WSU and EHF Partnering for InHealth

By Empire Health Foundation
Jan 20, 2020

Last Friday, the EHF Team proudly presented the WSU Health Sciences Tribal Advisory Board with a grant award of $250,000 in support of  WSU's new Indians Into Health Program (InHealth). InHealth will provide pathways and resources for Native students to enter the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and other medical professions, with the goal of producing more Native health professionals who can help eliminate disparities. 

The Indian Health Service (IHS) has found that Native populations suffer disproportionately from heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, alcoholism, mental health problems, asthma, and chronic liver disease. Among other factors, these health disparities can be attributed to a shortage of Native physicians and other health care professionals. Practitioners with knowledge of and sensitivity to the traditions of these communities can improve the health care that is delivered.