Healthy Spirit Spring 2019

A Publication of Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa

Spring 2019

Operationally Speaking

evening in this issue and visit our Dance of the Two Moons Facebook page for a visual visit of the entire evening.

available seemed to be dwindling.

Thanks to the initial participation of two companies with large active employee/business resource groups BY: TANYA CAIN, RN (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Lincoln can now hear. Truly CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AMAZING! We first introduced you Oklahoma and American Electric Amazing!

Power/Public Service Company of to Lincoln in our Annual Report.

Oklahoma), the Native American We promised updates as Lincoln This quarter’s magazine is full of Community Committee is thriving. great stories and expressive pictures. learns to hear and speak and your The groups meet once a month So much has been happening during first update may be found in this at IHCRC and share resources, the past five months, it is difficult to issue. information, and assistance. Several know where to start.

Several amazing things are also milestones have been achieved happening that you may only see The word on everyone’s mouth? including the development of mentioned in this issue. Our first Construction. We are happy to groups at ONE Gas and ONEOK, Native American Youth Summit report that the interior remodel an active role in the planning and is scheduled for the month of is nearing total completion. implementation of Native American August. We are honored to be Departments and staff will soon be Day, volunteer assistance with partnering with other youth serving moving back into their new areas.

IHCRC’s powwow, stomp dance, and organizations, public school systems, Much has been reported on the camp, and sponsorship of Dance of remodel. In this issue, we are pleased tribes, and businesses. A very special the Two Moons. thank you to ONE Gas for serving as to offer a sneak peek into all the Be watching next month as we host of the summit. changes. expand on the Native American Dance of the Two Moons was totally Almost two years ago, IHCRC Community Committee and rad! More than $175,000 was raised recognized a need for Native their incredible role in bringing for our youth programs. Thank you American Employee or Business Native American traditions and Resource Groups to come together. so much to our generous sponsors, perspectives to the corporate world.

Many large corporations in town donors, and friends who helped once had Native American Employee make Amped Up 80’s a huge event.

Enjoy a few of the pictures from the Resource Groups. The number 2 IHCRC Spring 2019

In This Issue of Healthy Spirit Dance of the Two Moons..........................................................................4 Connecting Youth to Native American Culture..................................12 IHCRC’s Crisis Response Team “The Green Team”............................14 Construction Comes to an End.............................................................16 Native Youth Summit...............................................................................17 Lincoln Learns to Recognize Sounds....................................................20

MEDICAL SERVICES HOURS Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 7:45 am-5:00 pm Thursday 9:45 am-7:00 pm 1st Friday of the month the Medical clinic opens at 1:00 pm (closed in morning for staff training) BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOURS Monday-Wednesday; 8:00am-6:00pm Thursday 10:00am-7:00pm Friday 8:00am-5:00pm 1st Friday of the month the Behavioral Health clinic opens at 1:00 pm (closed in morning for staff training) WIC NUTRITION HOURS Monday-Wednesday; Friday 8:00 am-5:00 pm Thursday 10:00 am-6:00 pm 1st Friday of the month WIC opens at 1:00 pm (closed in morning for staff training) SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS To schedule an appointment, call 918-382-1224, press option 1. If you are unable to get your preferred appointment time, please schedule for the first available appointment. Patients may call back and check to see if an opening becomes available that better suits their needs.

IHCRC ADMINISTRATION Carmelita Skeeter Chief Executive Officer Judy A. Gibson Chief Financial Officer Stacie Nutt Chief Human Resource Officer Tanya Cain, RN Chief Operating Officer

Spring Break Cultural Camp on page

12.

DEVELOPMENT STAFF Debbie Starnes Development Director dstarnes@ihcrc.org Tonia Gist Development Specialist tgist@ihcrc.org John Young Marketing Specialist jyoung@ihcrc.org IHCRC Spring 2019 3

A Totally Awesome Evening

BY TONIA GIST, DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST It was a totally awesome evening! There were celebrity look-alikes everywhere including Boy George, Crocodile Dundee, Run DMC, Mork and Mindy, Judd Nelson as Bender, Robert Palmer’s back up girls and countless others representing with mullets, big hair, blue eye shadow and leg warmers. We are so grateful to the more than 450 people who joined us for Amped Up 80’s. Like, big time! The party began with a trip to The Arcade where guests enjoyed cocktails and playing retro video games like Pac-Man, Mario, and Zelda on a Classic Nintendo Game System. The Arcade was also home to 15 premier auction items perhaps with the most righteous being the 80’s Basket that entitled the winning bidder to take home the Classic Nintendo Game System.

