Under a clear, sunny sky, Chairman Peter Lengkeek (pictured) of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe warmly welcomed everyone to The Land of People that Camp at the Tip of the Horn. He emphasized the critical importance of healthcare in Indigenous communities, stating, “If we don’t focus on it right now, the future is going to be very uncertain for us. Dr. Warne has brought something forward, brought something to this sacred place of healing.”

The Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health has officially opened its doors to serve the communities and Relations in the Great Plains region. Dr. Donald Warne, deeply connected to his homeland, saw the necessity of establishing a site here. South Dakota faces alarming health disparities, where the life expectancy is more than 25 years younger than the US general population, largely due to preventable causes. By combining the efforts of local stakeholder partners, the strengths of Johns Hopkins, and the wisdom of traditional healers, traditional medicine, and culture, the Center aims to help create sustainable change so that community members live longer, healthier lives.

Chairman Lengkeek expressed his confidence in the initiative, saying, “I am confident in their abilities, their foresight, and their wisdom. I know things are going to change. Hope is here, and hope is powerful. Hope will keep you alive in the most dire of situations, and that is what’s provided here… the Johns Hopkins people that are here, you’ll see them in places that people are running from. They always go to where the need is greatest, and they come up with a solution. That’s the hope I’m talking about that they’re giving us.

“This lets me know that future generations,
my grandchildren, and their children
are going to live longer than 45 years old.
And they’re going to live a long, healthy
life because of what’s happening here.”
                                                                                     – Chairman Peter Lengkeek
                                                                                       (Crow Creek Sioux Tribe)

 

Great Plains Hub Initiatives

Together Overcoming Diabetes

Together Overcoming Diabetes goes beyond traditional programs like the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) by focusing on:

  1. Modifiable Lifestyle Changes: Improving diet and physical activity in communities with limited access to healthy foods and safe recreational spaces.

  2. Stress Reduction: Addressing stress, a key factor in diabetes inequities among AIAN populations, and promoting coping resources.

  3. Holistic Wellness: Enhancing quality of life through local Indigenous cultural and spiritual assets.

In Lakota communities, the wellness aspect will be enriched by the Lakota/Dakota Wicozani Wellness Concept, which means all-encompassing wellness and balance in mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. This initiative, funded by the National Institute of Health, will be led by Drs. Donald Warne and Courtney Claussen.

Northern Plains American Indian Lung Cancer Intervention Project

This groundbreaking project aims to improve lung cancer control among American Indians (AI) in the Northern Plains through culturally relevant approaches. By partnering with health system partners and Lakota cultural/spiritual leaders, the project bridges traditional and modern understandings of well-being to build health equity.

Key highlights include:

  • Health Navigation Program: The first inter-organizational, tribal community-oriented program in the Great Plains to support lung cancer screening and follow-up.

  • Cultural Integration: Promoting the use of traditional medicinal herbs in Lakota ceremonies to eliminate commercial tobacco use.

  • Rigorous Evaluation: Leading to further studies and opportunities for policy and practice changes.

Funded by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, this initiative is led by Drs. Donald Warne and Jordyn Gunville-Pourier. Avera Research Institute, a leader in community-based research with deep roots in the community, is a partner.

On The Horizon

As we look to the future, we are thrilled about the potential initiatives on the horizon. Among these are a feasibility study for an Indigenous School of Medicine (ISOM) in Rapid City, SD, aimed at addressing the shortage of Indigenous healthcare professionals, and the Ceremony Assisted Treatment Study, which seeks to evaluate the impact of culturally integrated treatments for substance use disorders. These efforts promise to bring transformative changes, paving the way for elevating Indigenous approaches for healing in research, training, and practice. 
Photographer: Shannon R. Burnette

 

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