Tribal leaders call for reinstatement of health department position
In a recent legislative hearing to help shape the state health department’s budget, tribal leaders traveled from across Montana to tell lawmakers they wanted to reinstate a tribal relations manager position that proponents say once provided valuable communication with the state Department of Public Health and Human Services.
Lesa Evers, an enrolled citizen of the Blackfeet Tribe, was the last to hold the position and retired in 2023. The position, which provided a high-ranking link between the department and tribal governments, has since been left vacant by the department and was eventually removed entirely.
Anna Whiting Sorrell spoke strongly about the loss of the position. She has a doctorate in Indigenous and rural health and an extensive background of working for the state, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and federal government. Whiting Sorrell was previously the director of DPHHS under the administration of former Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer.
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