Wellness & Self Care

All groups are free

Community Wellness Self-care group

Our goal is to empower Native American adults and elders — to improve their fitness through a variety of wellness programs. We build confidence in everyone who attends, including those with physical limitations and emotional obstacles. Better health means a better life — we are here to assist you in improving your life.

Assessment & Case Management (Contact the Center at 619-234-2158 for more information)

• Personalized assessment of health and wellness needs and strengths.
• Case management services for access and utilization of health and wellness services
• Health education and guidance
• Referrals to other services, including social services and health services.
• Specialty areas include:

– American Indian Health and Wellness care
– Substance abuse treatment and support services
– Diabetes prevention services, especially addressing diet and nutrition, physical activity, weight management, and referral to podiatry and ophthalmology.

Wellness Services (Urban Indian Health Program)

We provide both individual services and group education services.  Individual services include health screening, prescription refills in coordination with pharmacies and case management.  Case management allows patients to address specific health issues with the guidance of a case manager that provides education and referral to additional services.

Group education services are provided to address health topics that are common to many clients, such as workshops on substance abuse and diabetic foot care.  Talking circles for both men and women are also offered as more traditional ways to address the spiritual and emotional aspects of wellness.  Special community events, such as Healing Circle and Pow Wow, art class, photography workshops, are also offered for youth, elders and adults in order to raise awareness about wellness and increase utilization of Wellness Department services.

Special Diabetes Program for Indians

This program focuses on the prevention and control of diabetes through diet and exercise.  Exercise activities include scheduled fun walks/runs and walking club, as well as special interests such as dancing for healing and full body gentle stretching exercise which promote relaxation and discipline.  This program also coordinates special events, such as Intertribal Wisdom Gatherers group for Elders here at the clinic to promote physical activity. Nutrition education and activities include monthly cooking classes that feature native foods and ingredients that are low in sugar and fat.  Diabetes prevention clinics include weigh-ins, foot exams, visits with providers, fitness level testing and other diabetes-related education including sharing healthy recipes in the Wellness Department.

4 in 1 Health Promotion

This program targets four topic areas: Substance abuse, mental health, health promotion of disease prevention and immunizations.  Many local urban Indians are not eligible to receive services from their respective tribes because they reside off the reservation.  Thus, San Diego American Indian Health Center to provides much needed social services in the areas of education, referrals for training and employment, and supportive services relative to urban living.  This grant also supports the monthly publication of the newsletter Native Wellness voice.  Substance abuse efforts focus on improving youth decision making skills via curricula used by both parents and youth.  Health promotion/disease prevention activities include focus on the prevention of HIV/STIs and HCV.

The grant is for education, testing, prevention of HIV, Hep C, STI’s with emphasis on Syphilis.  We are also trying to get more individuals vaccinated against HPV.  We offer rapid HIV, rapid Hep C, STI testing, enrolling in PrEP program and HPV vaccines.  All of this is free of charge.  Our clinic serves native and non-native patients.

As scientists continue to actively research how to slow or prevent age-related decline in physical health, they’ve already discovered multiple ways to improve the chances of maintaining optimal health later in life. Taking care of your physical health involves staying active, making healthy food choices, getting enough sleep, limiting your alcohol intake, and proactively managing your health care. Small changes in each of these areas can go a long way to support healthy aging.

Mental health services include teen health chats and coordination with other behavioral health providers and positioning the agency to support existing aftercare efforts.  Finally, staff promotes awareness of vaccines for different age groups and refers clients to providers for staying up to date on immunizations.

Tobacco Cessation Program

This contact focuses on the prevention and cessation of commercial tobacco use, emphasizing the sacred nature of tobacco.  Workshops are offered to groups of youth, community members and providers.  The health risks of second-hand smoke are also communicated.