Fort Berthold Health Unit | Video

Jennifer Joas | 7/25/2012

The population boom in western North Dakota is putting a strain on public health units. That is why Fort Berthold tribal leaders approached the state`s legislative management health services committee to start its own public health unit on the reservation.

The health units say they`re overloaded with environmental health and immunization tasks. Existing health units also do not have jurisdiction on the reservation and cannot enforce public health codes.

"All of us are short staffed. We couldn`t possibly assist anybody. Upper Missouri is short staffed, southwest is short staffed and we are short staffed. I mean we just can`t find people to work in positions that we need all for our own jurisdictions," said First District Health Unit Executive Officer Lisa Clute.

"Right now with everything happening, all of us are here to work together to try and partner as best we can to get through some of the challenges that we`re all being faced with right now," said Sherry Adams with the Southwest District Health Unit.

The Health Services Committee made a motion to start a draft bill that would change the century code allowing a reservation to have its own public health unit.

The Fort Commander also is requesting $200,000 dollars to help start the health unit. The legislative committee did not make a motion for that.

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