Building Health Through Community, Culture, and Connection.
At United Indian Health Services, healthcare is rooted in community, culture, relationships, and caring for one another. Every day, staff across our clinics help create places of healing, support, connection, and wellness for the people and families we serve.
As we move into summer, there is a lot of good work happening throughout UIHS. Staff across many departments and clinic sites continue working on projects that help improve care, support wellness, and strengthen services for our communities in ways that reflect our cultural values and traditions.
One especially important milestone this year was UIHS becoming the first Tribal Health Program in California to receive Medi-Cal payment for Traditional Health Care Practices. This achievement reflects many years of hard work, leadership, and cultural strength within American Indian communities. It also helps support traditional healing services as part of wellness and recovery care.
For generations, American Indian communities have understood that healing includes culture, community, ceremony, traditional teachings, and natural helpers. This milestone helps honor those practices while continuing to respect knowledge that has always existed within Indigenous communities.
Many other important projects are also moving forward across UIHS. On July 31, 2026, UIHS will officially become a commercial tobacco-free organization across all locations. This effort reflects our continued commitment to supporting the health and wellness of our staff, clients, families, and communities.
Our approach remains centered on support, education, compassion, and access to resources. Smoking cessation classes through UIHS’s NATIVE Tobacco Project continue to be available, and more wellness resources and educational materials will continue rolling out over the coming months.
We understand that change can be difficult, and we are committed to approaching this transition with care, respect, and understanding.
Please visit uihs.org/smoke-free to learn more or find support and resources for stopping smoking.
Summer is also a wonderful time to reconnect with community, with the land, and with one another. Across American Indian communities, summer brings ceremonies, gatherings, cultural activities, food, family, and healing. These connections remain an important part of wellness and continue guiding many of the efforts taking place throughout UIHS.
We see this reflected across many areas of care and services at UIHS, including traditional healing, behavioral health services, community gardens, traditional foods, elder nutrition, May Gay Tolh Kwe Summer Camp, and the UIHS Farmer’s Market.
This year also brought important recognition for the work happening at UIHS. We were honored at the Partnership Medical Directors Forum for strong performance in both Children’s and Adult Access to Care. UIHS was the only clinic recognized as a top performer in both categories.
Whether serving clients directly, supporting clinic operations, helping families at the front desk, coordinating outreach, maintaining facilities, sharing cultural knowledge, or helping departments work together, every role helps support the mission of UIHS.
Every day, I am inspired by the way our UIHS staff shows up for community with compassion, professionalism, resilience, and care for one another. That spirit is at the heart of United Indian Health Services.
As we continue through the year, we look forward to upcoming projects, outreach efforts, and more community gatherings, including the HAWC Walk on August 1, 2026 and our Annual Membership Meeting on August 8, 2026. All UIHS clients and families are invited to attend. Look for more information on social media and on our website.
These events help strengthen the connections that bring our communities together.
Strong healthcare systems are built over time through shared purpose, cultural strength, teamwork, and a commitment to community wellness.
That work continues every day at UIHS.
