#EmpowerWarmSprings

KWSO continues to post COVID-19 Updates weekdays to monitor case numbers and the local Warm Springs Vaccination Rate.  Updates are posted in the news section of our website.

The local COVID-19 response team continues to gather data and make recommendations to Tribal Council for precautionary protocols to protect community members from COVID-19.  Everyone is encouraged to continue to remain cautious, wear a mask in public spaces, and not gather with people who may not be vaccinated.  Vaccination is the best way to protect from COVID-19.

If you need a COVID-19 vaccination you can call to schedule at the Warm Springs Health & Wellness Center at 541-553-2131.   Anyone 12 and older who is Indian Health Service Eligible, OR who lives or works in Warm Springs and their family members can be vaccinated.

#EmpowerWarmSprings is a local COVID-19 campaign that utilizes media to educate, offer perspective, share stories and instill hope.  The effort is to encourage folks to do what we can to protect from COVID-19 AND to connect and unite with each other with a common vision of wellness.

Here is some of the content we have created:

On the Warm Springs Reservation folks rely on the Indian Health Service Clinic for most health care needs.  When hospitalization is required – St Charles Health System operates Central Oregon’s Hospitals.  In taking a look back at the past year of the COVID-19 Pandemic we wanted to get an idea of how these two health care entities navigated.  Hyllis Dauphinais is the CEO for the Warm Springs Health & Wellness Center.  Dr. Jeff Absalom is the CPE of St Chareles Health System.

Gordon Scott & Lorien Stacona share their story of having a baby during the pandemic, managing family, work, health & life.

Jaylyn Suppah is a Mother, Warm Springs Tribal Member, Graduate Student, Employee and Relative who found a way to juggle all of it during this most unusual time – the year of COVID-19 that started in 2020 and carried into 2021.  She shares her story of the pandemic and it’s impact on her life.

We reminded folks that the one thing everyone can do to help end the COVID-19 Pandemic is the get vaccinated.

STAY SAFE & VACCINATE!

REMEMBER TO MASK – DISTANCE & GET VACCINATED!

STAY SAFE REMINDERS TO HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19

Lana Leonard talks about the early days of the pandemic and initial efforts to stay connected with students at the Warm Springs K-8 Academy.  Lana was on the front line for most of 2020 working at the CTWS Tribal Administration Building and Indian Head Casino.  She shares her experience and continues to encourage everyone to wear a mask.

Andy Leonard works at the Warm Springs Behaviorial Health Center and has had to make adjustments in his life and work, like all of us, during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

From KWSO’s monthly talk show “COMMUNITY TALK” Jane Kirkpatrick talks about what we can do to help our children cope with stress and stuggles during the pandemic.  Suggestions and ideas are great for post pandemic behavior management too!

Danny Martinez is the Warm Springs Tribes’ Emergency Manger. He is part of the local COVID-19 Response Team. In this video he talks about lessons learned during the pandemic – while also helping to manage a water crisis, a wildfire, and a personal loss.

We have taken down a video featuring Autwai Warm Springs Elder Maxine Switzler talking about her familiy and COVID-19.  She shared her experience with the hope that people would protect their families by taking precautions and getting vaccinated.  Maxine passed away this Spring from COVID-19.

Jefferson Greene talks about the impact that COVID-19 has had on the elders that he works with.  He talks about the importance of taking precautions along with the continuation of language learning, the handing down of cultural practices, and families spending more time together.

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Warm Springs Tribal Member Michele Hensel shares her stories from the COVID-19 pandemic. Working remotely, the loss of her father, and subsequently spending more time on the Reservation.

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Here is a link to all the graphics we have created for social media posts to encourage everyone to take COVID-19 precautions and to get vaccinated when you have the opportunity.   You can view and  download the graphics HERE

AND if you would like to create your own graphic we have some of our templates availalble as downloadable PNG files HERE

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KWSO’s monthly “Community Talk” show featured a conversation about COVID-19 with co-hosts Dr. Shilo Tippett, CTWS Tribal Member and Licensed Clinical Psychologist at St. Charles Madras and KWSO’s Sue Matters.  Guests included CTWS Health & Human Services GM Caroline Cruz and also Dr. Erik Brodt, who is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University and is the founding director of the Northwest Native American Center of Excellence.

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We documented the arrival of the COVID-19 Moderna Vaccine at the Warm Springs Health & Wellness Center and the first shots that were administered.

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Warm Springs Chief Delvis Heath shares his story of loss due to COVID-19 and the need for folks to continue to wear a mask. This video is part of an initiative to offer the Warm Springs Community: Education, Understanding & Perspective; and Hope during this phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

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Empower Warm Springs is new campaign that you will see and hear throughout the community and online. Like many other Native Nations, Warm Springs has been hit hard by COVID-19. This campaign aims to help folks as we make our way through the pandemic. Guests include: Caroline Cruz, Louie Pitt, Jr. and Liz Woody.  Here is a Warm Springs Program we produced to layout the plan for #EmpowerWarmSprings.

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Louie Pitt, Director of Governmental Affairs and Planning for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, talks about the COVID-19 pandemic, his role on the local COVID-19 response team on sharing messaging with the community and his understanding of science, being a Native person and history.