In this Issue:

@NAHC

HR Buzz: Wellness and Benefits FairWhat’s Different Now That we Have NextGen?Employee Contribution: Shirley BegayNew Faces @NAHCEmployee AnniversariesTwo-Spirit GONA and Circle of HealingCareful with Red MeatLife Academy: Y2Y ResearchFlyer FestCalendar

At United for Success Academy, one of 6 of NAHC’s School Based Health Centers, students were asked to envision what they will look like in the future. 90% of the students drew a person with blonde hair and blue eyes. They say a picture says a thousand words, and in a school that does not have any white students, this speaks volumes.

In an interview with Kulwa Apara, a Peer Health Educator at UFSA included, “Our Schools were more segregated in 2008 than in 1958”. UFSA is centered in the heart of the Fruitvale District, a place comprised mostly of ethnic minori-ties. What we do here is educate students about the history of people of color, and really en-courage them to learn their history”, says Apara.

Studies show that students who see their cul-ture reflected in their educational institutions perform better academically. Self-image is vi-tal in the teenage years for a healthy percep-tion of identity. I was showed homework assign-ments turned in by students on the subject of bullying. Half of all participants have known, seen, or experienced bullying in their lives.

Many students shared similar stories, and emphasized their love for their culture. Sorting through homework assignments, they are developing their sense of iden-tity, through culture and communication.

“We want them to have a knowledge of self. What we need to do as adults is hold ourselves to higher standards, and the youth will rise to the occasion.”

United for Success Academy

School Based Health Success! by Hinhanska Haney, Media Intern

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HR Buzz Employee Wellness and Benefits Fair Open EnrollmentBy Yvette Torres, Sr. HR Generalist

This year’s Open Enrollment /Employee Wellness and Benefits Fair was held on Wednesday, June 6th in the Seven Directions Employee Lounge from 11:30pm to 1:30pm and Thursday, June 7th in San Francisco’s Morning Star Conference Room from 12:00pm to 2:00pm.

NAHC’s Open Enrollment/ Employee Wellness and Benefits Fair gave employees an opportunity to learn how to maximize the great benefits offered by NAHC.

This year’s Wellness Fair focused on how NAHC can support employees in making healthier lifestyle choices. NAHC is committed to supporting employ-ees to improve their health and wellbeing in spirit mind and body. NAHC wants to promote a worksite culture that supports employees to make healthy choices; increase awareness of resources, and inspire

and empower individuals to take responsibility for their own health.

Kaiser, Delta, ING, ASI and Provident representatives were on site, available to assist employees and an-swer questions.

Lunch was provided and prizes were raffled available for all employees who completed and submitted the annual required forms.

Thank you NAHC Staff for coming out and making the event possible! And thank you for helping us to help you, get started in enhancing your personal wellness! We look forward to seeing you success-fully reach your health and wellness goals!

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The switch to NextGen’s Practice Management system has changed the nature of many of our jobs at NAHC (especially front desk, registration, and billing staff.) Though we are all aware of the changes and adjustments we have had to make with regard to own jobs, or with-in our own departments, we may not all know how the project has changed the agency as a whole:

What’s different now that we have NextGen?By: Lillawa Willie

Before... After...

 

Patient  demographics  outdated,  incomplete   Accurate  patient  demographics    

Insurance  eligibility  checked  on  various  portals    

One-­‐stop  shop  for  checking  eligibility    

Three  different  agency  systems  for  patient  registration  and  check-­‐in  

One  system  for  patient  check-­‐in    and  registration  

Departments  working  independently    of  one  another  

More  integration  and  collaboration  between  departments  

Huge  differences  in  check-­‐in,  scheduling,  and  billing  procedures  between  departments  

More  focus  on  standardized  procedures  

Collecting  data  for  reports  very  time  and  labor  intensive  

Instant  access  to  reports  

Huge  amounts  of  time  spent  catching  billing  errors  

Automated  claim  edits    

Employee Contribution

New Faces @NAHC

With Blessings and SupportBy: Shirley Begay

I began this journey with the support of family and close friends and the blessing of Latrail Crawford-Temple, Susan Jamerson and Marty Waukazoo in August of 2010. I want to thank all of you for your support and encouragement throughout the last two years and especially to our Circle of Healing Department for allowing me to grow and thrive as an intern. I am blessed to work for an organization and a community that supports higher education for our people. I could not have done it without my family, friends, and the Native American Health Center!

