Don’t Get Sick after June: American Indian Healthcare 2010
Distributed by Third World Newsreel, 545 Eighth Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10018; 212-947-9277
Produced by Steven Heape
Director n/a
DVD, color, 60 min.
General Adult
Native American Studies, Health Sciences
Date Entered: 09/08/2011
Reviewed by Warren Hawkes, Library, New York State Nurses AssociationThe title of this film in many ways captures the Native American sentiment within the film. The phrase is used to describe the underfunding of the Indian Health Service and the general lack of concern for the wellbeing of the Native American populations – by June only partially through the federal fiscal year all funds are depleted for Native American health care services.
Producers of the film are quick to point out that this federal program as being perpetually underfunded and has never met the treaty mandates which the federal government agreed to in exchange for ceded land rights. The film documents, through significant archival photography and film footage, the plight of Native Americans from the time of original settlements of Europeans in North America. It also documents with great historical detail the many treaties, federal laws and programs all designed to assist Native Americans with their education and healthcare. The producers of the film continuously point out the government failure to meet their obligations with resulting outcomes of excessively high rates of diabetes, obesity, suicide and heart disease – all tied to a lack of adequate funding of programs that were that an obligation of negotiated treaties, not federal handouts as all too many American believe.
The film also contains interviews with many tribal leaders who offer their views on what the government should do to improve its role in assisting Native Americans. Other leaders talk about the drastic changes brought about on Native American culture when it shifted from that of hunter/gatherer to one of a forced sedentary reservation based population. Well produced, Don’t Get Sick after June sends a poignant message in light of all the efforts for national health care reform. However, the issues of underfunding, treaty obligations, and the plight of Native American populations are made very clear and very strongly—many times. The film could have been edited to be as effective and powerful but less repetitive.
Awards
- CINE Golden Eagle Award 2010