Transcript Lower Elwha Health Department - Northwest Portland Area Indian

Lower Elwha Health Department
MEDICAL CLINIC * DENTAL * DIABETES AND NUTRITION SERVICES * WIC SERVICES*
COMPLEMENTARY SERVICES * CONTRACT HEALTH SERVICES * KLALLAM COUNSELING
SERVICES*MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING * COMMUNITY HEALTH * PREVENTION HEALTH
Meet Our
Providers!!!
Dr. Matthew Whitacre, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Whitacre is a Board-Certified Family Physician who graduated from the University
of Washington’s residency program in Spokane, Washington. He is passionate about
health and wellness and furthered his education through the University of Arizona’s 2
year fellowship in Integrative Medicine. Through this program, additional training in
nutrition, prevention, and other holistic modalities were studied. He then went on to
work with the Makah Nation to create and develop the award winning “Makah
Wellness Center” serving as Director of the Integrative Medical Division for 3 years.
Dr. Whitacre considers health an ever flowing journey—with many possible
approaches that may be considered to help maintain or restore “Well-ness.” Such
care is truly supported though a team based approach, relying upon the expertise and
support from the entire health care team as each and every person has an important
role in the overall process.
Dr. Whitacre believes in a patient centered model, which carefully listens to each
patients concerns, needs and goals. Thus, individualized treatment plans can be
created to help support, guide, empower and encourage patients as they progress
along their own journey of wellness and healing. The Lower Elwha Health
Department is very fortunate to have Dr. Whitacre on staff!
Dr. Ronald Bergman, MD
Medical Doctor
Dr. Bergman is from the great State of Michigan and has been practicing Medicine for
the past 45 years. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma Medical School in
1972 and completed his residency at St. Vincent Hospital and Medical Center in
Portland, OR. Dr. Bergman also holds a Masters degree in Public Health which is where
his passion for integrative and wrap around medicine stems from.
Dr. Bergman is also a US Veteran serving in the United States Air Force as an Aviation
Cadet for 4 years from 1958-1962.
Dr. Bergman holds special certifications in:
- Forensic Pathology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Clinical Pathology
- Aerospace Medicine
- Special Survival Trainings
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support
- Global Medicine
- Integrative Chronic Pain Management
The Lower Elwha Health Department is very fortunate to have Dr. Bergman on staff!
Dr. Wahji Kasten, ND
Naturopathic Doctor
Dr. Kasten is a First Nations Native Canadian. Wahji Kasten, ND, LAc received her
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Antioch College in 2002. After working in a
laboratory for several years she decided to pursue a career in medicine where she
would be able to help people and utilize her scientific background. She graduated
from the National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) in 2015 with a Doctorate
of Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters in Acupuncture.
Originally from Saskatchewan, Canada, she has lived in the Pacific Northwest for
over a decade, and now calls it her home. As a Canadian First Nations woman
herself she is dedicated to improving the health of Aboriginal peoples
everywhere. When she is not treating patients Dr. Wahji enjoys spending time
with her friends and family, exploring the natural wonders of Oregon and the
world. She has enjoyed gardening and cooking since a young age and believes
that learning to prepare healthy, nourishing food that tastes wonderful can be an
empowering way for everyone to improve their health.
The Lower Elwha Health Department is very fortunate to have Dr. Kasten on staff!
Dr. Carol Allchin, MD
Internal Medicine
Born and raised in a suburb of Cleveland OH (Shaker Heights)- lived in northern VA
(Washington DC area) for 20 years then Gig Harbor
Attended Allegheny College, Meadville, PA--> B.S. in chemistry
George Washington University School of Medicine --> MD
Georgetown-VA Program in internal medicine (residency), so I'm trained in adult
medicine
George Washington University pulmonary fellowship, so I have additional
expertise in diseases of the lung
Have practiced in various settings- solo private practice (Alexandria, VA and Lakewood,
WA)- government employee (including Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Madigan Army
Medical Center, Veterans Administration Clinic in Philadelphia)- locums (temporary)
including multiple VAs nationwide and Forks Hospital Clinic.
Practice interests: diabetes, asthma, COPD
I like to teach patients with ongoing medical problems about their problem so that they
can manage it themselves.
The Lower Elwha Health Department is very fortunate to have Dr. Allchin on staff!
Dr. Lawrence Lyon, MD
Medical Doctor
Dr. Lawrence Lyon is a board-certified family doctor. He received his MD degree
from the University of Vermont College of Medicine. He completed residency at
the Fresno campus of the University of California at San Francisco. Dr. Lyon
encourages a healthy lifestyle and habits. He believes our ability to achieve our
goals depends on our health. Utilizing a multidisciplinary team approach and
medical home model, his goal is to help patients improve their health to be able
to live life to the fullest.
Originally from Chicago, Dr. Lyon has lived in the Pacific Northwest since 2001. He
enjoys biking, gardening and fishing. His hobbies include woodworking,
metalworking, machining and welding.
