Community Health Representatives

Services Offered:

• Resource and Referral: Connecting individuals with local, county, and state health resources.
• Family Spirit Program: Providing in-home visits for parents of prenatal to 3 year-olds.
• Car Seat Tech Support: Offering assistance with car seat safety.
• Health Literacy: Promoting understanding of health-related information.
• End of Life Support: Providing guidance on advanced directives and end-of-life care.
• Community Readiness: Assessing community readiness through collaborative efforts.

Introduction:

The Community Health Representative (CHR) Program is dedicated to enhancing the well-being of individuals, families, and communities throughout all stages of life. As part of a comprehensive health care team, we provide essential services rooted in health promotion and disease prevention.

Philosophy:

P.L. 100-713 establishes the CHR Program to integrate culturally informed health care services into the lives of American Indian people. Funded by the Indian Health Service (IHS) and directed by tribal authorities, our program is staffed by trained community-based health providers.

Service Population and Scope:

All Native American individuals within the Ho-Chunk Nation (HCN) service area are eligible for services upon demonstrating enrollment in a federally recognized tribe or proof of descendancy.

Contract Health Service Delivery Areas (CHSDA) and Service Delivery Areas (SDA):

The Ho-Chunk Nation service area includes counties within Wisconsin and Houston County, Minnesota, as defined by the Federal Register.

Major Program Services:

1. Conducting home visits to assess and monitor health status.
2. Arranging transportation for health care appointments.
3. Conducting health screenings, referrals, and follow-ups.
4. Planning and coordinating community mobilization events.
5. Providing health education to programs and communities.
6. Offering WIC clinics at three locations for eligible participants.
7. Educating on car seat safety and distributing car seats.
8. Coordinating care with appropriate health care providers.

Transportation Services:

Our CHR Program encourages community members to utilize existing transportation resources. When necessary, we advocate for alternative transportation services to support access to medical appointments.

Transportation Policy:

1. Clients must notify CHR at least 72 hours in advance of transportation needs, with no other means of transportation available.
2. Utilization of all tribal and alternative transportation options is required before requesting CHR transportation services.
3. Transportation is provided solely for medical appointments; non-medical errands are not covered.
4. Transportation outside the 15-county IHS service area is not available.
5. Children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian during transport.
6. Parents are responsible for providing car seats for infants and children up to age 4.
7. All occupants must wear seat belts while in the vehicle.
8. Transportation services are not provided during adverse weather conditions.
9. CHR is not responsible for missed transports due to client absence at the agreed pick-up time and location.
10. Only the scheduled individual may be transported, with exceptions for children (see #5).
11. Individuals under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be transported.
12. Transportation services are not available to incarcerated or house-arrested individuals.
13. During scheduled CHR workshops, training, WIC clinics, or staff meetings, transportation services are suspended.