The doors opened to the ballroom and Tess Maune sportin’ Flashdance attire welcomed our guests.

Thank you to Griffin Communication for the media sponsorship. Recognition was given to our Honorary Chair Nico Albert, executive chef of Duet Jazz + Restaurant and our Circle of Life Community Partner AEP/Public Service Company of Oklahoma for their longstanding commitment to the betterment of our Native Youth.

Then it was time to hit the dance floor with sweet 80’s moves like the moonwalk, the running man, and the pendulum. Thankfully Allstar Ballroom Dancing was there to provide instruction. After a little dancing it was time for the live auction which featured bodacious movie themed offerings such as a “Top Gun” featuring a trip to Disney Land and Kennedy Space Center, “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Epicurean Adventure” which offered a sampling of some of our favorite restaurants, “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” a scrumptious 4 IHCRC Spring 2019

dinner for four prepared by our Dance of the Two Moons Honorary Chair Chef Nico Albert followed by jazz at Duet, and nine other amazing packages. Fun was also had at the back of the room where guests could narc on each other to throw them into detention with The Breakfast Club. It was a fantabulous evening as we danced the night away to music by That 80’s Band.

There were so many generous donors and sponsors this year, we have chosen to recognize them on the following pages. Thanks to these businesses, individuals, and tribes, we raised over $176,000. Thank you to all the companies and individuals who support our Native American youth and families.

The Dance of the Two Moons dinner and auction was established 29 years ago as an annual fundraiser to help support the many great programs and services provided to the Native American community.

Proceeds from the event support many of IHCRC’s programs and services, including: the annual Restoring Harmony Powwow, Youth Spring Break Camp, Youth Summer Wellness and Cultural Camps, and IHCRC’s Running Strong Run Team.

Did you miss out on the fun this year? Mark your calendars for March 7, 2020. Help Dance of the Two Moons celebrate and honor those who have supported us over the past 30 years! Be sure to stop by our event website www.ihcrc2moons.org and like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/ihcrc2moons. There are more pictures from the night and you’ll be among the first to have information about next year’s shindig. It’s sure to be the bee’s knees!

2019

COMMUNITY SPONSORS EAGLE SPONSORS • Public Service Company of Oklahoma • Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa WOLF SPONSOR • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma BEAR SPONSORS • Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma • Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma • IHCRC Jeans Pass Staff • Tiger Natural Gas • Carmelita Skeeter • Williams BUFFALO SPONSORS • James R. Childers Architect, Inc. • Canyon Creek Energy • Commerce Bank • CommunityCare • Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma, Inc. • Eller & Detrich, P.C./CamGlass, Inc. • Flintco • Interior Logistics • Oklahoma City Indian Clinic • ONEOK • Osage Casino • OSU Medicine • Jim and Sharon Ruley • Southern Plains Tribal Health Board PATRONS • Dr. and Mrs. Jay Anderson • Janice Edmiston and Ceasar Williams • Ruth K. Nelson • ONE Gas • ​The Law Offices of Ken Ray Underwood • Urban Inter-Tribal Center of Texas SPIFFY SIX • American Indian Chamber of Commerce • Citizen Potawatomi Nation • HoganTaylor LLP • Muscogee (Creek Nation) • Floyd Rogers and Luzana Graff • Tim and Dr. Joanna Shadlow • United Healthcare Community Plan of

Oklahoma • Mary Ann and Andrew Vasser MEDIA SPONSOR • Griffin Communications WHITE BUFFALO PATRON • The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation

