Rocky Boy Health Center celebrates 50th Anniversary

On September 27th, across the State of Montana, we celebrate Native American Day. In Rocky Boy, this day includes a parade and various activities meant to highlight and showcase our culture and traditions, but this year holds even greater significance for us at Rocky Boy Health Center.

In addition to the national celebration, we will be commemorating our 50th Anniversary of the establishment of the Rocky Boy Health Center and 30 years since the Chippewa Cree Tribe entered into self-governance agreements with the Indian Health Service (IHS) to assume all healthcare operations on the reservation. We invite you to join us for this special occasion, where you can hear from honored guests, tour our new facility, enjoy live music from artist Keith Secola, and share a meal with us.

Fifty years ago, in 1974, the Rocky Boy Health Board was established by the Chippewa Cree Tribal Business Committee to address the urgent need for quality health care and to safeguard the well-being of the Chippewa Cree people. Initially, without external funding, the board raised $5,000 by collecting and selling aluminum cans. These efforts paved the way to securing funding from IHS, which allowed for limited health services and the opening of a small outpatient clinic.

Twenty years later, in 1994, the Chippewa Cree Tribe entered into a Self-Governance Compact Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and IHS, assuming full control of the functions, services, and activities that the IHS Rocky Boy Service Unit previously managed. This marked a significant moment in our history, as it allowed us to take back control over how we provide health care to our people, ensuring it is tailored to the needs of our community. Today, the Rocky Boy Health Center (RBHC) offers a wide range of services, including primary and urgent care, laboratory and imaging, pharmacy, optometry, dentistry, chiropractic services, physical therapy, behavioral health, and outpatient substance use treatment.

There are often misconceptions surrounding how American Indians receive health care. The federal government’s obligation to provide health care to American Indians is rooted in its trust responsibility to tribes, a commitment made during treaty negotiations. However, due to chronic underfunding of the IHS, services at IHS facilities and access to care outside these facilities are significantly limited. This is one of the reasons why Rocky Boy operates our own health center.

Today, we employ over 200 people from surrounding communities, significantly impacting the local and regional economies. With a focus on quality patient experiences and improved health outcomes, we are continually enhancing our clinical services and upgrading medical facilities to meet the evolving needs of our community. Recent expansions include the addition of Nephrology, Cardiology, and Obstetrics and the expansion of our dental wing. We have also built a new facility integrating Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder services into Wahpakisik Integrated Behavioral Health.

We are excited to mark these milestones and look forward to the future. Our vision remains steadfast: to improve the health and social conditions of the Chippewa Cree people, uplift our culture, and empower individuals and families to take charge of their health and wellness.

Our celebration on September 27th will honor all that we have achieved as the Chippewa Cree Tribe. The day will feature a naming ceremony, a ribbon cutting for our new administrative building, speeches from community leaders, a facility tour, live music from Keith Secola, and a community lunch. The grand opening ceremony and celebration will take place at 6850 Upper Box Elder Road, Box Elder, Montana, beginning at 11:00 am.

Rocky Boy Health Center looks ahead to the next 50 years as we continue to exercise our sovereignty and pursue health and wellness prosperity for our people.

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Joel Rosette is an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe and the Chief Executive Officer of the Rocky Boy Health Center.