The Lower Elwha Health Department is very fortunate to have Dr. Lyon on staff!
Sherry Churchill, ARNP-C
Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner
Sherry Churchill is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner through the American
Nurses Credentialing Center. Originally from the Springfield, Illinois area, she received
her Associates Degree in Nursing at Lincoln Land Community College and her
Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Benedictine University. In May 2016, she earned
her Masters of Science in Nursing at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL.
Sherry is the mother of three grown sons. She was working with computers with the
State of Illinois while her sons were in school; she too decided to go back to school to
become a nurse. As a registered nurse at HSHS St. John’s Hospital, working in a variety
of settings including an intermediate care/neurology unit, case management, and in
pre/post anesthesia care. During her clinical rotations, she gained experience in
primary care, pediatrics, women’s health, dermatology, and orthopedics.
Sherry believes in building a strong relationship with her patients and strives to create
a comfortable environment for them to address their medical concerns. She hopes to
empower patients to take an active role in their healthcare by providing knowledge
and tools to optimally continue their care outside of the office.
The Lower Elwha Health Department is very fortunate to have Sherry on staff!
MEDICAL SERVICES
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Preventative Care
Health Screening
Immunizations
Family Planning
Geriatric Care
Chronic Disease
Management:
o Diabetes
o Hypertension
o Asthma
 Rheumatology
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Acute Medical
Physical Exams
Well Child Checks
Nutrition
Cancer Screening
Pediatric Services
Acupuncture
Massage
Foot Care
Outreach/Home Care
DENTAL SERVICES
 Oral Exam
 X-rays
 Fillings & Crowns
 Simple Extractions
 Surgeries
 Root Canals
 Dentures & Partials
 Oral Health Education
 Sealants
 Referrals
 Walk-in urgent consultation
Mental Health Services
 Culturally Informed Individual therapy for all
 Trauma Focused Attachment Therapy
ages
 Co-Occurring Groups
 Family therapy
 Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
 Couples counseling
 Mental Health First Aid
 Play therapy
 Supportive Relationships
 Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
 Collaborative work
 Culturally adapted Trauma Focused
 Selective crisis intervention
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT)
 Art therapy
 Client Centered Therapy
 Family reconciliation services
 Mindfulness work
 Biofeedback and body-oriented
 Grief counseling
psychotherapy for chronic pain
Klallam Counseling Services (KCS)
 Assessment, Intake,
Referrals
 Intensive Outpatient
Treatment (IOP)
 Stabilization Group
 Monthly Monitoring
 Youth IOP and Aftercare
 Native American Group
 Addiction-Free Pain
Management
 Outpatient Treatment
 Men’s and Women’s
Groups
 Continuing Care
 Relapse Prevention
 Anger Management
 Co-occurring
Treatment
 Urinalysis, DUI
Assessments
Prevention Health
The Lower Elwha Health Department is excited to announce that we are developing a
Prevention Health Program! Fun, interactive community programs supporting people of
all ages including: prevention through an active lifestyle, the importance of healthy foods,
wellness coaching and integration of cultural aspects that have long been used to help
support balance and support through one’s Wellness Journey.
 Wellness Coaching
 Prevention Collaborative
 Community Garden
 Food Sovereignty Initiative
 Youth Physical Fitness
 Traditional Foods Classes
 Elder Physical Fitness
 Cultural Collaborative efforts
 Drug Free Communities
 Health Promotions
Community Health and Wellness
 Elder Home Visits
 Health Education
 Community Garden
 Food Sovereignty Plan
 Community Pool Passes
 Patient Transportation
 Self-Care Classes
 Traditional Foods Classes
 Drug Free Communities
Initiative
 Systems of Care Initiative
DIABETES AND NUTRITION SERVICES
Diabetes is a systemic disease that has the potential to affect every part of your body, so preventive care by a team of trained
experts is an absolute essential. In addition to your primary care provider, you may be seeing a number of specialists.
Your primary care provider may be able to provide initial screening for diabetes-related complications, but she may also refer
you to another provider who has specialized training in the area of concern. Ophthalmologists, mental health providers,
dentists, Certified Diabetes Educator, Registered Dietitian, and podiatrists are just a few of the other care providers who can
help you stay healthy and avoid complications.
WIC SERVICES
The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a Federal Assistance Program of the Food and
Nutrition Service (FNS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for healthcare and nutrition of low-income pregnant women,
breastfeeding women, and infants and children under the age of five. The eligibility requirement is a family income below
185% of the U.S. Poverty Income Guidelines. If a person participates in other benefit programs, or has family members who
participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, they
automatically meet the eligibility requirements.
The service population served by the Lower Elwha WIC clinic is defined as:
1. Any Elwha native and their family as defined by spouse, significant other, children, step-children and foster
children.
