Cherokee Nation Expands Public Health and Wellness Funding to 10 Percent

By Cherokee 411 Staff

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Cherokee Nation leaders, including Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, members of the Council, and Public Health staff, gathered Sept. 29 to sign amended Public Health and Wellness Fund Act legislation that increases the tribe’s annual health revenue earmark for wellness initiatives from 7 percent to 10 percent.

Image courtesy KOSU

The Council of the Cherokee Nation approved the measure Sept. 25 during a special meeting, expanding one of the tribe’s key funding mechanisms for community health.

“This increase means that there will be millions of dollars more every year for investments into improving the health and wellbeing of Cherokee families and communities,” the tribe said in a statement. “There are housing needs, food-security opportunities, and community wellness programs that benefit from these funds, ensuring a wellness dividend for citizens now and for generations to come.”

Since its adoption in 2021, the Public Health and Wellness Fund Act has generated millions of dollars for public- and behavioral-health projects. Funded programs range from small community grants and nutrition access initiatives to substance-use-treatment services and major capital projects such as the Mary L. Holland Carson Center in Stilwell and improvements to rural water systems.

Deputy Chief Warner said the 3-percent increase allows the Nation to address new priorities. “Public health casts a really wide net and there are so many different places on and off the reservation that these dollars can help,” Warner said. “This extends our arms of love out there just a little bit farther.”

Other amendments clarify eligible spending categories, require an annual spending framework, and authorize $1.7 million each year for Council-directed capital partnership projects in tribal districts.

“As a health professional, we’ve seen many disparities across our Nation, and addressing these through prevention and wellness promotion enhances the well-being of our people,” said District 1 Councilor Sasha Blackfox-Qualls, chair of the Council’s Health Committee.

According to tribal estimates, the Public Health and Wellness Fund will generate more than $40 million annually to support operating costs, capital projects, and community grants while building reserves for future initiatives.

Todd Enlow, executive director of Housing Programs and senior adviser to the administration, said the funding continues investments in wellness infrastructure such as recreation spaces, sidewalks, and playgrounds. “These investments encourage Cherokee citizens to be engaged and connect with one another not only as a family, but as a community,” Enlow said.

Last year, the administration enacted a three-year, renewable $40 million package for housing and community-building infrastructure under the tribe’s Housing, Jobs and Sustainable Communities Act. The new amendments are expected to add roughly $30 million in related investments for public housing, recreation, and public-safety projects over the same period.