Dance of the Two Moons 2019 Donors IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER COMMUNITY SPONSORS Jean-Yves and Linda Albert Connie Allen Dr. and Mrs. Jay Anderson Mabrey Bank Bob and Tamme Baker Steve & Dannielle Baker David Ballew Mr. Chris and Dr. Leigh Barrow Dr. and Mrs. Billy Hicks Beets Kevin Best Jana Bingman Bob and Gloria Bitting Rich Blankenship John Bouchard Ms. Lisa Michelle Broam Michelle Brown Kimberly-Clark Joann Caldwell Lupe Cole Dr. & Mrs. Tom Colpitts Marci Cook Jose and Sheree Cosa Lauren Cusick Dr. Jose and Mrs. Cheryl Echevarria Janice Edmiston and Ceasar Williams Jeremy and Crystalle Evans Hazel Finney Trilla Frazier Patrick and Marla Freeman Kelly Gibson Dr. Jesicah Gilmore and Dane Bowin Gloria and Charles Grim Jordin Hackney Brian and Toni Hail Patricia Gail Hamilton Sarah and Kaleb Harris John and Glinda Hausam Jamie Hayes Darrell and Renny Henthorn 8 IHCRC Spring 2019

Denise Hinshaw Dennis and Kath Hogle Deanna Holman Barry Howard Valerie Howard, DO Jennie Howard Melissa Hudmon Denise Hudmon DeAnn Johnson Kasi Ketcher Karen Knight Megan Leath Lee Marks Dr. & Mrs. Dean Martin Melody Massey Dr. Gene and Bonnie McCormick Chris McCullar Stacy McKee-Redden Robin Medlock Tom & Cindy Merrell Mike and Vivian Murphy Dr. Jennifer Jones, OD Bill Osburn David and Lisa Osburn Sharla Owens Jeff Pense Deborah Perry-Chambers Goldie Phillips Mark and Liz Poole Dr. Everett Rhoades Rochelle Richerson Arden and Joyce Roberts Edward E. Rogers Dr. and Mrs. Emmanuel Roman Caressa Romine Nancy Ruth Tim and Joanna Shadlow Mr. Robert L. Shears Shaun Shepherd Shaun Sherrill

Louise Short Mr. David Krapff and Dr. Geeta Silas Carmelita Skeeter Larry and Janet Smith Debbie Starnes Rodney & Patti Sumner Robyn Sunday-Allen Stephen E. Sutton Chris Van Ess Hank and Jeannie Van Veen Marcy Vandament Marty Wafford Paulette A. Wamego Cathryn Wamego Bill Wamego and Carol Hinkley Joseph A. Wamego Tony Wamego Kim Waters Jeff Weagley Jenifer Wells Shelly Williams Sherry Williams Alison Anthony and Mark Wilson Ashely Zickefoose

JEANS PASS STAFF Connie Allen Linda Almanza Ellen Archie April Arruti Jennifer Ashlock Sherry L. Askew Stacy Berg Marissa Bigfeather Amanda Billetdoux Donna J. Birkenfeld Lisa Michelle Broam Karly Brown Donna Cagle Tanya L. Cain Ginny Camel Kimberly Canady Whitney Chapman Virginia F. Cox Tammy D. Davis Shannon Davison Heidi Dawson Rachel Dugan Cheryl Echevarria Denise Fholer Amanda Fousek Tia Fowler Judy A. Gibson Dr. Jesicah Gilmore Tonia Gist Mannie Golden Anthony Gresham Cassey Gutierrez Jenifer Hamma Adrienne Hefner Kelly E. Henderson Michelle Holdgrafer Deanna Holman Molly E. Hurst Glenitria Johnson

Donesha Johnson Dawnna Lynn Keller Kasi Ketcher Nicole Kirby Ranie Kirk Angie Lanning Fatima Lara-Rodriquez Kimberly Lawrence Megan R. Leath Dr. Dean E. Martin Bridget McClendon Margaret McIntosh Karen Miller Kelly Mounce Jacquelyn Nickel Stacie Nutt Nancy A. O’Banion Daniel D. Olson Elizabeth Parrott Kendall Payne Taylor Phillips Traci Poole Opal L. Price Cynthia Reed Mary Revels Rochelle Richerson Ryann R. Richey Jessica Rimer Yolanda Robinson Dr. Emmanuel Roman Kristy Roper Mary Rule KiAnna Sam Becky Sheofee Charmayne Shorty Dr. Geeta Silas Leah Speer Debbie Starnes Lori L. Sweeney Brenda Taylor

