Tribal Partnerships: A Health Foundation Balances Relationships And Results With Native American Communities

The chairman of the tribal council pointed to the rusting van and the community garden gone to seed. Outsiders often come here with good intentions, he observed, but when they leave, our Tribe is no better off. This encounter has framed all of Empire Health Foundation’s (EHF’s) subsequent work with Native American partners in profound ways. We work for this health foundation in Eastern Washington, the goal of which is to make measurable improvements in our region’s health. Given the profound disparities in health outcomes between Native Americans and the general population, this has inevitably led us to focus on our local tribes, including Spokane, Colville, and Kalispel. EHF has a decidedly quantitative evaluation culture, whether we are focused on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), obesity in public schools, or the uninsured rate in our community. What is clear is that tribal partnerships cannot focus solely on numbers but must strive for good results within a context of mutual trust and action. After several missteps (“burn to learn”), we have found a successful strategy based on three basic tenets: Build trust first. Develop mutually beneficial outcome measures. Always leave something behind. Build Trust First At our very first meeting with one group of tribal partners, we were asked what insurance products we were selling! From that inauspicious beginning, we have returned again and again to build a dialogue and relationship. One of the clear lessons l...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: GrantWatch American Indians Disparities Health Philanthropy Native Americans Nonmedical Determinants patient activation Social Determinants of Health tribes Washington State Source Type: blogs