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IHS Announces Grand Opening of the Supai Health Station at the Bottom of the Grand Canyon
In partnership with the Havasupai Tribe, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Indian Health Service Phoenix Area, announced today the opening of the new and upgraded replacement facility of the federally managed Supai Health Station in Havasupai, Arizona. Accessible only by helicopter, mule or horse, or on foot, the health station is located in the remote Havasupai Canyon within the Grand Canyon. The 12,700-square-foot facility replaces a 2,200-square-foot clinic constructed in 1972 and provides space for primary care, dental, pharmacy and medication dispensing, lab, and radiology services.
“The opening of the new Supai Health Station is a momentous accomplishment that has been in the works for two decades,” said IHS Director Roselyn Tso. “In one of the world’s most remote locations, we are improving access to care and delivering a state-of-the-art health care facility at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The IHS is raising the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives, even in the most challenging and remote locations.”
The new clinic will have specialty care visiting providers for podiatry, optometry, ophthalmology, maternal child health, and psychiatry, as well as alcohol and substance abuse, behavioral health, social work, public health nursing, and public health education programs. The unique floor plan combines the clinic and the staff living quarters into a two-story building, with the clinic located on the first floor and the staff quarters on the second floor.
The IHS has worked in partnership with the Havasupai Tribe to ensure that the facility upholds and honors their cultural history, with rich cultural colors of the canyon walls and water falls. This facility is part of the Colorado River Service Unit and provides primary services to approximately 1,000 tribal members. The facility is also accredited by The Joint Commission.
“This milestone is a testament to the enduring commitment of the Indian Health Service and our partnership with the Havasupai Tribe,” said IHS Phoenix Area Director Dr. Ty Reidhead. “We look forward to continuing our work with the tribe as we improve the health and wellness of our patients and tribal communities throughout the Phoenix Area.”
This project has been in the works for more than 20 years. As part of the 2002 Phoenix Area Health Service Master Plan project, the Supai Health Station was identified as a priority for health facility replacement. Several years later in 2011, a facility assessment determined the facility had reached the end of its useful life and was undersized for the Supai Tribal members. The new facility design contract was awarded in 2016 and finalized in 2019 when funding from third party reimbursements was secured. The subsequent construction contract kicked off in early 2020, but was postponed until late 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The IHS Phoenix Area serves the states of Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, consisting of eight service units with federally operated hospitals, clinics, youth treatment centers, and smaller health stations.
The IHS, an agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to 574 federally recognized tribes in 37 states. Follow the agency via social media on Facebook , X , and LinkedIn .
