Healing through memory: strengthening dementia support for american indian families - indian family health clinic (ifhc), a trusted urban indian health program in great falls, montana, proposes…

The Department of Health and Human Services Indian Health Service awarded a $199,004 cooperative agreement to Indian Family Health Clinic of Great Falls Inc. on September 1, 2026, under the Indian Health Service Health Management Development Program (CFDA 93.228).

The recipient will implement Healing Through Memory, a culturally responsive dementia care initiative for American Indian and Alaska Native elders over a three-year period ending August 31, 2028. Key deliverables include cognitive screening implementation during wellness and annual visits for patients age 55 and older, launching caregiver talking circles, training all clinical staff in dementia-informed practices, training a registered nurse as a memory navigator, and developing a culturally grounded dementia toolkit designed for replication across urban Indian health organizations. The project addresses five primary drivers of dementia care: detection and diagnosis, ongoing care and support, caregiver engagement, workforce development, and education. The clinic will leverage existing partnerships with local health systems, tribal programs, and Alzheimer's organizations to strengthen care coordination. Evaluation will track increased cognitive screening rates, new dementia diagnoses, caregiver engagement levels, and reductions in emergency care utilization.

Work is performed in Great Falls, Montana. Indian Family Health Clinic is a minority-owned, nonprofit urban Indian health provider serving American Indians and Alaska Natives in the Great Falls area.

Healing through memory: strengthening dementia support for american indian families - indian family health clinic (ifhc), a trusted urban indian health program in great falls, montana, proposes healing through memory, a comprehensive and culturally responsive dementia care initiative for american indian and alaska native (AI/an) elders. This project addresses a critical GAP in dementia-related services, including a lack of routine cognitive screening, caregiver support, culturally adapted education, and integrated care for those living with alzheimer's disease and related dementias (adrd). Over the three-year grant period, ifhc will establish a sustainable model of dementia care addressing all five primary drivers: detection and diagnosis, ongoing care and support, caregiver engagement, workforce development, and education. Key activities include implementing cognitive screenings during wellness and annual visits for patient 55+, launching caregiver talking circles, training all clinical staff in dementia-informed practices, training an RN as a memory navigator, and creating a culturally grounded dementia toolkit for replication across other urban indian health organizations. This initiative will leverage existing partnerships with local health systems, tribal programs, and alzheimer's organizations to strengthen care coordination and improve outcomes. Evaluation metrics will track increased screening rates, new diagnoses, caregiver engagement, and reductions in emergency care. Ultimately, this project will improve quality of life for AI/an elders and families and help build a national model for culturally centered dementia care in urban native communities.