DHS: Health Care Tools Heading To Native Elders To Keep Them Safe During Pandemic

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Minnesota Department of Human Services announced that home health care tools are being sent to Native American elders to help keep them safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, the DHS said blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters and other technology that supports telehealth and behavioral health visits are currently on their way to native elders in communities around Minnesota.

Following a grant contract with the DHS, the Native American Community Clinic in south Minneapolis and the Northwest Indian Community Development Center in Bemidji are distributing the infection prevention tools.

“Simple equipment can help people stay healthy at home, save lives and make a real difference,” said Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. “This a smart, targeted approach to support Indigenous communities in Minnesota.”

Using federal aid from the Coronavirus relief Fund, more than $500,000 will be used to provide equipment and technology for the at-risk native elders.

Data shows that the native population has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 infections and deaths during the pandemic.