Bids warm farewell to Yeager, longtime nurse, interim director
The Southern Ute Health center has been at the forefront of the Tribe’s COVID-19 response, working with the Tribe’s Incident Management Team (IMT) to streamline testing procedures, and offer support in everything from mental health resources to meeting the overall health needs in the tribal community.
From expanding on site staffing to improved Telehealth services, the Tribe is looking ahead and planning for the future. “Overall, great moves going forward to increase staff and patient safety,” emphasized Dr. Keller, Chief Medical Officer for Tribal Health.
In the days to come, Southern Ute tribal members and tribal employees will be able to schedule testing in the newly established Covid Lab, a modular building located adjacent to the main Health Center building. The modular will expand on the flexibility that SUHC staff have in administering COVID-19 rapid testing and vaccinations in a climate-controlled environment that is fully ADA accessible yet separate from the main building. The Covid Lab expansion was made possible through grant funding by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) for 50K that was secured by the Tribe, and the building will remain on site through September, unless deemed necessary at that time.
The SUHC will also lose longtime nurse and interim director, Margo Yeager, who resigns from her position this month. Yeager started at the Southern Ute Health Center in November of 2007 as a Clinic Nurse. Her role eventually evolved to her current position of Chief Nursing Officer. Yeager has served as the Interim Tribal Health Director in the past and is currently in that role. She is also the Incident Commander for the Tribe’s Incident Management Team (IMT), which is now going into its third year since the pandemic first impacted the region in the February of 2020.
“I will treasure the time and the friendships that I have developed while here and it has been my absolute pleasure serving the membership,” Yeager emphasized. “I will be moving to Grand Junction, Colo. to be closer to my family and grandkids.”
Mental Health and wellbeing remain a top priority for the Tribe.
The Tribe can now medically treat substance abuse, filling a gap left with the closure of Peaceful Spirit. “Dr. William Finn provides Medication Assisted Treatment at our new location, explained Behavioral Health Manager, Mary Young. “We provide extended outpatient treatment services, meeting with clients several times a week if necessary. We also utilize a variety of residential substance abuse treatment options throughout the country as we work to find the right fit for a client’s individual treatment needs.”
The Behavioral Health Department has almost quadrupled in size in recent years, while also moving to a new location, as they continue to expand on services. Their department now has 17 staff members plus a trainer/consultant that they use for staff training.
“In the last couple of years, we have grown from a staff of three people to our current staff of 14 people,” Young said. “This does not include expansion of Psychiatry from 24 days a year to now 74 days a year. It also does not include the addition of Will Finn, MD who is providing Medication Assisted Treatment for individuals with substance use issues.”
“We have greatly expanded our telehealth capabilities and have more convenient options for tribal members who want to see someone outside of the local community or from the convenience of their home,” Young said. “We also provide groups at the Southern Ute Detention Center via telehealth – topics include substance use, life skills, and emotional regulation. Our staff includes six Native Americans. We serve anyone who is eligible and enrolled in services at the Southern Ute Health Center.”
Behavioral health now offers a variety of services, including substance abuse and suicide prevention campaigns; individual, group and family therapy; peer recovery coaching, medication assisted treatment, substance use assessments and treatment, assessments and referrals to residential treatment — as needed.
“We would love to expand the public health nurses, to have them more involved in their traditional roles,” Dr. Richard Keller said. “[I see this as a] huge opportunity for them to do more teachings, and training, and focus on the community health portion.”
“[Furthermore] — both of our nurse practitioners have SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) training, they can treat anyone (particularly women) who have been victims of any sort of violence,” Keller said. “A SANE Training equips RNs to respond to the needs of patients requesting medical care because of sexual assault or abuse.”
“The big change from the providers, is now we have a ton of permanent doctors, who live locally,” Keller stated. “That’s a huge benefit from the patient care aspect.”
The Tribe also welcomes Dr. Sandra Beirne as a full-time pediatrician at the Southern Ute Health Center. Dr. Beirne started at the SUHC on January 31, she has been a pediatrician for the past 12 years. In her role as a pediatrician, she will see young people from birth up to their 21st birthday for any non-emergent health concern they have. In addition to seeing patients at the Health Center, Dr. Beirne will also be working with students at the Southern Ute Indian Montessori Academy.