What can you do to help preserve Sioux San?

We believe the plan by the Indian Health Service to demolish and build new on the current site is ill-informed primarily because the site review process conducted by the IHS did not take into consideration the donation and development of the Shepherd’s Hill site. The IHS plan calls for the destruction or relocation of 26 of 30 existing buildings at Sioux San, 15 of which to be destroyed are eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places and hold historic meaning for the Native community. The Federal Government calls for keeping only three of the historic buildings at Sioux San.

Tribal input in this issue is being ignored. Since 2010, Tribes, Tribal groups, and Tribal individuals have considered the problems and solutions to systemic challenges to healthcare services for Native people. The current plan is the culmination of this wisdom and deserves implementation.

Contact Congressional Delegates

Contact your South Dakota Congressional delegates and let them know you support the Tribal Consultation process and the input submitted by the GPTCHB, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, the Oglala Sioux Tribe, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, the Mni Luzahan Wicozani Advisory Committee, and the Tribal community members who are seeking a vision for better healthcare services. Tribal self-determination must be respected.

Contact the Indian Health Service (IHS)

Encourage the Indian Health Service to overturn their decision to move forward with demolishing the current Sioux San site and build new there. Let them know that the Tribally-based plan to build at the Shepherd’s Hill site will create broader opportunities to expand, will increase access for Native American users, and will allow the Rapid City community to re-purpose the current site as a place of healing.

RADM Michael D. Weahkee, MBA, MHSA
Principal Deputy Director, Indian Health Service
Rockville, MD 20857
[email protected]

Contact your Tribal Representatives

Call your Tribal leaders and tell them to stand strong for Tribal self-determination. The Indian Health Service must take into full and serious consideration the long-range plan and vision of the Tribes and the Rapid City Community. Since 2010, Tribal people have discussed ways to improve health services, to prevent our Native people from acquiring needless debt due to system inefficiencies, to increase services, and to meet the healthcare needs of our significant Native population. We cannot be turned back now.

Use one of the following email addresses to get a message to Tribal Representatives:

Rosebud Sioux Tribe [email protected]
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe [email protected]
Oglala Sioux Tribe [email protected]

Or CONTACT  – [email protected]

Contact the Rapid City Concerned Citizens Group

The Rapid City Concerned Citizens Group has opposed the plan to build a new facility at a new site. Do they also oppose Tribal consultation? Do they support demolishing the current site? Do they support disrupting critical health services while a new facility is being constructed? Call representatives of the Rapid City Concerned Citizens Group and tell them you support the vision for long-term improved services, the years of Tribal input that went into these decisions, the Tribal consultation process be respected, and the Sioux San site be preserved – and that they should too.