​Tribal Health, Health Care & Sovereignty

With the guidance of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT), Hagen's research into health, healthcare, and sovereignty on Montana’s Flathead Indian Reservation extends from treaty-making, in the 1850s, to the present, when the CSKT manages its healthcare system as a critical component of broader self-government. Primary sources from national, state, university, Catholic, and tribal archives, as well as information from tribal officials and agencies, document the complex history of CSKT tribal health and health care. Over the years, numerous entities were significantly involved in health and health care on the Flathead Reservation —including state, federal, local and tribal governments as well as religious organizations like Catholic orders, professional medical and charitable organizations, and individual medical professionals. The CSKT itself was actively involved in tribal health for decades, and in 1993 formally took over management of health care as a component of broader Public Law 638 self-governance.

This research project is in progress. In accordance with the project contract, portions of this research will serve as the basis of an article published in an appropriate peer-reviewed journal.