Pharmacy policies change

Scott Csernyik

6/12/2002 12:00:00 AM

Policy changes at the Nimkee pharmacy, discussion on an adult tobacco survey and initiating contact with Bay Mills Community College about the possibility of a charter school were discussed at the Tribal Council during their June 4 regular session.

Tribal Council approved the following policy changes at the pharmacy. These three changes were also previously approved by the Health Board on May 21 before being sent to Tribal Council.

-A Nimkee medical provider will review requests for medication refills at least two times per day. If an outside provider has ordered a medication, the patient must obtain refills from that provider;

-Requests for medication refills will be filled within 24 hours of being received in the Nimkee Pharmacy Department; and the

-Nimkee Pharmacy will not accept new prescriptions to be filled after 4 p.m., unless the patient has been seen in the Nimkee Clinic for a scheduled appointment.

Tribal Council also heard from Community Health Director Walt Kennedy about the adult tobacco survey coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Michigan Inter-Tribal Council.

The purpose of the survey is to assist Tribes in obtaining information needed to measure cigarette smoking in their community and to help with tobacco program planning and evaluation.

Kennedy said the surveys have been conducted in about 15 states, but very few sampling sizes came from Native Americans. MITC officials were hoping to get two adult tobacco surveys amongst Native American communities. The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians is the other Michigan Tribe might be participating in the survey.

He added they were hoping to interview 200 enrolled adult Saginaw Chippewa Tribal members on a random basis for 30 to 40 minutes on the telephone sometime next spring. Tribal Council took no formal action on the matter.

Education Director Carla Sineway also presented Tribal Council with policy and guidelines governing students.

"We see it as a real need and would like to have it in place before the next school year," she said.

The three documents included an Aabizikaawin Model Code of Student Conduct, Advisory Board of Education Guidelines and Advisory Board of Education Policy. Tribal Council requested time to review the three lengthy documents before taking any action.

Tribal Council also authorized Sineway to send a letter to President Michael C. Parish about the Tribe wishing to pursue a charter school under Bay Mills Community College.

In other action, Tribal Council also heard an update from the Planning Department, as well as the Saginaw Chippewa Housing Division.