The only Native American community health organization in Los Angeles has chosen a new leader to guide a planned expansion of health services.
Echo Park-based nonprofit United American Indian Involvement last week (June 9) announced that it has tapped John Reeves III as the Native health organization’s new chief executive. The previous chief executive, Charlene Harrison, left in November. Two interim chief executives filled in the gap.
The United American Indian Involvement community health organization was founded in 1974, during the era of the creation of free clinics formed to provide health care, addiction recovery and other services. It remains the only Native American health clinic in Los Angeles County, dedicated to enhancing the well-being of American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders and indigenous populations.
The organization provides a range of services including medical, dental, behavioral health, substance use treatment, youth programming, elder services and cultural education.
In the decades since its founding, the organization has added clinics in Cerritos, Palmdale and Santa Ana. The Cerritos and Santa Ana clinics provide workforce services only, while Palmdale provides behavioral support services. Only the original clinic in Echo Park provides the full range of services, including medical and dental care.
Hiring with the intent to expand
The board of United American Indian Involvement has expressed its intention to bring the health care services now only available at its flagship location to the satellite clinics in the near future, according to a spokeswoman for the organization.
Prior to this role, Reeves founded Indigenous Healthcare Advancements, a Henderson, Nevada-based nonprofit that creates and expands healthcare clinics for indigenous communities. He also served for three years as the tribal chief operating officer of health for the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians around the Coos Bay region on the southern coast of Oregon.
“UAII’s dedicated team has provided life-changing, comprehensive services in the urban Los Angeles community for over 50 years,” Reeves said in the announcement. “I’ve dedicated my career to the integration of medicine with culturally grounded, holistic care, and I look forward to working in this community to continue to provide these critical services in a way that honors and strengthens Native traditional values.”
