The California Rural Indian Health Board (CRIHB) was formed to provide a central focal point in the Indian health field in California for planning, advocacy, funding, training, technical assistance, coordination, fund raising, education, development and for the purpose of promoting unity and formulating common policy on Indian health care issues.

Mission

CRIHB is a network of Tribal Health Programs, which are controlled and sanctioned by Indian people, and their Tribal Governments.

We are committed to the needs and interests that elevate and promote the health status and social conditions of the Indian People of California.

CRIHB does this by providing advocacy, shared resources, training and technical assistance that enhances the delivery of quality comprehensive health related services.

Vision

We see culturally revitalized and self-sufficient communities with holistic care and healing places to promote health and wellbeing to the individual, the family and the community; weaving traditional and western practices into a successful life way. We see communities where people treat each other with respect and make responsible choices for themselves and for their families. In these communities Indian youth are happy with who they are, athletic, busy, loved and surrounded by family members and tribal elders who know and respect their culture and language. We see communities where people are competent at working with the institutions of the dominant society and comfortable with other communities and their cultures.

We see CRIHB proactively supporting collaborative opportunities with shared funding, services and staff based on identified community needs. We see the CRIHB network leveraging the voice of California tribal communities to strengthen advocacy to increase and improve access to quality healthcare.

Values

HEALTH CARE

Quality of Care: We support tribal health programs in delivery of quality comprehensive healthcare

Customer-Orientation: We must never lose sight of the people we serve. Our services must be available, accessible, and acceptable to them.

Culturally Competent Health Care: We strive to integrate the best of both traditional medicine and western medicine within the context of our respective Indian cultures.

Traditional Health Practices: We value the return to our traditional health practices and
the adoption of these into our personal and community health programs.

SELF DETERMINATION

Tribal Sovereignty: We are the “First Nations”. We have a rich history of Tribal selfgovernance, with our own customs and laws and organizational structures, which we administer within the context of applicable State and Federal laws, in a government-to government relationship.

Leadership: Which has enabled us to survive, persevere, and develop as a people.

Unity and Shared Inter-Tribal Pursuits: We are learning how to work together and collaborate more effectively. We have learned to set aside our own Tribal differences in order to pursue common legislative and programmatic goals through advocacy, coordinated actions and joint ventures.

Consensus Building and Collaboration: In our own organizational participation and in our collective legislation and advocacy activities.

Indians Helping Indians: Politically, we have accomplished this through the expression of self-determination. Professionally, we are committed to the recruitment, training, placement, and development of professional and non-professional personnel who are Indigenous. As a community we support each other in creating economic development opportunities to support our Tribal Health Programs.

TRADITIONAL CULTURE

Cultural Heritage: It enables us to preserve our integrity as independent societies. This includes:

Respect for our Selves
Respect for each Other
Respect for our Families
Respect for our Youth
Respect for our Elders
Respect for our Tribes
Harmony in our Lives

Our Land: Maintaining a harmonious relationship with our environment, which is sacred to us.

Life Experiences: Which are rooted in our traditions and culture, and which we endeavor to share with our Youth.