of Robeson and surround counties at little or no cost to the patient. Patients are screened and served provided their income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines for their household. This means for a family of four they may that a total income of up to $44,100 or a family of two may make up to $29,136. The State of NC Minority Health Department has determined from statewide studies that 29.2% of North Carolina’s American Indian population cannot afford to pay for an office visit to see a physician. “With almost 30% of our population not being able to afford an office visit,” says Tribal Administrator Dr. Lowry-Townsend, “this means approximately 11,000 tribal members do not have adequate access to a doctor.” Recognizing the seriousness of the problem, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina formed a strategic partnership in 2009 with the Indian Health Clinic to enable the clinic to serve more American Indians. Working with stimulus funds awarded under the Tribe’s Community Services Block Grant, the Tribe awarded $30,000 in stimulus funds to IHC. These funds have enabled Indian people to receive needed primary health care and prevent job loss. “We are extremely excited about being able to offer health care services to tribal members,” said Tribal Chairman Purnell Swett. “The Tribe will assume the daily operations of the clinic, to keep the clinic from closing its doors, with the hope of being able to create more jobs. This is what partnerships and the stimulus funds were all about.” The Indian Health Care Clinic will continue to operate as a private, nonprofit, community-based organization that will provide medical care at little or no charge to low-income, uninsured and underinsured persons through the use of volunteer healthcare professionals and partnerships with other heath providers. The Lumbee Volunteer Program will head a campaign to recruit doctors, nurses, physician assistants and other Lumbee Indian medical professionals to assist with the operations of the clinic. “My vision for the clinic,” stating Chairman Swett, “is to use this as a stepping stone and learning tool on how to offer healthcare services so that once we receive full federal recognition we will be in a position to move forward and address the multiple needs of our tribal members.” The Tribe will take a holistic approach to medicine practices by also relocating the tribal tobacco cessation program and the homicide and motor vehicle death prevention programs and incorporating them into the new clinic. The Lumbee Tribe’s Department of Health and Human Services hopes to open the Indian Health Care Clinic in August and will accept patients on an appointment basis only. |
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