Latest KFF Health News Stories
‘Heart’ of Little Shell: Newest Federally Recognized Tribe to Open First Clinic
The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana plans to open the nation’s newest Indian Health Service clinic in Great Falls on Jan. 31 — marking the first time the tribe will have its culture reflected in health care offerings.
‘American Diagnosis’ Episode 1: On the Navajo Nation, Root Causes Complicated the Covid Fight
Explore what made the Navajo people ― also known as the Diné ― so vulnerable to the first surges of the covid-19 pandemic. The first episode of “Rezilience,” Season 4 of the “American Diagnosis” podcast, begins in the forests outside the Grand Canyon.
Montana Tribes Want to Stop Jailing People for Suicide Attempts but Lack a Safer Alternative
The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux tribes are working with academics and policy experts on possible solutions. Their challenge is how to attract the needed mental health personnel to the remote reservation.
Montana Tribe Welcomes Back Tourists After Risky Shutdown Pays Off
When the Blackfeet tribe shut down the roads leading to the eastern side of Glacier National Park, businesses worried for their future. But it worked, and with one of the nation’s highest covid vaccination rates, the reservation has reopened to visitors.
Montana Sticks to Its Patchwork Covid Vaccine Rollout as Eligibility Expands
Montana’s overstretched counties and tribal governments have developed a mishmash of policies and plans that require ingenuity and mutual support to work. A reporting project by KHN, Montana Free Press and the University of Montana School of Journalism finds the biggest test of that disparate system looms as vaccine eligibility expands. Plus: a county-by-county guide to vaccine availability in Montana.
Spurred by Pandemic, Little Shell Tribe Fast-Tracks Its Health Service Debut
As the newest federally recognized tribe, the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana is starting from scratch to deliver health care to members. While covid-19 has been devastating, it has sped up the tribe’s ability to build a clinic. Yet, lacking a reservation, the tribe faces challenges reaching its scattered members.
Native Americans Use Technology to Keep Traditions, Language Alive During Pandemic
Tribes across the U.S. have turned to social media and the internet as leaders worry about covid-19’s threat to their culture and elders.
Health Officials Fear Pandemic-Related Suicide Spike Among Native Youth
Recent deaths on a small Native American reservation in Montana have underlined the heightened risks for Indigenous youths and how suicide prevention programs are struggling to operate during the pandemic.
Native Americans Feel Double Pain of COVID and Fires ‘Gobbling Up the Ground’
Tribal leaders have worked to keep the coronavirus off their reservations because of its deadly impact on Native populations. But careful avoidance of the COVID virus has handcuffed the tribes as they face a devastating fire season.
Two Navajo Sisters Who Were Inseparable Died of COVID Just Weeks Apart
Cheryl and Corrina Thinn’s deaths devastated their families and their community.
Montana’s Tribal Nations Preserve COVID Restrictions To Preserve Their Cultures
Some of Montana’s Native American nations are holding firm on coronavirus protections even as the rest of Montana reopens. They’ve got more at stake, they say, in protecting their elders who preserve their endangered culture.
Returning To Roots, Indian Health Service Seeks Traditional Healers
The Indian Health Service hospital at Montana’s Fort Belknap reservation has put out a call for applicants for two traditional practitioner positions, part of a new recognition of Native American ethnobotany expertise that was pushed underground for decades. The openings are already making waves in the state.
How The Eastern Cherokee Took Control Of Their Health Care
An innovative hospital run by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina showcases an alternative model of health care that could have lessons for other tribal communities and beyond.
Medicaid Minus Stigma: In Indian Country, It’s Part Of The Fabric Of Life
McKinley County, N.M., has the nation’s highest rate of Medicaid enrollment, and people there say it is vital to battle daunting economic and public health challenges.
Recovery On The Reservation: Montana Sisters Help Peers Stop Using Drugs
A grass-roots effort to corral Montana’s meth crisis hinges on the idea that people who are successful in conquering addiction are uniquely qualified to coach others.
Health Care’s Hard Realities On The Reservation: A Photo Essay
For American Indians on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in South Dakota, getting health care can be a weeks-long proposition, and it has some moving away from their homes and families seeking better access.
Getting The Word Out: Obamacare Is For Native Americans Too
Many Native Americans rely entirely on free care from the financially strapped Indian Health Service. Advocates say signing up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act can broaden their choices.
