Scholarship Program Encourages North Dakota Native American College Students to Seek Careers in the Mental Health Field
November 14 2018 - 11:00AM
Business Wire
- American Indian College Fund and
United Health Foundation program creates education solutions to
address substance use disorders and the opioid crisis
- Eleven North Dakota Native American
students chosen as scholarship recipients
The American Indian College Fund, in partnership with the United
Health Foundation, awarded 11 Native American North Dakota college
students with scholarships through the United Health Foundation
Tribal Wellness Scholarship Program.
The program encourages Native American college students to seek
careers as mental health professionals so they can help their
communities recover from substance use disorder in a way that
honors their tribal heritage and traditions.
The United Health Foundation Tribal Wellness Scholarship Program
was funded through a $360,000 grant from the United Health
Foundation in May. It includes scholarships, mentoring, academic
support, job training and research opportunities.
The following 11 Native American students from North Dakota
pursuing degrees in recovery-related fields will receive
educational support. Five awards were designated for associate
degree candidates and six for students seeking a bachelor’s or
master’s degree.
- Danelle Belgrade (Turtle Mountain Band
of Chippewa Indians), seeking an associate degree in nursing at
Turtle Mountain Community College;
- Latoya Delorme (Turtle Mountain Band of
Chippewa Indians), seeking a bachelor’s degree in nursing at the
University of North Dakota;
- Briana Delorme-Jeanotte (Turtle
Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians), seeking a bachelor’s degree in
nursing at the University of Mary;
- Raeanne Henry (Turtle Mountain Band of
Chippewa Indians), seeking an associate degree in nursing from
Turtle Mountain Community College;
- Trista Jetty (Turtle Mountain Band of
Chippewa Indians), seeking a bachelor’s degree in nursing from
North Dakota State University;
- Christine LaRock (Spirit Lake Dakota
Tribe), seeking an associate degree in applied science-pre-nursing
from Cankdeska Cikana Community College;
- Desarae Martin (Turtle Mountain Band of
Chippewa Indians), seeking a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the
University of North Dakota;
- Krista Miller (Minnesota Chippewa
Tribe), seeking a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University
of North Dakota;
- Alisha Parisien, (Turtle Mountain Band
of Chippewa Indians), seeking a bachelor’s degree in social work
from the University of North Dakota;
- Pelchee Slater (Turtle Mountain Band of
Chippewa Indians), seeking an associate degree in pre-nursing from
Turtle Mountain Community College; and
- Maria Vormestrand (Turtle Mountain Band
of Chippewa Indians), seeking an associate degree in social work
from Cankdeska Cikana Community College.
Cheryl Crazy Bull, president and CEO of the American Indian
College Fund, said: “Communities across the country are being
devastated by substance abuse. Educating culturally competent
health professionals in tribal and rural communities is part of an
effective response to this crisis. We need to bring our own
knowledge and resources to healing our family members, and
providing scholarships for health education does that for us.”
North Dakota, with a lower rate of drug deaths than other states
overall, has experienced a sharply rising death rate due to drug
overdose. Drug deaths in North Dakota have increased 90 percent
between 2014 and 2017, according to the America’s Health Rankings
Annual Report. Finding suitable drug treatment within a reasonable
travel distance is a challenge in this primarily rural state. By
working to educate citizens of rural communities affected by drug
misuse, the goal is to get patients on the path of full
recovery.
“Thousands of Americans are dying from opioid overdoses, and
people living in rural areas often suffer more due to the lack of
easily accessible health care,” said Tracy Malone, president of the
United Health Foundation. “The United Health Foundation is honored
to support these bright and motivated students who will serve an
important and needed role fighting the disease of addiction,
provide culturally competent care to their Native communities and
give back to the people of North Dakota.”
To view a video profile of Maria Vormestrand of the Turtle
Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, please visit
https://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/newsroom.html.
About the American Indian College
Fund
Founded in 1989, the American Indian College Fund has been the
nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for
more than 28 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the
answer" and provided 6,548 scholarships last year totaling $7.6
million to American Indian students, with more than 125,000
scholarships totaling over $100 million since its inception. The
College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support
programs at the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and
universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations,
ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their
careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from
independent charity evaluators and is one of the nation’s top 100
charities named to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving
Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College
Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.
About the United Health
Foundation
Through collaboration with community partners, grants and
outreach efforts, the United Health Foundation works to improve our
health system, build a diverse and dynamic health workforce and
enhance the well-being of local communities. The United Health
Foundation was established by UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) in
1999 as a not-for-profit, private foundation dedicated to improving
health and health care. To date, the United Health Foundation has
committed $430 million to programs and communities around the
world. We invite you to learn more at
www.unitedhealthgroup.com/SocialResponsibility
Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth
Group.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181114005299/en/
American Indian College FundDina
Horwedeldhorwedel@collegefund.org, 303-430-5350
The United Health FoundationJill Harrisonjill.harrison@uhc.com,
952-931-4673
UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024