Julie Taylor Bridget Teel Angela Thacker Karen Thomas Therese Tierce Aisha Traylor Emily Vo Joia Washington Rene Wesson Kim Wigger LaToyia Williams Shelly Williams Sherry Williams K. Nicole Woodmansee John J. Young

IHCRC Spring 2019 9

Dance of the Two Moons 2019 Donors Continued IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER AUCTION DONORS Agitsi Stained Glass Allstar Ballroom and Dance Company AMC Southroads 20 Bird & the Bottle Bruce G. Weber Calaveras Mexican Grill The Cheesecake Factory CP Solutions Duet Restaurant + Jazz (Chef Nico Albert) Fairfield Inn and Suites Fine Airport Parking Gilcrease Museum Gorfam Marketing H2Oasis Float Center and Tea House Ida Red

Ihloff Salon and Day Spa Interior Logistics James Avery Jewelry Justin Thompson Restaurants Kendra Scott Laffa Medi-Eastern Restaurant & Bar Laser Quest Lotus Sandwich Eatery & Bar McNellie’s Group Merritt’s Bakery News on 6 Nichols Landscaping Oklahoma City Thunder Parkhill’s South Liquors & Wine QuikTrip Corporation Roka Bar & Asian Flavors The Skin Boutique

The SwampHouse Southwest Airlines Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe Tulsa Drillers Tulsa Zoo Management, Inc. TW’s-AFAB Catering Bob and Gloria Bitting Norman and Lesa Crowe Janice Edmiston and Ceasar Williams IHCRC Staff Larry and Janie Lyon (formerly Lyons Indian Store) Goldie Phillips Joyce and Arden Roberts Nancy Ruth Shane Smith Jeannie and Hank VanVeen

The generosity of our donors and supporters is important. We apologize if there is an exclusion or inaccuracy that may have occurred in acknowledging those who are important to us. Please contact Debbie at dstarnes@ihcrc.org or 918-382-1203 so corrections can be made in future publications.

CIRCLE OF BLUE Circle of Blue is an alliance of champions dedicated to supporting diabetes treatment and prevention programs that alter the cycle of diabetes.

Thank you to our 2019 Champions:

• Agitsi Stained Glass • Dr. Aliakber and Farida Akberali • Dr. and Mrs. Jay Anderson • Elizabeth and Saumuel Battiest • Donnie and Gayla Cox • Heidi Dawson • Dr. Jose and Mrs. Cheryl Echevarria • Dr. Jesicah Gilmore and Dane Bowin

• Mike McBride III and Dawnette Brady • Arden and Joyce Roberts • Edward E. Rogers • Dr. and Mrs. Emmanuel Roman • Jim and Sharon Ruley • Carmelita Skeeter • Mary Ann and Andrew Vassar in memory of Joe T. Paden

Become a Circle of Blue champion at www.ihcrc.org/bluedonate

10 IHCRC Spring 2019

“Most of my family has diabetes.

I thought I was going to have it too. But I joined the diabetes prevention program and learned how take control of my own health. I learned how to cook with less fat and started exercising.

I’ve lost weight but I’m mostly grateful for how good I feel.”

IHCRC Spring 2019 11

Connecting Youth to Native American Culture BY: LEAH SPEER, MSPI - PREVENTION SPECIALIST

Spring is the season for growth and we are thrilled to be able to offer opportunities for our youth to grow and become connected to Native culture. Over 40 children participated in IHCRC’s Spring Break Culture Camp. Campers learned new life skills, became more connected with their culture, traditions and history, and made new friendships.

Campers started the week by visiting the original Tribal lands for the Choctaw Nation, in Tuskahoma. The day was filled with cultural arts and crafts, long bow archery, and a social stickball game. The day finished with a tour of The Choctaw Nation Cultural Museum where the campers learned about the history of the Choctaw People, how their Tribal courts work, and even hunted on their virtual reality game.

