The Seminole Nation Community Health Representative Program

By Reo Miller, Director
CHR Program

The Community Health Representative Program returned to the auspices of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma on October 1, 2007. Previously, the program was operated by the Wewoka Indian Clinic for a period of five years and nine months.

The CHR Program is one of the established tribal programs with a vivid history of health service delivery to its community beginning in the 1970s.

During a time when health facilities like the Wewoka Indian Clinic and Carl Albert Hospital were unavailable, the Community Health Representatives were utilized to transport individuals to health facilities that were located in Lawton, Claremore, Talihina and Shawnee. At a time when CHRs were limited in training regarding patient care, transportation became priority for the Seminole Nation.

Many tribal members were integral as pioneers of the Community Health Representative Program: Bonnie Harjo, Jeff Harjo, Jenny Cotanny, Dewayne Miller, Russell Stewart, Hattie Haney, Rena Bemo, Joe Cully, Rueben Dunn, Don Palmer, Amos Chupco, Viola Spain and others donated their service to the tribe. They utilized their own personal vehicles for transportation services. With the price of fuel today, this would be impossible.

There was a time when CHRs were thought to be transporters and chauffeurs, and that thought is foremost in most minds today.

The CHR Program was initially funded in 1967 by the Office of Economic Opportunity, and the workers were called community health aides. In 1969, the Indian Health Service requested funds to train 250 community aides in Alaska. By 1972, the last OEO-CHR Program was transferred to the Indian Health Service, eventually increasing its support, and training 1,003 CHRs in 1974.

The Indian Health Service held that the CHR Program was created to meet four needs: (1) The need for greater involvement of American Indian/Alaskan Natives in their own health programs, and greater participation by Native Americans in the identification and solving of their health problems, (2) the need for greater understanding between the Indian people and the Indian Health Service staff, (3) the need to improve cross-cultural communication between the Indian community and the providers of health services and (4) the need to increase basic health care and instruction in Indian homes and communities.

Today, CHRs are multi-talented and well-trained in patient care services. They provide preventive information for diabetes, hypertension, obesity, foot care, nutrition, injury prevention, child seat safety care, alcoholism, HIV/AIDs, child abuse, and many other services in the Indian community.

Currently, all CHRs are community trainers and educators, and they advocate wellness and health promotion within Seminole County. Priority of services are: (1) home visits, (2)health education and disease prevention, (3) health promotion, (4) providing transportation when there are no resources available for the patient and (5) reporting and training.

Current Seminole Nation CHRs are trained in EMS and first response. Two are National registry first responders, two are certified child seat safety technicians and all are CPR trained. All CHRs provide disease and prevention training seminars, and they are all tribal members.