Coeur d’Alene Tribe
Coeur d’Alene Tribe
Benewah Medical Center
P.O. Box 388,
Plummer, ID 83851
Phone: 208-686-1931
Fax: 208-686-1035
Webpage: http://www.bmcwc.com/
About the Clinic
Location
The Coeur d’ Alene Tribe has an 43,000 square foot health care facility built in three phases and named the Benewah Medical Center. The center, a $5 million facility, was nationally awarded for being recognized as a national model for Indian Health Care and rural health care. It opened June 4, 1998 and is a well equipped outpatient facility that has an in-house pharmacy, laboratory and x-ray. The clinic provides comprehensive primary care services including dental, mental health services and community health outreach services to both the Native American population and general community. The Tribe’s Medical Center employs individuals on either a part-time or full-time basis and is supported partially under a PL 93-638 self -governance compact. These positions are direct tribal hires. Through P.L. 93-638 contracts Community Health, Mental Health, Dental Health, Medical Services, Alcohol & Drug, Youth Shelter, and Indian Child Welfare services are offered. The Tribal Clinic provides comprehensive primary care services including dental, mental health services and community health outreach services to both the Native American population and general community. Contract Health provides some ambulatory health care to this population as well as hospital care. An excellent selection of primary and secondary medical specialties are available in Spokane, Washington and Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, and are an integral component of the health care system. The Coeur d’ Alene Tribe has had no IHS operated programs since January 1, 1990. The total registered patient population is 
10,000 both Indian and non-Indian.
Facilities/Services Planning
MISSION
To promote and facilitate engineering planning and construction support for the IHS national facilities program by developing and enhancing relationships among Tribes, area offices, and Service Unit engineers and related professionals dealing in building health care systems.
Attainment of the IHS and DHHS missions
The DFPC mission is achieved by:
* Maintaining a priority list based on relative need.
* Supporting tribes when they choose to assume facilities-related responsibilities.
* Planning health care and associated facilities to minimize facility life-cycle costs.
* Planning, promoting, & constructing improvements to exist. Facilities where they are not optimally functional.
* Planning & constructing new facilities when existing facilities do not exist or cannot be effectively improved.
* Developing state-of-the-art facilities with efficient and effective facilities planning.
* Targeting the unmet need with limited resources for maximum effectiveness.
DFPC Vision
To be a Global Health Care Facilities Engineering Division leading cutting edge professionalism in support of Public Health advances and development of solutions to the Indian Health Service challenges.
About the Tribe
History
The Coeur d’Alene people lived a hunting, fishing, and gathering existence among high plains and forested mountain regions, powerful rivers, and lakes. The 69,299 acre Coeur d’Alene Reservation is near the town of Plummer, Idaho. The Coeur d’Alene were originally bound to their reservation by a treaty negotiated in 1855. The Coeur d’Alene constitution provides for a general council form of government. They operate under a constitution written subsequent to the Wheeler-Howard Act. Much of the land is now in non-Indian hands due to the after-effects of the Dawes Act. Less than 10% remains in individual or tribal trust.
Geography
The Reservation is 33 miles south of the city of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on US 95. Tribal headquarters at Plummer, Idaho. The city of Plummer has a population of 780. Located on US 95. The Reservation lies in two counties: Benewah with a population of 8,500, per capita income $11,044 and Kootenai county population 67,300, per capita income $11,910. Rainfall (Coeur d’Alene, elevation 2,157) 26.2 inches, average temperatures 27 - 70. Principal industries: Forest products, tourism and mining (abrasive garnets in Benewah and silver, gold, copper, lead and sand and gravel in Kootenai).
To find out more about the Coeur d’Alene Tribe please call (208) 686-1800 or visit their web site.
Other Information
Members
1,753 Enrolled Members. To Top
Other Offices and Programs
There are 20 other tribal buildings which house the following tribal programs: Forestry, Planning, Tribal Court, Substance Abuse Program, Veterans HQ, Youth Shelter, Food Distribution Center, Education Department (two buildings), Tribal School and gym, Community Hall, (two: Worley and DeSmet locations), Automotive Center (tribal business), Development Corporation Office, Senior Citizen’s Hall, Benewah Market Center on Main Street, Plummer ID (grocery, Post Office, beauty parlor, arts and crafts, laundry), HUD Complex, Tribal Farm Buildings.
Employees
40 FTE, some seasonal part-time, about 10.
Housing
Housing is located in both the urban and rural areas within one hour of the facility. Housing availability is limited in the area immediately surrounding the clinic.
