Medical center in Fresno for urban American Indians gets a second chance

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

Daniel Tatum hopes the steady beat of drums coming from a conference room resonates with American Indians he's trying to attract to a health center in the heart of Fresno.

"Our first priority is let people know we're here," said Tatum, program director for the Fresno American Indian Health Project, which opened six months ago in an office at 1535 E. Shaw Avenue.

About 13,000 urban American Indians in Fresno were without a health center for six months last year. Federal Indian Health Service officials yanked funding in January 2007 for the Fresno Native American Health Center, saying the center saw too few people and did not have a public health nurse available for patients.

The Fresno American Indian Health Project provides transportation to doctors' appointments. And a public health nurse who started Monday will offer health screenings and case management. The center plans to add education and prevention programs about high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and the virus that causes AIDS.

Full article: http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/310264.html#morephotos