Tuesday, October 1, 2024 822

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DURANGO, Colo. — The Denver Indian Health and Family Services (DIHFS) mobile clinic visited Fort Lewis College last week, offering students immunizations, behavioral health support, and Medicaid enrollment information.   

“This visit is the result of nearly a decade of discussions and relationship building aimed at improving healthcare access for Native American students at Fort Lewis College,” said FLC Vice President of Diversity Affairs and Acting Dean of Students Heather Shotton. “These efforts were largely led by our previous Dean of Students, Jeff Dupont, and his dedication to our students’ well-being and creating access to necessary healthcare.”  

At FLC, many students from across the country from over 100 Native American tribes were represented. Finding a healthcare provider who understands cultural differences can be difficult, said Dupont, who left FLC to take on the role of CEO at the Durango Chamber of Commerce.

 The partnership between FLC and DIHFS represents an ongoing effort to build trust and create long-term healthcare solutions for Native students. 

“It’s been about building relationships,” Dupont said. “In the early years, we focused on understanding how to collaborate. Fortunately, DIHFS acquired the mobile clinic, allowing us to bring these services directly to students.” 

“This is very exciting. This community has been asking for a long time, and we’re finally able to respond,” said Shelly Solopow, director of Mobile Health and Outreach at DIHFS and an enrolled member of the Little Shell Chippewa tribe in Montana. “We know that Native Americans have not had equal access to culturally sensitive healthcare, and they have had experiences that have led to distrust. We are grateful for the opportunity to build trust with the students.”  

A growing partnership 

While the visit marks a significant milestone, FLC and DIHFS are already discussing plans for future collaboration. The goal is to expand services, potentially including dental care and other primary health services, said Kendra Gallegos Reichle, director of Student Well-being at FLC. 

“This visit is just the beginning of a long-term relationship,” she said. 

Solopow said the mobile clinic visit is a first step in a broader plan to provide regular, scheduled services to students. 

“We’re hoping to start with dental cleanings next time and to keep offering supplemental vaccines. It’s nice to see that students care about staying healthy,” she said.

 Rhyia Joy, a Peer Navigator with DIHFS and a member of the Northern Arapahoe, Eastern Shoshone, and Flathead tribes from the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, emphasized the importance of representation in healthcare spaces.  

“It’s important for students to see representation within health services—to see people who look like them in these spaces,” Joy said. “It motivates them, showing they can also be part of this field. Historically, we were not included in these discussions or spaces, so being that representation is significant.” 

 The clinic's visit was a welcome addition for students like Dawson Robison, a Cherokee student from Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. “It was great to have the clinic here,” Robison said. “I’m looking forward to seeing more services, like dental care, in the future.”  

Fort Lewis College was DIHFS’s first campus outreach location, but Solopow is optimistic about expanding to other communities.