Campers then traveled to Chickasaw Nation to attend the Three Sisters Festival in Sulphur. It was an exciting day of tribal food, tribal culture, arts and crafts, ceremonial stomp dance, stickball game, and a Chickasaw Nation cultural tour of their Museum.

The last day campers visited Tulsa Gathering Place, Gilcrease Museum and Tulsa Air and Space Museum for a cultural tour of Tulsa. The campers got to explore Tulsa’s newest attraction The Gathering Place and its five acre kingdom, The Chapman Adventure Playground, with signature towers, slides, climbing features, play gardens, sand lot and water areas. Gilcrease Museum tours included Enduring Spirit which highlights some of the museums vast collection of Native American art and artifacts and the Kravis Discovery Labs which provide access to thousands of objects relating to the early history of the Americas.

Campers also discovered the rich history of aerospace through interactive and engaging exhibits at Tulsa Air and Space Museum.

This annual camp provides an opportunity to instill and connect urban youth to culture and traditions. A very special thank you to our gracious and dedicated donors that provide this amazing cultural opportunity for our Native American youth!

12 IHCRC Spring 2019

IHCRC Spring 2019 13

IHCRC’s Crisis Response Team “The Green Team” BY: DENI FHOLER, MEDICAL CASE MANAGER

The Green team. It fits. You know it’s not easy being green. Spring brings new life as everything once again becomes green. Being green, just the beginning, our team is new and we’re still putting the pieces together. Being green, the emotion you feel when something unfortunate happens. It is caused by some type of upsetting news or action.

Our job is to provide support for those situations.

So when you see us walking the halls or standing in observation there is a purpose. Many times a child has been escorted to the toy box in our office to give a mom a break, a woman crying is quietly escorted to an office, an intoxicated man who drove to the clinic is transported home, an employee is struggling and needs someone to listen.

We provide everything from bus tokens to backpacks, to transporting a patient to the hospital and everything in between. If we are doing our jobs like we should be, it means most of you will have no idea what almost happened in the clinic because that situation was diffused quietly or an individual deescalated in one of our offices.

I have many times reminded folks that my office is a safe place - well now we have three.

Active listening is one of the most important things we do. To serve well we must listen well.

Getting information and understanding what the patient’s perception of their need will make all the difference in providing resources and services that

14 IHCRC Spring 2019

are actually helpful. Our focus is always to do what is in the best interest of the patient.

The Green team is made possible through an Administration for Native Americans (ANA) grant. It is a three year grant and our project goal is to increase access to acute crisis intervention services related to basic needs, behavioral health, and social environments in order to safeguard the health and well-being of Native American children and families living in the Tulsa area utilizing the services of IHCRC. In most cases, each interaction with our patients can be a pre-crisis, crisis or post-crisis intervention. We don’t take appointments but are on “call” during clinic hours. We chart on every patient we see as well as people who are not patients yet or can’t become patients. During a crisis event we will remain with the patient from the time the event occurs until the patient leaves IHCRC. We call 911 if needed, or contact family and comfort those present. We make sure they have an ID and contract health sheet if hospital transportation is warranted.

Outside resources are a very important asset to what we do. We are constantly revising and updating our resource guide. We visit outside agencies in order to learn about their services so we can expand our database of resources. We are also inviting outside agencies to IHCRC for community committee meetings and tours. There are often a number of 501(c)(3) non-profits who quietly fill a gap in our community but they don’t advertise it.

We try really hard to provide personalized resources and services that have a proven record of following through with their promises. This way we don’t hand someone a folder full of handouts that will overwhelm them and not address the specific need.

It takes all of us, working together with compassion, empathy, patience, and understanding to ensure our patients get the care they come here for. We are excited the ANA grant has given us the opportunity to grow our team and further provide for those in need.

Thank you to our 2019 Society of the Medicine Wheel Members!

