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Chief Hoskin Jr. outlines Claremore health investments and support for reentry housing
Summary
Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. told the council the nation will pursue expanded health capacity in Claremore, study transitional living facilities for returning citizens, and repurpose the old Salina clinic as interim space for a community health organization.
Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. told the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council on Feb. 26 that the nation is seeking to expand health-care capacity in Claremore, bolster transitional living resources for people leaving incarceration and repurpose the old Salina clinic as interim space for a community health organization.
"Increasing what we're doing at Claremore significantly as we realize that the demand for the best health care in Indian country is present in the Claremore area," Chief Hoskin said, thanking the council for its support. He described plans to raise the investment ceiling at the Claremore facility and said the council had provided tools to study where and when to build additional capacity: "We don't know exactly when or where we'll build these facilities, but you all have given us the tools to study that, bring back a plan for sustainability, and get to work on that."
The chief highlighted support for transitional living for people returning from incarceration, calling the nation’s reentry program "amazing" and saying its potential is limited primarily by available resources: "...particularly glad that we can put some dollars into transitional living facilities for those coming out of incarceration." He also said the old Salina clinic (referred to in the transcript as the Celina Health Center/old Salina Clinic) will serve in part as an interim home for a CCO organization and that Cherokee Nation will seek an agreement with the Town of Salina to provide additional space.
Hoskin framed the measures on the special meeting agenda — several of which concern health funding and facility use — as part of a broader effort to support health care and reentry services in Indian Country. His remarks were delivered at the start of the special session and preceded a series of motions the council approved with minimal floor debate.
No formal votes were required for the chief’s remarks; subsequent items on the agenda advanced through motions and roll calls. The council thanked the chief for his remarks and proceeded to the agenda.
