WASHINGTON DC – Two area Indian Tribes are getting infusions of federal money for health care efforts.
Last week, the US House Appropriations Committee advanced new federal funding for the Lower Elwha Klallam and Makah tribes.
Nearly two million dollars for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe will be used for planning and development of the Lower Elwha Klallam Health and Wellness Complex. That complex will provide access to a wide range of high-quality, culturally sensitive services for Tribal members, and additional health and social services to the broader community.
The development project for the Lower Elwha Klallam Health and Wellness Complex is in its initial stages. The site for the Health and Wellness Complex will be on the 40-acre campus on Highway 101, just west of the City of Port Angeles, where it will be co-located with the existing facilities of the Lower Elwha Family Health Clinic and Klallam Counseling Services for Chemical Dependency.
The three-million-dollar funding for the Makah aims to help the Tribe expand and relocate the critical medical services of the Sophie Trettevick Indian Health Center out of the Tsunami Inundation Zone and meet the needs of their growing population.
Sixth District US Congressman Derek Kilmer led the effort to secure funding for the projects through the House Appropriations Committee’s Community Project Funding process, which allows Representatives to submit direct funding requests based on needs in their congressional districts.