Dr. Aliakber and Farida Akberali April Arruti Tom and Sherry Askew Stacy Berg Heidi Dawson Elizabeth A. Duncklee, LCSW Deni Fholer Dr. Jesicah Gilmore and Dane Bowin Tonia Gist Jo Ann Gower Deanna Holman Robyn Jones Sarah and Joe Kennedy Karen Knight

Karen Miller Jay and Kelly Mounce Brian and Stacie Nutt Nancy O’Banion Elizabeth Parrott Goldie Phillips Traci Poole Leah Speer Brenda Taylor, LPN Shawna Webb Sherry Williams LaToyia and Eucild Williams Shelly Williams Stacey Wilson

If you want to touch the life of an individual in need, consider giving up a monthly energy drink, lunch out, or coffee. Your gift of $5 to $10 per month will change a life by providing much health care for today and health and wellness that carries into tomorrow.

Join Today!

www.ihcrc.org/medicinewheel IHCRC Spring 2019 15

Construction Comes to an End If you have been in the clinic in the last 18 months you may have noticed construction taking place.

We are happy to report the construction is now complete. The changes and updates have been made to ensure that we are continuing to provide efficient, state-of-the-art care for our patients.

Care teams are located in what we refer to as a “pod�.

Basically, this means that care teams share a common space allowing them to work more closely together to bring an enhanced level of care.

The remodel expanded our Diagnostic Imaging Department. X-ray, mammography, and ultrasound are now all in one location. The lab has also been expanded to provide increased and easier processing.

Other areas of improvement include an expanded scheduling department in the main waiting area, additional exam rooms, and new flooring throughout the clinic.

16 IHCRC Spring 2019

Native Youth Summit

BY: TIM SHADLOW, YOUTH ACTIVITY COORDINATOR

Planning is under way for IHCRC’s first Native Youth Summit. It will include three keynote speakers and six afternoon breakout sessions on topics such as career, culture, environment, and wellness. We are thankful to have a committee with members representing tribes, schools, corporations, and youthserving organizations.

Our keynote speakers include Chance Rush and Chaske Spencer. Chance Rush travels throughout the United States working with Native communities in efforts to inspire, heal, motivate, and energize. He has a talent for using his energy and humor to spread a simple message, “Use your personal talents to lead you to greatness.” You might recognize our other keynote speaker as the leader of the wolf pack from Twilight or from the NBC Series Blindspot. Chaske Spencer is a voice for social equality for Native Americans and other cultures. He has led projects to promote healthier lifestyles, sustainability, voter participation, youth development, and environmental emergency preparedness among Native families.

We are excited to have these amazing speakers join us. Be watching for information about our third speaker at www.ihcrc.org/summit.

NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH SUMMIT ONE Gas Building 15 E 5th Street, Tulsa 74103 Saturday, August 24, 2019 Featuring

Chance Rush

Chaske Spencer

Additional Speakers to be Announced!

Career • Culture • Environment • Wellness For Students Entering Grades 8th-12th

www.ihcrc.org/summit

IHCRC Spring 2019 17

DISCOVER THE ROAD TO

Toll Free: (800) 349-7026

www.ChoctawNation.com

Together, we are Oklahoma.

We embrace our state’s diverse communities and support health and wellness for all Oklahomans.

bcbsok.com

A Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

18 IHCRC Spring 2019

608467.0319

www.tigernaturalgas.com

A Native-Owned Company

Protect What Matters Most The IHCRC Planned Giving Department offers a variety of ways that you can protect your family’s future, achieve your financial goals and help to ensure a brighter future for Tulsa’s Native American community. www.ihcrc.org/legacy IHCRC Spring 2019 19

Lincoln Learns to Recognize Sounds

BY: JOHN YOUNG, MARKETING SPECIALIST For those of you that attended our Annual Meeting or read our 2018 Annual Report you may already know a little bit about an adorable two-year old boy named Lincoln. If not, be sure to read about him on the following page. Lincoln attended our Annual Meeting just weeks after he received his cochlear implant. The implant had not been turned on at that time to allow for healing. Many people were moved

by Lincoln’s story and we wanted to be updated as he learned to recognize sounds.

We recently spoke with Lincoln’s mother, Monica about the progress he has been making since his cochlear implant in November 2018. She said the progress has been slow, but progress none-the-less. The professionals he has been working with believe he is advancing at a normal rate for a child experiencing sound for the first time. They remind her that the last 6 months of him being able to hear puts his 20 IHCRC Spring 2019

hearing development on par with that of a 6 month old infant. She said it’s really easy to have high expectations to try and compare his hearing with that of other children his age, but she is working to take things one day at a time.

