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A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF A PILOT NORTH TULSA PRIMARY HEALTH CLINIC IN COLLABORATION WITH OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
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WHEREAS, the Cherokee Nation (“Nation”) since time immemorial has exercised the sovereign rights of self-government on behalf of the Cherokee people;
WHEREAS, the Nation is a federally recognized Indian Nation with a historic and continual government to government relationship with the United States of America;
WHEREAS, the Nation has exclusive tribal jurisdiction over the Cherokee Nation Reservation, the geographic scope of which is defined in federal and Cherokee Nation law.
WHEREAS, Cherokee Nation has a long-standing and indispensable relationship with the United States as to the delivery of health services to Cherokee citizens, principally through the federal Indian Health Service (IHS), through which Cherokee Nation directly operates health facilities for the benefit of Cherokee Nation citizens and other individuals deemed “beneficiaries” of Indian Health Services;
WHEREAS, Oklahoma State University has a longstanding commitment to meeting the healthcare needs of underserved communities across the State of Oklahoma;
WHEREAS, Cherokee Nation has a longstanding successful relationship with Oklahoma State University to improve the provision of health services and to support the development of the healthcare workforce, including but not limited to the establishment of the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine at Cherokee Nation;
WHEREAS, the Principal Chief has advised the Council of opportunities to improve health access for Cherokee Nation citizens in the area of north Tulsa, within the Cherokee Nation reservation;
WHEREAS, the Principal Chief has advised the Council of a potential opportunity to collaborate with Oklahoma State University to establish a primary care health clinic on Oklahoma State University’s Tulsa campus, located at 700 N. Greenwood Avenue, Tulsa OK 74106, with such health clinic serving Cherokee Nation citizens, other IHS beneficiaries as well as non-IHS beneficiaries;
WHEREAS, a primary health clinic jointly administered by Oklahoma State University and Cherokee Nation for IHS and non-IHS beneficiaries on a pilot basis would meet the interests of Cherokee Nation and Oklahoma State University in expanding access to health services in an underserved part of the Cherokee Nation reservation and adjacent areas, could serve as a model for future expansion of health services throughout the Cherokee Nation reservation and, on those bases, the Council supports a partnership between Cherokee Nation and Oklahoma State University to establish a primary health clinic on a pilot basis at Oklahoma State University’s North Tulsa campus;
WHEREAS, in developing the partnership described herein, the Council encourages the Principal Chief to engage community stakeholders impacted by the potential partnership for feedback on the subject;
WHEREAS notwithstanding the provision of support for a health clinic described herein, the Council retains all oversight and appropriation authority on the subject;
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CHEROKEE NATION that the Council of the Cherokee Nation supports the Principal Chief’s development of a partnership between Cherokee Nation and Oklahoma State University to establish a primary care clinic located on Oklahoma State University’s Tulsa Campus and jointly administered by Cherokee Nation and Oklahoma State University for IHS beneficiaries as well as non-beneficiaries in order to serve an underserved part of the Cherokee Nation reservation and adjacent areas for health services, retaining all oversight and appropriations authority on the subject and encouraging the Principal Chief to engage all impacted stakeholder for feedback on the impact of said partnership;