San Francisco State University, Class of 2012B.S. in Health Education,

Emphasis in Community-Based Public Health. Graduated Summa Cum Laude

Photo Credits:Brother: William Stevens

Mom: Rita StevensCousin (in the blue blazer): Kelan Carrisoza

Anola Small Director of Registration, Billing & Collections Admin Dept. 3124

Brenda Vasquez, On-Call Medical Assistant, SF Medical

Francisco Valadez, Patient Service Coordinator Oakland Dental Department

Flavia McKleroy, On-Call Registered Nurse, SF Medical

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Welcome to NAHC!

Employee Anniversaries

DepartmentStaffperson Date Started Years of Service

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Thank you for your service

Calling all Native Brothers! Come out and enjoy our second annual Native Boys and Men’s wellness gathering!

Last year’s Boys and Men’s Wellness Gathering made it apparent that there is a need for Men’s Gatherings and Ceremonies in our Urban Community; there is a need for that kind of community healing, and there is a need for the kind of strength Native Boys and Men bring into the circle.

This year the theme for the gathering will be empowerment. The Gathering will be led by Martin Martinez (Pomo) and will feature a workshop led by Dallas Goldtooth (member of the hilarious Native youtube sensation, the 1491s). Please join us, the event will take place June 16th from 9am to 4pm at Intertrib-al Friendship House (523 International Blvd. Oakland 94606).

If you have any questions: Please contact us at 510-434-5330 or email:Dallasw@nativehealth.orgReneG@nativehealth.org

Youth Corner: Native Boys and Men’s WellnessBy: Tommy Orange, Media Coordinator

Patrice T. Brooks Oakland Medical 6/15/2010 2 yearsLaura A. Cedillo SF Community Wellness Department 6/14/2011 1 yearKaren Harrison Oakland Medical 6/4/1990 22 yearsZena A. Harvill Oakland Medical 6/23/2011 1 yearAmy Hoang-Chuong Billing 6/14/2007 5 yearsKevin D. Hursh SF Dental 6/20/2006 6 yearsErin C. Lobo SF Dental 6/27/2011 1 yearCrystal M. Marich SF Community Wellness Department 6/16/2010 2 yearsRebecca S. Mc Kenzie SF Community Wellness Department 6/27/2011 1 yearCorazon Pacheco-Henry Billing 6/26/2000 12 yearsLouise Torrez Oakland Medical 6/6/2011 1 yearGlenda Tyler SF Community Wellness Department 6/16/2010 2 yearsCarol J. Whitehead Oakland Medical 6/27/2011 1 yearDaniela Y. Wotke SF Medical 6/16/2008 4 years

Circle of Healing is a culturally diverse staff of the Native American Health Center that serves the San Francisco Bay Area native community. We provide prevention & HIV/AIDS services in a caring, supportive, culturally rich, and community-focused environment. Our goal is to offer education, practical support, coordination of ser-vices & advocacy. This is the Circle of Healing program’s Mission Statement, and something the Circle of Healing Staff are dedicated to upholding (in addition to NAHC’s Mission Statement).

This last weekend, Circle of Healing hosted the Two Spirit Gathering of Native Americans at the Intertribal Friend-ship House. Nazbah Tom, MFTI, Circle of Healing Program Director says that the Two Sprit GONA creates a space that is open, inviting, and accepting so that people can be open to learning about historical trauma and the ways that individually and collectively learned to cope with intergenerational trauma and to be motivated with the choices they have now. The GONA is a place to exchange ideas within community, for people to share themselves, and to feel better about themselves for who they are while also maintaining a safe and sober space. During the GONA, participants were encouraged to learn their history and the impacts of homophobia on themselves and wider community while learning and exploring community strategies that might have been wiped out or gone underground. Healing comes from knowing that many of our communities were aware of homophobia before colonization, yet remembering that two-spirit people’s participation in community was built on respect and sustainability. The GONA invited people to engage in sharing their stories and engaging in discus-sion with other community members.

