Sen. Baucus supports recommendations to Indian Country healthcare, including mental health and dialysis services
(Washington, D.C.) – Montana’s senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus released two new reports today detailing recommendations for improving access to much-needed mental health services and kidney dialysis treatments on America’s Indian reservations. Baucus’ office is working with Indian Health Service (IHS) to support the agency’s efforts to implement the recommendations and improve access to care.
“Uncle Sam made a promise to provide health care for Native Americans, and we need to make sure the folks in charge of keeping that promise have the tools they need to do the best job possible. It’s encouraging to see all the progress we’ve made since I first requested these reports. Still, it’s clear we’ve got more work to do, and my staff and I will continue working with Indian Health Service and folks on the ground in Montana to support their efforts to implement these recommendations,” Baucus said. “We can’t ignore the fact that economic challenges are among the biggest road blocks to folks in need of care, so our efforts to improve health care and our efforts to create jobs and support education in Indian Country must go hand-in-hand.”
Baucus first requested the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General produce the reports back in 2008. Since then, Congress passed the Affordable care Act, which includes several provisions to improve tribal access to care by expanding the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Read the full summary of those provisions . Baucus’ office is also holding a listening session in Havre, Montana, later this month to address violence against women and children in reservation communities, which is often closely linked to mental health care needs.
Read the kidney dialysis services.” Inspector General’s letter to Baucus accompanying the reports.
Mental Health Report
Summary:
• Eighty-two percent of IHS and tribal facilities reported that they provide some type of mental health service; however, the range of available services is limited at some facilities.
• Staffing issues and shortages of highly skilled providers limit access to mental health services at IHS and tribal facilities.
• Physical, personal/social, and economic challenges may affect access to mental health services at IHS and tribal facilities.
Recommendations:
1. IHS provide guidance and technical assistance to help tribes explore potential partnerships with non-American Indian and Alaskan Native providers of community mental and behavioral health services.
2. IHS continue to expand its telemedicine capabilities and provide guidance and technical assistance to tribal health care providers to expand and implement telemedicine.
3. IHS develop a plan to create a single database of all IHS and tribal health care facilities.
Dialysis Report
Summary findings:
• Only 20 of 506 IHS and tribal facilities reported that dialysis services are provided at their facilities; most reported that other facilities provide these services.
• The remoteness of IHS and tribal dialysis facilities can affect the availability of services and create hardships for American Indians and Alaskan Natives.
• Most IHS and tribal facilities do not provide kidney dialysis services because of a lack of resources and small patient populations.
• Many IHS and tribal facilities assist tribal members in accessing dialysis services by providing transportation and expanding access to specialists.
Recommendations:
1. IHS develop a plan and provide expertise to assist tribes in expanding dialysis services.
2. IHS develop guidance and technical assistance resources to help IHS and tribal facilities offer alternative treatments for dialysis services.
3. IHS develop a plan to create a single database of all IHS and tribal health care facilities.
In both cases, the reports indicate that IHS agreed with all recommendations.
Contact: Kate Downen 406-224-5056/Jenny Donohue 202-224-2651/Kathy Weber 406-329-3123