1965: Community Health Representative program inspires similar programs

At the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, the Oglala Lakota establish the first community health representative program to provide community-based health care. Services include driving residents who have no means of transportation to medical care. It inspires programs on other reservations.

Congress passes President Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” program, providing Medicare, federally subsidized health care for the elderly, and Medicaid, federally subsidized health care for the poor. Discussions are also held concerning how to improve the delivery of health care to American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Theme

Native Rights

Region

Great Plains