IHS and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Dedicate New South Dakota Health Center

The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, in cooperation with the Indian Health Service (IHS), will hold a dedication ceremony for the newly constructed IHS Eagle Butte Health Center in Eagle Butte, S.D., on Aug. 26, 2011.

“Thanks to funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, this beautiful and much-needed health center is now completed,” said IHS Director Yvette Roubideaux. “With greatly expanded space, services, and staffing, this new health center will contribute to better health and wellness for the Cheyenne River Sioux community.”

The new 138,542-square-foot facility serves approximately 9,300 American Indians residing in the Cheyenne River Service Unit, which includes the South Dakota counties of Dewey, Haakon, Meade, Potter, Sully, and Ziebach. The state-of-the-art Eagle Butte Health Center replaces the former Eagle Butte IHS Hospital which, at approximately one-third the size of the new facility, was not able to meet the needs of the entire service population. Recovery Act funds totaling $84.5 million allowed for the completion of the construction.

In addition to medical services, the new facility incorporates many of the tribe’s existing services, including a wellness center, the community health representative program, and the tribal environmental health program. Additionally, new staff quarters for health care providers in this remote area are being built as part of the Recovery Act project. The new health center is immediately adjacent to a recently constructed nursing facility operated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

The IHS is the primary source of health care services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The IHS provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2 million of the nation’s estimated 3.4 million American Indians and Alaska Natives.