2. All American Indian/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) and their families as defined by spouse, significant other,
children, step-children and foster children.
3. All persons residing on the land deemed federally recognized as the Lower Elwha Klallam Reservation.
4. All employees of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.
5. All clients and their families who participate in Lower Elwha Klallam Head Start and Early Head Start
Programs.
6. All clients who are primary care patients of the Lower Elwha Family Health Clinic.
Integrative Health Wraparound Program
Current Status
The Clinic and Tribe are reaching out to our Tribal Elders, the Wisdom Keepers of the community to hear their thoughts, concerns and
ideas regarding these new changes. A story is developing, not only on a personal and individual level but also a story of how the
community is coming together to address these challenges and the entire nation as a whole is working to solve these issues.
The Clinic has begun to explore how we may be able to assist in this process with our current providers, tools, and resources.
Other clinics are simply no longer prescribing pain medications which is difficult for patients. Yet The Lower Elwha Health
Department has chooses to develop an intensive, “patient centered” program to help empower patients to address the source of
their pain in a number of different ways.
The following programs are included in this program: Community health, Mental Health, Recovery Services, Wellness and Prevention
Health and other Integrative healers.
Integrative Health Wraparound Program
Program: - An 8 week intensive program to help support patients in managing chronic pain.
Proposed Program Title:
Walking Strong – Mind Body Spirit & Community (Elwha Word)
Potential Lower Elwha Words and we can consider other words as well.
hák̕ʷ (Remember) or
ʔiʔcút; ɬáw̕(Get well, recover)
To be presented to Elders for assistance and guidance
Program design
Through a holistic sportive approach, patients will be empowered to manage and address their pain in such a way that allows for
their opioid pain medications to be slowly tapered down as other pain alleviating measures are established
Goal: To help assist, support, and empower patients on a personal journal towards addressing the root cause of their pain, including
all aspects, Physical pain, Emotional pain, Generational & Societal pain and Environmental pain.
8 Week Integrative Health Program
Week 1 Health Fair Extravaganza: Introduction to services, resources & providers
Meet & Greet (Intake packets filled out, Wellness Journals handed out)
Week 2 -8 Intensive wrap around services begin.
Medical Assessments and chart reviews by clinic doctors.
Begin group sessions Wisdom Warriors
Key components:
Narrative Medicine (Healing through Story)
Enhancing Wellness program
Awareness Training & Coherence Building
Mind-Body Medicine
Journaling
Culture
Community
Additional components which can be included:
Whole System approaches (Acupuncture/acupressure, or Naturopathy)
Mental Health
Nutrition (food as medicine concept)
Nutraceuticals/ supplements
Physical Therapy
Massage
Enhancing fitness
Social involvement
Specific Culturally appropriate modalities lead /guided by Cultural experts and elders
Weekend Sessions
A 3 hour event each Saturday (Food, stories, activities)
Week 9 -Graduation celebration and community recognition event.
Community mentors to help support participants after graduation.
Needs:
Elders Guidance
Identify Cultural leaders/facilitators
Community Involvement, Family support
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE SERVICES
• Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathy is a distinct type of primary care
medicine that blends age-old healing traditions with
scientific advances and current research.
Naturopathy is based on a unique set of principles
that recognize the body’s innate healing capacity,
with an emphasis on disease prevention and health
optimization. Symptoms are viewed as the body’s
way of communicating an underlying imbalance.
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE SERVICES Continued
Massage
Massage therapy is more than relaxing me-time. Studies continue to
prove the physical and emotional benefits of even a single massage
therapy session. Stress relief is key to achieving a healthier lifestyle.
Even a single massage session can significantly lower heart rate, cortisol
and insulin levels all of which help reduce daily stress. Therapeutic
massage also plays an important role in healing from musculoskeletal
injuries and in the management of chronic pain.
Traditional Chinease Medicine and Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a traditional medicine that has been practiced for
thousands of years. Treatments include: stimulation of specific points on
the body with very-fine sterile needles, lasers, electrical stimulation, or
magnets. Treatments are designed to: improve health, reduce pain, and
improve wellness and quality of life.
Integrative Medicine techniques stimulate the body’s self-healing and are a safe
and effective complement to conventional medicine for many health conditions.
Begin Construction of LEKT Wellness Campus
Operationalize Leadership & Mentorship
Training for Lower Elwha Health Department
Professional Certification and Development in the Lower Elwha Workforce
The Lower Elwha Health Department has taken extensive training in Leadership,
Mentorship and professional certification of Lower Elwha Tribal Members & staff
interested in the health care industry. We have operationalized our on boarding process
in selecting mentors and teachers pairing.
LEHD has completed Lyfe Coaching with Mac MacDonald executive, leadership and
coaching certification program. 85 LEHD personnel have gone through extensive training
in professional development this past year. Within the next year it is our goal to pair
young Native professionals with our Leadership Management team.