Service Delivery on Pine Ridge – Meeting the Oglala Lakota People Where They Are
Reading Time: 3 MinutesLast Updated: August 26, 2024
During my year as a White House Fellow at Social Security, I have worked to address the negative impact of income and health inequities on the Oglala Lakota people of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
More than 50% of the Oglala Lakota population lives below the federal poverty line. Average life expectancy on the reservation is about 48 years for men, 52 for women. (Average life expectancy in the U.S. is 73 for men, 79 for women, according to Social Security’s most recent data.)
I visited Pine Ridge for the first time in September 2023 with Social Security executives, including Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi and Richard Litsey and Renee Ferguson from the Office of Native American Partnerships. We wanted to learn firsthand about the community and the barriers Native people face in receiving Social Security disability benefits. We participated in a Tribal Consultation and heard directly from Tribal Council members about their concerns.
We promised to return to Pine Ridge.
Over the next few months, I developed an initiative to address many of the disparities and challenges we learned about. Our team in the Office of Native American Partnerships planned a Benefits and Health Fair to educate the people of Pine Ridge about Social Security and other resources. Every organization and government agency we contacted was supportive of the event. We quickly realized there was real desire for collaboration.
The day-long Benefits and Health Fair at Pine Ridge was held on May 22, 2024. We were joined by Commissioner Martin O’Malley, who is committed to ensuring equitable access to Social Security programs and benefits.
A few highlights of the event are listed below:
- A panel discussion with various government agencies to share information and highlight resources available to people on the reservation:
- Representatives from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) addressed the suicide and mental health crisis in Native communities.
- Representatives from the Veterans Health Administration—including their White House Fellow—spoke about a new co-pay exemption waiver program for veterans.
- A White House Fellow from the Domestic Policy Council spoke about the opioid crisis and the effort to distribute Naloxone to people in marginalized communities. Naloxone is an opioid overdose reversal medication.
In addition to the panel:
- Representatives from the Indian Health Services (IHS) provided Naloxone training to Tribal members and offered free health screenings.
- The American Heart Association donated CPR and defibrillator kits, and I led participants through training workshops.
- Social Security staff took benefit applications on site, eliminating the need for people to visit the nearest office two hours away. Employees served more Tribal members that day than local offices had in the previous 3 months.
The Benefits and Health Fair is an incredible example of what can happen when multiple partners work together with a local community towards a common cause.
I looked around that day at a room full of our federal and local partners, many who lived and worked on the reservation. I felt a real sense of pride at what we had accomplished by working together.
Building trust and breaking down barriers takes time. It begins with showing up and keeping promises.
The Pine Ridge fair is only the beginning of our partnership with the Oglala Lakota people. We hope to replicate this model of service delivery on other reservations and in underserved communities.
Visit our American Indians and Alaska Natives page to learn more about our Tribal services and benefits and read our Fiscal Year 2024 Tribal Consultation and Call to Action Plan. You’ll find our Equity Action Plan 2023 Update on our Equity page.
From left: Renee Ferguson, Shayla Hagburg, Jack Leuchtman, Howard Bowles, Mariah Sklyr, Dr. Kilolo Kijakazi, Frank Star Comes Out, Martin O’Malley, Dr. Bryan Smith, Michael Hole, Alicia Mousseau, Andrea Moore
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Tags: equity, Federal Agencies, People Facing Barriers
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Jack A.
The Indians are truly wonderful people not like the blacks that keep crying they were slaves. Well there are no living slaves today they just want free gov. housing and want people to feel sorry for them, and the dumb ass white people give them both.
Mary C.
Happy to see this movement on America’s first peoples. Thank you
Ray
Great Work!
Michael M.
I’m not sure, but where are the Native American representatives in the photo. Wouldn’t it be helpful if they were included?
Annette L.
In the center.
Michael L.
That’s great. Take the resources for old retired people that have paid into SS all their lives and spend them on people that already get billions of dollars a year for their support. If the money given to the tribes doesn’t trickle down thru the ranks, that’s not my fault or the fault of anyone that has worked and paid into the SS system their whole life. You don’t need to squander that money on tribes that get billions already, or drug addicts or any one that refuses to make the effort to support themselves.You pathetic Democrats make me and a few million others sick with your nonsense. Take care of the ones that have contributed FIRST, then if there’s anything left, waste it on the non-contributers, NOT the other way around.
KonnyD
Social Security benefits are available to all eligible individuals based on what they paid in. Native Americans pay taxes and Social Security based on heir incomes. Many have incomes below the poverty level and receive benefits. No one is taking anything away from one group of people to give unfair advantage to another.
Narcan has been used to treat drug overdoses for several years now. Your county sheriff’s department, police, and EMT’s have been administering Narcan to “drug addicts” of all races and cultures. Again, no one is favoring a certain group of people.
You right-wingers should learn more about the country you live in. We democrats can only explain it to you, we can’t understand it for you.
Solarbear
Thank you for working to address the issues of the Oglala Lakota community at Pine Ridge. That community in particular has been faced with far more challenges than most. I’m grateful to hear that there are people at Social Security who are working to help them, and that you plan to expand this program to other Reservations as well. It’s a step in the right direction towards fulfilling the US government’s obligations to supply Native Americans’ basic needs, as promised many years ago when they were moved to the Reservations.
Carol
I found this article ….heartwarming, to say the least. My tax dollars being used to help people not kill them. The Native American Indians are a wealth of good information that can benefit us as a nation. I’ve always thought they are the ones who should be put in charge of managing the land then maybe we wouldn’t have as many fires.
MajJohn
A photo-op for HHS employees. This does lillle to improve the lives of Native Americans
Christine Y.
It’s about friggin time these NATIVE Americans have since the distant past present, and hopefully into a more better cared for future.
Michael L.
What? They have been given multiple trillions over the years to SELF govern with their Sovereign rights. If the tribal leaders fail to provide for their own people, it’s their fault not the US Governments place to provide for them. They are Sovereign Nations unto themselves, and have full responsibility to provide and govern their own people. They have done a poor job of that, but it is their responsibility, not anyone else’s. Take American History I & II again.
Kathy K.
As a distant native American descendant, I commend and honor the work you undertook to provide this long overdue assistance the Lakota.
I sincerely hope this work continues until all native Americans are treated equally, given their full rights under the law and shown the respect they so deserve.
Michael L.
Of what law do you speak? They have their full rights and equality under their laws. They are Sovereign Nations with their own land and billions of dollars each year to govern and provide for their own people. If you want them to have full rights and equality as regular (non Indian citizens) then take away the money, make them comply with the United States of America laws and make them support themselves. Take American History I & Ii again so you will know what you’re talking about. Facts, not opinions.They are tax fee, many make billions more from their casinos and they are self governed. If things are not up to your standards, remember they have their own standards, and as a Sovereign Nation your standards do not apply.