At breakfast, community members took on respectful debates of identity and history. While hearing where oth-ers came from, offering arguments, and seeing a bigger world outside of what they grew up in, all helped to gen-erate a space that was open to learning, as well as an in-vitation for hope. One participant commented in closing a session by saying, “…I feel safe and like I can just be me”.

Many times, it is a difficult journey to generate hope and agency in communities who might feel disempowered, but people showed up with agency and resiliency. Peo-ple will choose to come to such events because they are

stronger than whatever hurt them or made them feel de-valued or threatened. One of the members of this year’s Two Spirit GONA posted on Facebook, “I feel pumped up on Tradition!”

Nazbah would like to extend an immense thank you to Native American Health Center staff who helped with the 2 Spirit GONA this past weekend: Laura Cedillo, Jen-ny Hays, Aurora Mamea, Joanna Kent Katz, Lauren Bae-hner, Kurt Schweigman, Jordan Skye Paul, NAHC Media Department—Parke, Tommy, and Lina, and staff who in-formed community members about this event.

Another special thank you to Two Spirit ally, Luta Candeleria, for offering songs as prayers.

The Circle of Healing is extremely appreciative of Intertribal Friendship House staff for hosting and offering the space for the community—Carol Wahpepah, Marlon, Judy, and Iona. Thank you for such a warm and inviting space. Also, thank you to Maggie for offering plants to people to bring home with them—a sweet gift to community members.

Thank you to Simply Bliss and Fountain Café for offering their delicious food to our participants!

Events like the Two Spirit GONA point to how the Circle of Healing integrates community collaboration and edu-cation. Education is a primary focus, as it is a foundation for prevention. Laura Cedillo is a Prevention Specialist says, “HIV is still an epidemic. A lot of people don’t have a real knowledge of how it is transferred. Most people just say ‘I just don’t want to have it.’ There is still a taboo about HIV, that it is a gay disease. It is actually a hetero-sexual disease worldwide” The numbers tell the same story. Federally Recognized American Indians make up 1% of the U.S. population, yet are the 3rd, highest afflicted ethnic group.

“People come in just to make sure they are healthy and to be sure they are healthy for their partners or potential partner(s),” Laura adds.

The Circle of Healing welcomes all people to become educated and get tested for regularly. The program con-tinues to expand and is located at 160 Capp St., San Fran-cisco Native American Health Center.

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Two Spirit GONA and SF Circle of HealingBy: Lina Blanco, Media Assitant and Hinhanska Haney, Media Intern

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The Latest in Health Research: Careful With Red MeatAdapted from Diabetes Forecast, June 2012 by Laura McLively, RD

On sale for $20! Contact Jordan Skye PaulJordanP@nativehealth.org

Native American Heritage Night T-Shirts!

Looking for Native Recipes? follow us on Pinterest!http://pinterest.com/nahcnativefoods/

Brought to you by Bonney Hartley, Laura McLively and Kelatztli Mendoza

Quinoa Stuffing

Ground Turkey and Wild Rice

Ensalada de Nopales/Nopal Salad

Eating red meat is associated with a higher risk of early death (mainly from cancer and heart disease). A recent study featured in Diabetes Forecast showed that the risk of premature death goes up 12 percent for each extra 3-ounce serving of red meat eaten per day—3 ounces is only the size of a deck of cards!

Furthermore, one daily serving of processed meats (salami, bacon, hotdogs, etc) increased mortality risk by 20 percent! This was a very large study of over 120,000 people who were followed from 1980 through 2006. The researches estimated that by substituting poultry, fish, nuts, legumes, soy, low-fat dairy, or whole grains for a serving of red meat each day, study participants would have lowered their risk of premature death by 7 to 19 percent.

Take-home message: Eat smaller portions of red meat or eat it less often by substituting non-red meat pro-teins like fish, chicken, beans, nuts, and soy.

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Life Academy Youth 2 Youth ResearchThe Researchers: La’Gayla Cook, Jennifer Morales, Claudia Henriquez, Carla Hernandez & Kamaria Lewis

Flyer FestBrought to you by the Native American Health Center Media Team

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Please SUBMIT all articles to NAHCMedia@nativehealth.org with the

Title line “@NAHC (Title of your Piece)”

by the last Friday of the Month!