Partnering with UNM to support Indian Health Services

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Ahead of Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury's re-election bid, she proposed a new bill last week. The new bill aims to support and expand healthcare for Indigenous communities.

The Indian Health Service will work with the University of New Mexico to help provide some of these services.

“When our tribal nations entered into agreements with the U.S. government, the provision of health care was actually an integral part of those agreements,” Stansbury said.

Despite this decades-old promise, New Mexico's tribal communities continue to struggle to access adequate and efficient health care.

“There are many reasons for this. These include geographic barriers, historical trauma, funding constraints, a shortage of providers and a lack of basic health care infrastructure in our tribal communities,” Stansbury said. “This leads to higher rates of chronic diseases of all kinds, financial burdens and, of course, a reduced quality of life.”

Stansbury wants to benefit UNM medical students.

“So the Indian Health Service Provider Expansion Act builds on an existing residency program operated by the University of New Mexico Family Medicine Residency, based in Shiprock, and is one of the leading and best programs in the country. In fact, it is the program that currently serves our Indian Health Service,” Stansbury said.

Through the partnership, people gain access to health care and UNM medical students gain hands-on experience.

“We have patients who hitchhike to us. We have patients who have to coordinate all of their family care just to get to an appointment. So we try our best to have a full visit every time someone comes to us,” said Marcus Couldridge, a UNM student.

The program could also help expand outreach to bring the clinic to communities desperate for the government to follow through on its health care promise.