Category Archives: Press Releases

Sage Memorial Hospital announces the upcoming release of its second-quarter newsletter for Fiscal Year 2024. This edition highlights our hospital’s accomplishments and initiatives from January to March 2024. Look out for the newsletter insert in the Thursday, February 8 edition of the Navajo Times.

Additional copies of the newsletter will be distributed to local service chapters in Ganado, Steamboat, Klagetoh, Wide Ruins, Greasewood Springs, Cornfields, Kinlichee, and Nazlini.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GANADO, Ariz. – The Community Health Department of Sage Memorial Hospital is excited to announce the “Delicious Dine’ Cooking Classes,” a series of engaging, family-friendly cooking classes designed to celebrate and educate on the nutritional benefits of traditional Navajo dishes. These classes aim to encourage community health and wellness through food sovereignty, focusing on dishes that prioritize nutritional value and traditional ingredients.

The classes will be led by registered dietitian Denee Bex and are open to all families in the surrounding Navajo Nation communities. Each class will showcase the “Blue Corn Mush Parfait ” and “Top Blue Corn, Pine Nut Granola” dishes. The series begins at the Klagetoh Chapter House on May 14 continues at the Kinlichee Chapter House on May 15 and follows with classes at the Greasewood and Wide Ruins Chapter Houses on May 21 and 22, respectively.

“We, the SMH P4 Outreach Team and the Community Health Department, are so excited to be working and collaborating with Ms. Bex, chapter house leaders and community members with the “Delicious Dine'” Cooking classes,” said Kathryn Barron, NP. “This will be the start of our Produce Prescription Pilot Program (P4) community outreach nutrition education series.”

“We hope to build on these events and include other events and activities in the future to support increasing access and knowledge to traditional foods, fruits and vegetables to the Dine people; and ultimately improving food security and food sovereignty on Navajo Nation through collaborative community partnerships,” Barron added.

Bex is a passionate advocate for using traditional foods and nutrition to improve health outcomes in Native American communities. She has worked in indigenous communities as a clinical dietitian, diabetes health coach and group facilitator for more than 10 years and is excited to share her knowledge and expertise in cooking classes that celebrate traditional Navajo dishes.

“I recognize the power of building on our local food systems to increase access to healthy and traditional foods, because that’s how we will make a change in our communities,” said Bex. “We must use our traditional knowledge of food to help heal our communities.”

“I love my community and I am excited use my formal education to empower my people,” Bex adds. “I’m proud to partner with sage Memorial because our mission to increases access to healthy and cultural response foods and education aligns.”

Interested participants can sign up for the classes through the provided link: https://forms.gle/s9fFZ2bodTaASEGCA. For more information, please contact the SMH Community Health Department at (928) 755-4835.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 11, 2024

Sage Memorial Hospital’s Behavioral Health Department to host training on Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

Ganado, AZ –The Sage Memorial Hospital Behavioral Health Department is pleased to announce the upcoming adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training scheduled for March 21, 2024, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the hospital’s Behavioral Health Conference Room.

The one-day session is being hosted by C.O.P.E Specialists from Sage Memorial’s Behavioral Health Department and will last for 5.5 hours. This in-person event will bring together individuals, first responders, and hospital staff to learn how to identify common mental health challenges and provide support until professional help is available.

The training will cover the MHFA Action Plan known as ALGEE, which teaches participants how to:

• Assess for risk of suicide or harm

• Listen nonjudgmentally

• Give reassurance and information

• Encourage appropriate professional help

• Encourage self-help and other support strategies

Participants must register for the training by visiting https://www.eventbrite.com/e/adult-mental-health-first-aid-mhfa-training-tickets-853084357277. A self-paced 2-hour online pre-work course must be completed before the training date.

According to various sources, including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, approximately 130 people die by suicide every day. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that nearly 1 in 5 individuals in the U.S. live with a mental illness, and from 1999 to 2019, there have been over 841,000 deaths due to drug overdoses.

Rebekah Johnson and Marissa Kee, C.O.P.E Specialists at Sage Memorial Hospital, are available for any further information or inquiries. To reach Rebekah Johnson please call 928-755-4574 or email rebekah.johnson@sagememorial.com. To reach Marissa Kee, please call 928-755-4587 or email marissa.kee@sagememorial.com.

 

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Christian Bigwater
Director of Public Relations/Marketing
christian.bigwater@sagememorial.com
Office – (928) 755-4532
Cell – (928) 221-4205

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GANADO, Ariz. – Sage Memorial Hospital (SMH) is pleased to announce the release of its FY2023 Annual Report. The report highlights the hospital’s achievements and milestones over the past year, including a successful Joint Commission Critical Access Hospital survey and expansion of healthcare services.

Melinda White, CEO, SMH, expressed her gratitude for the dedicated team at the hospital, stating that, “they have been the cornerstone of our success, driving us to achieve these milestones and accomplishments throughout the year.” She also emphasized Sage Memorial Hospital’s commitment to delivering quality healthcare services guided by our Diné culture and values.

The Board of Directors also expressed their appreciation for the community’s support and acknowledged the hard work of the entire staff, including the executive team. They reaffirmed their dedication to continuously improving and finding new ways to better serve the community while honoring the Diné philosophy of life.

The FY2023 Annual Report also showcases SMH’s financial stability and growth, with a focus on innovation and quality. This includes the addition of new medical services and the implementation of UV robots for enhanced infection control. The hospital also received grants from Produce Prescription Pilot Program (P4) and the Arizona Foundation to support its mission.

The FY2023 Annual Report can be accessed on Sage Memorial Hospital’s website at https://sagememorial.com/2024/02/24/sage-memorial-hospital-releases-fy2023-annual-report  “We encourage our community members, stakeholders, and the media to review this document to gain insight into the progress Sage Memorial Hospital has achieved in the past fiscal year,” said White.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Christian Bigwater
Director of Public Relations/Marketing
christian.bigwater@sagememorial.com
Office – (928) 755-4532
Cell – (928) 221-4205