[news]
A different approach Tribal health official chooses grassroots effort over fed office by Ted McDermott
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ENDORSEMENTS Barbara Berens Dick Barrett Ann Mary Dussault Ron Erickson Nancy Erickson Barbara Evans Sue Malek
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[8] Missoula Independent • May 22–May 29, 2014
Anna Whiting-Sorrell felt elated when the depth and intractability of the agency’s if I really wanted to accomplish what I beshe was named director of the Billings problems. In a statement issued in re- lieved was needed for Indian people—and Area Regional Office of the Indian Health sponse to Whiting-Sorrell’s resignation, that was a consolidated, coordinated health Service in January. She had fought for 10 Tester said her “leadership on Indian care system—that it really needed to be months to get the job, and she was opti- health issues is unmatched in Montana” done at the grassroots level,” she says. As the new director of operations, mistic about the change she could make and credited her with leading “the charge in the lives of American Indians through- to improve health care in Indian country.” planning and policy, Whiting-Sorrell beout Montana and Wyoming from the helm Tester, who is chair of the Senate commit- lieves she’ll be able to use her hands-on exof a powerful federal agency’s regional of- tee on Indian Affairs, will host a hearing in perience at the tribal, state and federal levels to finally make a difference. fice. In some ways, it was the “You can’t study it, you can’t culmination of a career that drop in,” she says. “I know those started on the Flathead Reservasystems now. ... And I believe tion working with its substancethat what I will be able to do abuse program and led to a here is bring that experience position with Sen. John Kerry’s and actually put it in place for presidential campaign and to the people here.” her becoming director of MonWhile she is familiar with tana’s Department of Public many of the resources available Health and Human Services to CSKT, Whiting-Sorrell thinks under Gov. Brian Schweitzer. a new component of the federal Sixteen months after starting health care system—the Affordat IHS, however, she resigned. able Care Act—will be crucial to “I had this vision of being closing the huge health gap that able to make change through exists between American Indians building these partnerships on a and whites. That gap is illusnational level, and really be able trated by the striking disparity in to impact the care that Indian longevity between these populapeople got on the ground…,” tions in Montana. According to she says. “What I found is that the 2013 State of the State’s there was a lot of bureaucracy Health report, white men in that just got in the way of getting Montana live 19 years longer care out. The focus oftentimes than American Indian men and was on other things.” photo courtesy of Bernie Azure white women live 20 years Whiting-Sorrell wasn’t the longer than American Indian only one dismayed with IHS After 16 disenchanting months with the Indian Health when she tendered her resigna- Service in Billings, Anna Whiting-Sorrell returned to women. The Affordable Care Act intion last month. Around the the Flathead Indian Reservation to try to directly imcludes a number of Indian-specific same time, the Crow Tribal Leg- prove health care for American Indians. provisions that Whiting-Sorrell islature passed a resolution calling for Montana’s congressional Billings on May 27 to inquire about IHS’s will seek to maximize in order to improve the length and quality of life for CSKT memdelegation to “take all necessary and delivery and management of care. While the federal government looks bers. For example, enrolled members of proper measures to investigate the Billings Area Office” after tribal officials re- to address issues at IHS, Whiting-Sorrell federally recognized tribes who purchase ceived hundreds of complaints from is looking to make a difference with In- insurance through government marketmembers about the quality of care pro- dian health care by heading back to her places and who are up to three times the vided through IHS. Then, on May 2, just roots. The Confederated Salish and poverty level are exempt from paying codays after IHS accepted Whiting-Sorrell’s Kootenai Tribes recently created a new pays and deductibles. “If we can figure this out right,” Whitresignation, U.S. Sens. Jon Tester and position within the Tribal Health and John Walsh issued a joint letter to the Gov- Human Services Department that would ing-Sorrell says, “we can make sure that ernment Accountability Office requesting improve members’ access to health ben- people up to 300 percent of poverty have an “investigation of the Indian Health efits available through IHS as well as insurance.” Though she has returned to the FlatService, with a particular emphasis on the Medicare, Medicaid, the Department of Billings Area Regional Office.” In making Veterans Affairs, the Affordable Care Act head and refocused on CKST, Whitingtheir request, Tester and Walsh wrote that and other avenues. It seemed like a per- Sorrell sees her work within a larger patients “endure poor to no services and fect fit for Whiting-Sorrell, an enrolled context. “I don’t believe that I am exiting extraordinary delays in seeing physicians member of CSKT who even helped estab- from the larger stage,” she says. “I just or filling prescriptions.” On May 16, the lish the Tribal Health and Human Serv- think that I’m taking a different apGAO accepted the request to investigate. ices Department earlier in her career. She proach. I know that I am committed to Whiting-Sorrell’s leadership wasn’t applied for the position, was hired and teach the lessons that we learn here to other tribes.” viewed as the cause of IHS’s trouble. started May 5. “I knew in my heart that I needed to Rather, her inability to make change within the Billings office was seen as evidence of make a different decision for me and that tmcdermott@missoulanews.com