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MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The Cherokee Nation Muskogee Clinic will soon be seeing a lot more than patients. It is now home to an office established to assist people with numerous other services offered by the Cherokee Nation. People in Muskogee will now also have access to information childcare, family assistance, career services, and Indian Child Welfare.

"The goal of the Cherokee Nation Human Services group is to provide services that keep our families and communities strong," said Norma Merriman, executive director of Cherokee Nation Human Services. "By offering our services in a health care setting, we are completing the whole picture of creating healthy individuals, families, communities and ultimately a stronger Cherokee Nation."

Cherokee Nation childcare staff members will be in the Muskogee office on Mondays to provide information on how to obtain childcare and how to become a Cherokee Nation childcare provider. Family assistance staff members will take applications for services such as general assistance, burial, housing and energy assistance on Wednesdays. Career services representatives will provide help with job placement and employment and training, and Indian Child Welfare Families First staff members will be in the clinic on Tuesday mornings and Fridays.

Families First is part of the Cherokee Nation Children, Youth and Family Services group and provides home based services that include parenting education, skill building, prevention, daycare, social service referrals, advocacy, crisis intervention and transportation.

"I'm proud of the services our Families First staff provides to our parents," said Linda Woodward, director of Cherokee Nation Children, Youth and Families Services. "We start with expecting mothers and work with them through their pregnancy and delivery. We are in their homes teaching them about nutrition for themselves and their baby, how to bathe, feed and care for their child. But, we also provide prevention services to families that are in a crisis."

According to Turlington, Families First also recently partnered with three schools in Mayes County to help build families.

"We've had a lot of really good response coming from our schools," Turlington said. "One of the greatest benefits of these partnerships is that we are working toward keeping our children in school. There are too many children dropping out of school, too many teenage girls getting pregnant. It's a downward cycle that has many negative consequences. Through our intervention and prevention programs, we are able to address parenting and family problems before they occur."

To be eligible for these services you must have, or be eligible for, a Certified Degree of Indian Blood card and live within the Cherokee Nation boundaries. Some programs have income guidelines. You may access these services at the Cherokee Nation Muskogee Clinic, located at 1805 N. York Street, during regular clinic hours. You may also access services without visiting the clinic by calling the Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare office at (918) 456-0671, extension 2220 or (800) 256-0671, extension 2220.