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About Feather River Tribal Health
The road to the current organization of Feather River Tribal Health, Inc. has been a long journey that started many years ago.
Originally, the organization was known as Northern Valley Indian Health. It was formed in October, 1971 and served 6 counties. Later added 2 additional counties were added to their service area. The original counties were: Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Plumas, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo, and Yuba. A local dentist and doctor donated their services to provide healthcare to the local Native American people. At one time medical services were provided to patients from a mobile van.
In March 1981, the departments were able to come under one roof at a new location on Montgomery Street. The main facility was located in Oroville with satellites in Greenville, Willows, and Woodland. Services provided included Medical, Dental, Outreach, and Behavioral Health Service. The original Rancherias that sponsored Northern Valley Indian Health included: Grindstone, Colusa, Cortina, Rumsey, Berry Creek, and Mooretown.
In 1993, the organization covered eight counties. The service area was large and many of the Native American people utilizing Northern Valley Indian Health’s services did not have representation on the Board of Directors. Through a unique contracting process with the Indian Health Service, an agency of the U.S. Public Health Service, Berry Creek, and Mooretown Rancherias separated from Northern Valley Indian Health and formed the Berry Creek/Mooretown Tribal Health Organization
on September 30, 1993. The organization was sanctioned and operated under a joint powers agreement signed by each of the Tribes. This organization had three representatives from each Tribe sit on the Board for a total of six directors. The facility was located in Oroville. There were approximately 25 employees at that time.
In 1995, a second facility was opened in Yuba City. Both facilities provided Medical, Dental, Behavioral Health, Outreach, and patient transportation services. Over the years, additional services have been added. On May 5, 1997, Enterprise Rancheria joined Berry Creek and Mooretown Rancherias as a third member of the joint powers agency.
As the organization has grown and progressed, it became necessary to update the agency’s overall structure to make it competitive and operate as a healthcare business providing services to Native Americans. On November 19, 1999, the agency became a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. The Board of Directors is now comprised of nine members and three alternates. Each Tribe appoints three members and an alternate to serve on the Board. The Board of Directors operates under the Bylaws of the Corporation, which provides policy direction and oversight of all operations of the organization. The corporation received non-profit status from the Internal Revenue Service in June of 2000. In 2002, the Oroville site moved to the Fifth Avenue location, which provided 38,000 square feet to house services.
Not only does FRTH serve the Native American patients that were the original visionaries for this program, but is also open to all the community to serve their healthcare needs. FRTH continues to grow. A 10,000 square foot addition was completed in September 2008. With the new expansion it now stands at 21 medical exam rooms, 11 dental operatories, additional offices,
an exercise room, massage therapy room, 3 conference rooms, and on-site storage. The facility today provides state-of-the-art health care in a seamless environment. As FRTH continues its progression into the future, Feather River Tribal Health, Inc. became the 101st Indian program in the United States to become a Title V-Self Governance program through Indian Health Service on September 30, 2011.
Over the years, the 3,800 square foot Yuba City location became too small to meet the needs of the patients served. In September 2011, Feather River Tribal Health purchased a 7,100 square foot medical facility in order to expand the level of care provide to the Yuba-Sutter Community. The facility was completed in early January 2013, and it opened for services on January 22, 2013. The facility includes 14 exam rooms, 2 behavioral health offices, and a conference room.
Board Updates
In an effort to ensure that the communities Feather River Tribal Health (FRTH) serves are kept informed, we will provide a monthly update on activities of the organization. This update is posted on our website for easy access.
FRTH also publishes an annual report on the status of the non-profit corporation. As always, hard copies of the reports are available to the community upon request, through the Administration Office. The online versions of the report can be viewed here.
Our mission is to elevate the health status of the Native American people in our service area and all people in our communities to the highest level possible through a comprehensive system of preventive and therapeutic services.
Glenda Nelson, Board Chair
Enterprise Rancheria