The Health Benefits Department manages the Purchased And Referred Care (PRC) program (formerly Contract Health Services) for the Suquamish Tribe. The Tribe has negotiated unique contractual arrangements with various vendors to provide comprehensive medical, pharmacy, dental, vision and hearing services. Mental Health/Behavioral Health/Chemical Dependency services are only payable when they are coordinated by or provided by the Wellness Center.
The Tribal Health Benefits program assists members in obtaining medical, dental, vision and hearing care, including needed medical equipment. The program also helps clients in accessing all available alternate resources including other state and federal programs such as DSHS, Veterans’ Services, Social Security and Medicare. Health Benefits is also responsible for managing the annual enrollment of Tribal members and members of other tribes who live on the reservation in the Suquamish Tribe’s Health Benefits Plan area.
The Elders’ Program provides five meals per week from 11:30 AM to 12:45 PM at the Suquamish Village lunchroom, as well as meal delivery to homebound disabled persons who live on or near the Reservation. Elders’ Foot Care is the first Thursday of each month at the Elders’ Lodge. Other services include transportation for shopping and medical appointments, respite and chore services, and assistance with minor home repair and yard work, as well as garbage pick-up.
The Community Health Program includes the Office of the Community Health Nurse and includes the WIC (Women, Infants, & Children) Office, the Community Fitness Program, and the Community Nutrition Program. The Office of the Community Health Representative oversees the Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Small Tribes of Western Washington (STOWW) commodity food service, and the Emergency Food Voucher Program.
The Suquamish Tribe does not provide on-site primary care. The Suquamish Tribe’s Contract Health Services (CHS) alternative delivery demonstration project began in May 1985 under provisions of Public Law 96-638. Under the terms of the agreement, Suquamish Tribal members residing in Kitsap County, Washington receive a predetermined benefits package of comprehensive health care services. Two full-time benefits coordinators administer the plan by engaging the services of a third party administrator who defines and coordinates benefits, adjudicates claims and pays vendors for services provided. The coordinators determine eligibility and report monthly eligible to the medical carrier and the pharmacy benefits manager. The benefit coordinators review each processed claim and authorize payments weekly. They also work with the nearby Port Gamble S’Klallam Indian Health Dental Clinic to coordinate direct care dental services for Tribal members.
Major services include outpatient visits, diagnostic care, hospital care, and mental health inpatient care and pharmacy services. The Tribe also operates a Wellness center, which provides alcohol and substance abuse programs along with behavioral health services out of a 1,545 square foot tribally owned facility. The Tribe’s Contract Health Service Delivery Area (CHSDA) is Kitsap County. The Tribe holds at least two health fairs each year with representation from local, state and tribal health departments.
If you are a new Mental Health or Chemical Dependency patient, or have not been seen recently, an intake appointment will be scheduled to obtain preliminary information and complete paperwork. For Chemical Dependency, this must be done prior to scheduling an assessment, and will take up to two hours.
Services include: Chemical Dependency,Assessments, Chemical Dependency, Co-Occurring, ADATSA, DUI, Intensive Outpatient Programs, Detox Referral & Coordination. Standard Outpatient Programs: Monthly Monitoring Group, Individual CD Counseling, Drug Court Treatment, Inpatient Referral & Coordination and ADATSA Services.
Available to both Native and Non-Native patients.
Transportation Services are available. Suquamish Tribal Members may be eligible for Transportation services. These can be accessed by calling our main number or coming in to fill out a “Transportation Request Form”. This form needs to be filled out and turned in at least 48 hours prior to the appointment.
The active benefits package user population is 844. The leading causes of death are diabetes, heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, malignant neoplasm, accidents other than motor vehicle and cerebrovascular disease. There were 403 Active users in 2002.