The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP) hosted Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist Wednesday, Oct. 7, for a visit to the tribe’s Grand Rapids operations. He was welcomed by Tribal Council Chairperson Jamie Stuck to tour and learn about the NHBP Grand Rapids Health Facility.  

Lt. Governor Gilchrist chairs the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities to which Stuck was appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The task force is charged with studying the causes of the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the state’s minority groups and recommend actions to address the historical and systemic inequities. One of the focus areas of the task force is removing barriers to physical and mental health care. 

“We are honored to have Lt. Governor Gilchrist tour our clinic to allow him to see for himself the health disparities that Anishnabék people (Native Americans from the Great Lakes region) on the west side of the state are dealing with,” Stuck said. “It’s important to us that we highlight the health-related issues faced by members of all 12 native sovereign nations in the state of Michigan and the investment NHBP and other tribes have made in operating health clinics to address those needs.”

The Grand Rapids Health Facility is one of three NHBP clinics serving citizens of any federally-recognized tribe. This important access to culturally-informed health care reflects the NHBP vision to protect and promote the cultural, emotional, physical and financial well-being of its own and other tribal communities. Health care providers are trained to incorporate traditional approaches and trauma-informed care in the delivery of medical, behavioral, dental, and home-based services to address mental, physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of wellness.

“I was excited to visit the NHBP Health and Human Services health center to see all of the important work happening in service to native communities in our state,” Lt. Gov. Gilchrist said. “Chairman Jamie Stuck is an important partner on the racial disparities task force and the health center team is a terrific example of the work required to overcome disparate outcomes for marginalized people.”

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About The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi
NHBP, a federally recognized Tribal government with more than 1,500 enrolled Tribal Members, gained federal recognition December 19, 1995. The Tribe’s main offices are located at the Pine Creek Indian Reservation near Athens, Michigan, and in Grand Rapids, Michigan. NHBP provides benefits, programs and services to Tribal Members through various Tribal government departments, as well as a Tribal Police Department, Tribal Court and Gaming Commission.
NHBP’s economic development entities include FireKeepers Casino Hotel (FKCH), a Vegas-style casino, and Waséyabek Development Company, LLC (WDC), which focuses on the pursuit of non-gaming, economic diversification opportunities.
Under the Tribal-State Gaming Compact, NHBP distributes a percentage of its annual slot machine revenue from FKCH to both the State of Michigan and to the Local Revenue Sharing Board (LRSB). The Native American Heritage Fund, established in 2016, serves to provide resources to improve curricula and educational resources related to Michigan Indian history, as well as to fund initiatives that promote mutual respect and cooperation between local communities and Michigan’s federally recognized Tribes.