ROSEBUD – The RST Health Administration has a few weeks left to hear any feedback from tribal citizens about the compact assumption of the Rosebud IHS hospital.
The tribal council approved RST Resolution 2023-143 on May 17, 2023, creating the tribally chartered entity Sicangu Oyate Health System. The resolution states in part that the tribal council “has decided to pursue entering into an agreement with the Indian Health Service (I.H.S.) under a Title V Compact under the Indian Self-Determination Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA)…”
The tribal council subsequently approved Resolution 2023-239 which appointed a board to oversee the compacting process. Board members include Dr. Donald Warne (Oglala Lakota), Dr. Allison Kelliher (Athabascan), Dr. Darrell Plumage, Bill Snyder, Dr. Monte Bechtold, Scott Herman (RST President) and Lisa White Pipe (Chairwoman of RST Health Board).
Community meetings were held during October and November to hear any concerns tribal citizens have about the tribal pursuing a 638 compact to assume health services provided by Rosebud I H S Hospital. This week, meetings are scheduled for Butte Creek (7pm on 11/20/23), Ideal (7pm 11/21/23) and Upper Crut Meat (7pm 11/22/23). Next week, meetings are on the calendar for Soldier Creek (7pm 11/27/23), Horse Creek (11/28/23 at 7pm) and Sicangu Village (11/29/23 at 6:30pm).
Antelope Community will host a meeting on 12/4/23 at 7pm. The meeting in Parmelee will be held at 7pm on 12/12/23. No additional meetings are on the schedule. All meetings are held in the community buildings.
A handout with potential questions and answers was distributed at past meetings. Tribal officials are present at the meetings to offer a short presentation and to hear concerns from residents. Most of the sessions already completed in other communities were mainly listening sessions with no additional answers to questions posed by people in attendance.
Several Indian Health Service employees who currently work at the Rosebud Hospital have stated they are not being offered any explanation or timeline as to when the tribe will take over health care operations. Some employees have attended the community meetings to be informed about what to expect regarding their jobs and came away with more unanswered questions.
In 2014, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Oglala Lakota Nation and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe decided to compact health care services in Rapid City. The move saw the Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board eventually assume operations of the health care contract in 2019. The hospital which served Rapid City residents was recently demolished and the new Oyate Health Center replaced it.
The Oyate Health Center offers urgent care, primary care, optometry services, dental clinic, behavioral health, radiology, pharmacy, physical therapy and laboratory services. Tribal citizens living in Rapid City must now seek emergency and in-patient health care at the Monument Health Center.
For more information on the Sicangu Oyate Health System, please visit with your tribal council representative or call the RST Health Administration office at 605-747-5100.
Sicangu News 