[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 92 (Friday, July 15, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 15, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNEBAGO HOSPITAL

                                 ______


                           HON. DOUG BEREUTER

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 14, 1994

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, on June 23, 1994, the Winnebago Hospital's 
Drug Dependency Unit [DDU] and Diabetes Program received a Public 
Health Service Special Recognition Award. The Winnebago DDU placed 
first among 103 nominated Public Health Service programs for its 
program to simultaneously treat diabetes and alcoholism. The Indian 
Health Service Hospital is located in Winnebago, NE, in the First 
Congressional District. The Drug Dependency Unit serves both the 
Winnebago and Omaha Tribes in addition to many other native Americans 
from throughout the Nation.
  This award recognizes an innovative and progressive model program 
which has advanced the treatment of alcoholism and diabetes for 
American Indians. This is made possible by the location of the DDU in a 
hospital that allows a wide range of services to be provided that 
clinics alone cannot. The Winnebago DDU routinely treats patients for 
diabetes and alcoholism within the same program. By concurrently 
treating both problems, patients receive substantially greater health 
benefits than when only one is treated.
  The DDU has an amazingly high success rate when compared with other 
programs that treat native Americans. It is reported that it has a 56-
percent success rate in treating alcohol and substance abuse while non-
Indian treatment programs serving Indian people have a 0- to 5-percent 
success rate. Not only is the DDU the first adult in-patient substance 
abuse program in the Indian Health Service system, it also has the 
highest success rate of programs assisting native Americans.
  The Winnebago and Omaha Tribes created this unit to help stem an 
extraordinarily serious problem in Indian country. The tragic results 
of alcoholism and substance abuse can be seen throughout the United 
States, and especially among Indian people. The Winnebago DDU has 
developed an innovative treatment program for native Americans that 
deserves to be considered elsewhere.
  The Public Health Service award is just one of several prestigious 
awards the Winnebago DDU has recently received. In 1992, it received 
the 1992 Public Service Excellence Award in the Federal category. The 
Winnebago DDU is a proven success story that provides essential health 
services to many American Indians.
  Mr. Speaker, this Member is pleased to extend his congratulations on 
this well-deserved honor to the staff of the Winnebago Hospital DDU and 
the diabetes program.

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