For now Lincoln is working with a Happy Hands speech pathologist twice a week, a SoonerStart therapist once a week, and a Hearts for Hearing therapist once a week. SoonerStart is an Oklahoma program for children under three years of age with disabilities or developmental delays. For Lincoln they are able to provide speech-language therapy. Hearts for Hearing has a team of audiologists and speech-language pathologists that work together to provide the tools needed to optimize listening and spoken language abilities. With the help of his speech pathologists and therapists he is beginning to vocalize by imitating “Ling Six Sounds.” The sounds for the Ling Six are [m], [ah], [oo], [ee], [sh] and [s]. The Ling Six Sound Test is used to provide a quick and accurate assessment of a child’s ability to hear across the frequencies essential for spoken language development. His imitation of these sounds shows that he is recognizing and beginning to vocalize the sounds required for speech.

Lincoln’s parents are working with him daily to recognize his name and associate spoken words with everyday objects. They will show him something, sign what the object is, and then say the name of the object repeatedly. Auditory word association helps develop the skills necessary to process the sensory input he is now receiving from his cochlear implant. For the near future, sign language will still be his primary form of communication, but with the help of Happy Hands Education Center, an organization for children who are deaf, hard of hearing or with communication disorders, his sign language skills continue to increase. Having a strong language base will only make his progress toward speech and hearing easier.

Lincoln’s journey for speech and hearing development will be an extensive process, but we are excited to learn and share information about his progress. He has some upcoming testing that will help determine what therapies will be right for him in the future as well as testing that will help ensure that he is receiving adequate stimulus from his cochlear implant. Look for an update on Lincoln in our Summer/Fall issue of Health Spirit.

About Lincoln Coleman

Lincoln Coleman was born profoundly-deaf, meaning he is unable to detect sound at all. A cochlear implant was his best chance at being able to hear. More expensive than a hearing aid, the total cost of a cochlear implant, including evaluation, surgery, device, and rehabilitation can cost as much as $100,000. A cochlear implant is very different from a hearing aid. Hearing aids amplify sounds so they may be detected by damaged ears. Cochlear implants bypass damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. Signals generated by the implant are sent by way of the auditory nerve to the brain, which recognizes the signals as sound. Hearing through a cochlear implant is different from normal hearing and takes time to learn or relearn or learn in Lincoln’s case. However, it allows many people to recognize warning signals, understand other sounds in the environment, and understand speech in person or over the telephone.

Determined to give Lincoln every possible opportunity, the family exhausted every resource imaginable. Repeatedly they were told they did not qualify for assistance because they were “slightly over the financial requirements” or because “they would need to move in order to live within tribal jurisdictional boundaries.”

Lincoln began receiving care at IHCRC and our Benefit Coordinators went to work finding ways to overcome the obstacles faced by the family. First, Lincoln’s Benefit Coordinator, Whitney, was able to negotiate a lowered fee for testing prior to surgery and the subsequent surgery. Secondly, thanks to a limited special fund set aside by the IHCRC Board of Trustees for specific purposes, IHCRC was able to assist financially with Lincoln’s surgery.

IHCRC Spring 2019 21

DISCOVER THE HOTTEST PICK FOR YOUR NEXT MEETING OR EVENT.

Call the Sales and Catering office today to book your next meeting at 918.384.6699.

777 W CHEROKEE ST., CATOOSA, OK 74015 • HARDROCKCASINOTULSA.COM

CNENT_37498_HR_GroupSales_OSAE_Ad_144027.indd 1

5/15/15 9:43 AM

Dance of the Two Moons presents

Roaring Twenties March 7, 2020 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa

www.ihcrc2moons.org

Benefitting Indian Health Care Resource Center Youth Programs

IHCRC Spring 2019 23

Follow Us! @IHCRC #IHCRC Thank you for being an integral part of our “Caring is Strong Medicine” Team. If you have any questions or would like to be removed from our mailing list, contact John Young at 918-382-1206 or jyoung@ihcrc.org.

918-588-1900 | www.ihcrc.org