Provide Environmental Services. The Public Health Nurse will be working with the existing Community Health Nurse Program of the Lawton Service Unit in delivering counseling, health education, immunizations, screenings and referrals from the IHS doctors. Fran Harrison, Community Health Director Betty Wauahdooah, CHR Sr. With the passing of the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act of 1992, the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes have an unprecedented opportunity to build the capacity to manage environmental programs. In pursuing the most challenging effort to manage environmental programs, the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes were encouraged to participate based on the official declaration of the President to work with Indian tribal government as partners.
Tribes can function as either a state or local agency.
Tribes may receive authority to serve other tribes. This allows FCS to contain costs by contracting with more cost-effective tribes. The program was initially intended for tribes with reservations. For this reason, Oklahoma tribes could not participate because of the regulatory requirement to serve Native Americans living on reservations. The regulations were amended in 1984 to permit Oklahoma tribes to participate.