United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians Secures IHS Hospitals & Health Clinics Funding via Historic Agreement

Washington, DC – United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (UKB) Chief Jeff Wacoche executed a historic agreement on Sept. 16, 2025, with the Indian Health Service (IHS) that expands the UKB Health System beyond Behavioral Health and Purchased & Referred Care (Contract Health) to include direct patient care under the Hospitals and Health Clinics Program.

“This agreement is historic as it secures funding and line authority from the Indian Health Service to operate the UKB Tribal Health System beyond our fantastic Behavioral Health and Contract Health programs,” said Chief Wacoche. “We’ve worked for years to secure this agreement, and we continue to plan strategically and execute for our Keetoowah People. This agreement was the next critical step in that endeavor.”

While the Purchased & Referred Care (Contract Health) program is limited to serving enrolled members of the UKB, Hospitals and Health Clinics funding allows the UKB Tribal Health System to provide services to any Native American enrolled in a federally recognized Tribe.

“This agreement gives us the ability to grow our capacity and strengthen access to care across the Oklahoma Cherokee Reservation,” Wacoche continued. “We have providers on staff in Behavioral Health who will help us phase in clinical services, and this expansion will also create new jobs and economic opportunities. We ask our members to be patient as we move forward together on our own terms. We’ll share additional information as it becomes available.”

Healthcare has long been a cornerstone of Tribal sovereignty. By expanding the ability to deliver direct patient care, the UKB affirms its right to self-determination while ensuring that Keetoowahs and Native people throughout the Oklahoma Cherokee Reservation have access to the services they need to live healthier, stronger lives.

“I thank Secretary Kennedy and the entire leadership team at IHS for their focus on the health needs of the UKB and the Oklahoma Cherokee Reservation,” said Chief Wacoche. “I am proud to work with colleagues committed to advancing accessible high-quality health care for Indian country.”

UKB-administered health programs have already demonstrated success and laid a strong foundation. Echota Behavioral Health is widely recognized in the Tulsa and Cherokee communities as a leading provider, consistently ranked for quality care. Since its launch on January 1, 2025, the UKB’s Purchased and Referred Care (PRC) program has served more than 1,000 patients – an achievement that symbolizes both the demand for expanded services and the Tribe’s growing capacity to meet the health needs of its people.