Indigenous Lives Matter! OUR LIVES MATTER!
Leading cause of death in Natives living on or off the reservations in South Dakota is
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES!
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
My mission is to expose discrimination and the degrading unethical practices of Indian Health Services on the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe reservation and across the state of South Dakota.
The leading cause of death for Natives living in South Dakota can be traced back to Indian Health Services. For most members of the Great Sioux Nation, the only way you have access to medical care is if you stay on the reservation. If you live off the reservation, you’re like a dog on a chain, you have to stay within your tribe’s coverage area.
For instance, I am enrolled in the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. My reservation is about an hour drive southeast of Pierre, SD. In order to receive medical care and prescription coverage, I have to drive down to the reservation to get it. Most Natives who leave the reservation lack the resources necessary to even get back there to see a doctor, and, like in my situation, IHS will NOT pay for you to see a local doctor.
My goal is to advocate for reform within Indian Health Services to allow for higher quality health care for tribal members, both on and off the reservation.
Mission Statement
Lower Brule IHS Retaliation since SSDI Approval in February 2024
This is the letter I sent to Lower Brule IHS in response to the retaliatory actions and harassment since my SSDI approval as the administrative law judge at my appeal hearing left the door open for law suits.
The classic “bury you in paper” tactic... Consisting of several duplicate copies.
“Let’s cancel all of her prescription refills without notice and only give her a 14-day supply.”
Okay, you want to play dirty. I sent each of my specialists an email via their respective websites explaining the situation and asking them if they would be willing to start filling whatever medications were still being prescribed by Kyrstin. DONE!