September 09, 2013 –
Tribal leaders pose with Gov. Brownback today at the Healthy Kansas Tribes Health Summit held at the casino. Left to right: Tony Fee (Iowa), Tim Rhodd (Iowa), Gov. Brownback, Steve Ortiz (PBPN), Steve Cadue (Kickapoo), Carrie O’Toole (PBPN) and Adolph Cadue (Kickapoo).
Gov. Brownback addressing the audience at the summit.
MAYETTA: Gov. Sam Brownback gave brief remarks today during the first day of a Healthy Kansas Tribes 2020 Summit conference being held today and tomorrow at the Prairie Band Casino & Resort. He told the audience that he is willing to help tribal communities with their health issues and concerns and to generate positive government-to-government relationships with the Kansas tribes.
The goal of the summit is to begin an information dialogue in formulating a uniformed community health assessment study that will gauge overarching health issues and concerns that pertain to tribal communities. The summit is bringing together Kansas tribal leaders and other health officials from the State of Kansas and Midwest region who are involved in the round-table discussions on health and environmental issues and concerns affecting the Kansas tribal communities.
Other notable leaders at the summit include Dr. Robert Moser, MD, Secretary of Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), Stephene Moore, Director of the Region VII US. Department of Health and Human Services, Stacy Bohlen, Executive Director of the National Indian Health Board or Public Health Action Agenda, and Tom Anderson, Director of Southern Plains Tribal Epidemiology Center, Oklahoma City Area Intertribal Health Board.
Tribal chairpersons participating at the conference are Steve Ortiz, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation chairperson, Steve Cadue, chairperson of the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, and Tim Rhodd, chairperson of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska. In addition, other tribal leaders and health administrators from the tribes and State are participating in the summit.