The Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) was honored to welcome graduate students from North Carolina A&T State University’s Counseling program to Cherokee for an insightful tour of the hospital’s facilities and services. The visit, led by Dr. Richard Bunio, Executive Director of Clinical Services, and Dr. Frieda Saylor, Director of Behavioral Health Services, provided the students a unique opportunity to learn about the diverse populations CIHA serves and the hospital’s integrated approach to mental health care.
During their time at CIHA, the students toured the hospital’s primary care teams, where they observed firsthand how behavioral health is incorporated into CIHA’s integrated care model. The visit also included a look into Analenisgi, CIHA’s behavioral health program, and the Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Clinic, where the team delivers comprehensive care for individuals in recovery.
The highlight of the students’ visit was their generous service project. The group donated over 60 snack kits, which will be distributed to patients of the MAT Clinic as part of CIHA’s whole-person approach to supporting patients in their recovery journey. Additionally, the students had the chance to engage in a Q&A session with CIHA’s Peer Support Specialists, learning more about the critical role these specialists play in providing support and guidance to individuals navigating recovery.
These tours are invaluable in building meaningful connections with higher education institutions and providing future counselors insight into CIHA’s model of care. For CIHA, these partnerships offer the potential to attract new talent, as the hospital hopes to market itself as a potential place of employment for graduates who are passionate about integrated care and supporting Indigenous communities.
Through collaborations like these, CIHA continues to expand its reputation as a leader in behavioral health care while also fostering relationships that may lead to future employment opportunities for graduates from institutions like North Carolina A&T State University.