January 12, 2010 –
MAYETTA: Steve Ortiz, Tribal Council chairperson, was elected vice president of the Oklahoma City Area Inter-Tribal Health Board (OCAITHB) today during their quarterly meeting in Oklahoma City. Ortiz has been periodically on the board for several years and is presently the service unit representative from Holton.
OCAITHB is a non-profit organization that was established in 1972 with the purpose of providing a unified voice for 41 federally recognized tribes located in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The mission of the twelve-person board is to advocate and collaborate for quality healthcare and healthy lifestyles within Native American communities and to strive for maintaining tribal sovereign rights and independence.
The organization provides programs and resources about Native American health issues and also looks for innovative funding methods as a means of supporting quality healthcare and healthy lifestyles for American Indian people.
OCAITHB is headquartered in Oklahoma City but holds quarterly meetings throughout its three-state region. Last year its second quarterly meeting was held at the Prairie Band Casino & Resort.
For more information about OCAITHB visit www.ocaithb.org