WCHS Public Health Nursing Awarded Good Health and Wellness Grant
February 6, 2025
Winnebago, NE – Winnebago Comprehensive Healthcare System (WCHS) has been awarded the Good Health and Wellness Grant from the Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board. This grant, totaling $115,000, will support WCHS’s Public Health Nursing in creating community-based services and events aimed at combating illness and chronic diseases.
The grant enables WCHS Public Health Nursing to create a comprehensive foundation of care for individuals at risk of or living with chronic diseases in the WCHS community. These conditions, such as obesity, commercial tobacco use, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, disproportionately affect Indigenous communities, and remain the primary focus of WCHS Public Health Nursing.
“We aim to fulfill our mission of creating and sustaining a healthy community by fostering the growth of health education within our community. By expanding health education, we empower our community to take charge of their well-being and break the cycle of chronic illness,” said Carla Olson Griffin, WCHS Public Health Nursing Director.
Planned 2025 initiatives include distributing care backpacks to elders year-round, hosting a teen health fair, and setting up health education booths at the local farmer's market. These events and activities focus on education, prevention, screening, management, and self-care for chronic diseases. Utilizing various strategies, the program aims to reduce the burden of disease over time within the Winnebago community. The grant received by WCHS Public Health Nursing ensures services are accessible to all tribal and community members, from infants to the elderly.
“In 2024, our Public Health Department organized over 200 health events and activities! Thanks to the Good Health and Wellness grant, we can continue to serve our community in 2025. Our goal is to empower our relatives to build a healthier future, for our next generations. We strive to lead the nation in Indigenous health,” stated Mona Zuffante, WCHS Chief Public Health Officer.